Exercise pill: burn fat, boost endurance without moving a muscle

By Dick Pelletier

 

       For all those who have wondered if they could enjoy the benefits of exercise without the pain of exertion, the answer may soon be yes. Scientists are developing a pill that tricks your muscles into thinking they have just gone through an aggressive workout even though you haven’t left the couch.

       Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have identified two drugs that mimic many of the physiological effects of exercise. The drugs increase the ability of cells to burn fat and are the first compounds that have been shown to enhance exercise endurance.

       Both drugs can be given orally and work by genetically reprogramming muscles to maximize energy use. In lab experiments, mice ran faster and longer on treadmill tests. Those that were given AICAR, one of the two drugs, ran an astounding 44 percent longer. The second compound, GW1516, dramatically improved endurance when combined with exercise.

       Ronald Evans, the HHMI investigator who led the study, said drugs that mimic exercise could offer potent protection against obesity and related metabolic disorders. They could also help counter the effects of devastating muscle-wasting diseases like muscular dystrophy. Evans and his colleagues at the Salk Institute published their findings July 31, 2008, in the online journal Cell.

       While this breakthrough may be especially appealing to couch potatoes, doctors are most excited about the potential benefits to people who aren’t able to exercise due to joint pain, long hospital stays, and other circumstances that keep them from being active.

       These "wonder drugs" address a wide range of medical problems. By burning away excess fat, they have the potential to promote weight loss, lower blood glucose levels, lessen resistance to insulin, lower the risk of diabetes, decrease muscle wasting, and reduce the dangers of heart disease.

       Other experts agree that the drugs hold promise for treating disease. Dr. Johan Auwerx at the University Louis Pasteur in France said the results look good and could be helpful in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. "The fact you can mimic exercise is a big advantage, as diet and exercise are the pillars of diabetes treatment."

       "We have exercise in a pill," said Evans. "With no exercise, you can take a drug and chemically mimic it." Such a drug might one day even reverse the muscle frailty associated with aging. The broadest appeal though, he adds, may be for those who would just rather pop a pill than exercise.

       Concerned about the potential for abuse of the performance-enhancing factor, the team has developed a test in time for the 2008 Olympics that can detect these substances in athletes who would use it to gain an edge over their competitors.

       The two drugs are under development by GlaxoSmithKline and Schering-Plough. One is already in late-stage trials for another application, the prevention of coronary surgery problems; and if proven safe, both drugs will soon be available for public use.

       Today, almost no one gets the recommended 40 minutes to an hour per-day of exercise, but with drugs mimicking the effects of exercise, everyone will be able to keep themselves in perfect shape as we move forward into what promises to be an amazing "magical future."

 

This article appeared in various print publications and on-line blogs. Comments always welcome.