Researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have developed a small-molecule drug that prevents weight gain and protects the liver in mice that eat a high-sugar, high-fat Western diet throughout their lives. This new discovery is supposedly going to offer hope for those who are incapable of eating healthy.
From Study Finds:
“When we give this drug to the mice for a short time, they start losing weight. They all become slim,” says Madesh Muniswamy, Ph.D., professor of medicine at the health science center’s Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, in a media release.
To understand how this drug works, the scientists first investigated the role of magnesium in metabolism, which is the process of producing and using energy in our cells. Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays many important roles in the body, such as regulating blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and bone health. However, the researchers found that too much magnesium slows down energy production in cellular power plants called mitochondria.
Co-lead author Travis R. Madaris, a doctoral student involved in the study, explains that too much magnesium puts the brakes on energy production, causing it to slow down. The team discovered that by deleting a specific gene called MRS2, which promotes magnesium transport into the mitochondria, they could enhance the metabolism of sugar and fat in these cellular power plants. The result? The mice stayed skinny and healthy.
But that’s not all. The mice showed no signs of fatty liver disease, a serious complication associated with a poor diet, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes. This exciting finding suggests that by limiting the amount of magnesium entering the mitochondria, it’s possible to prevent weight gain and protect against the harmful effects of an unhealthy diet.
Look, I love a delicious cheeseburger as much as the next person, but this drug just seems too good to be true.
The real issue with American diets is the obnoxious portions and lack of education on proper nutrition. Pair that with our shady FDA, and you've got a real recipe for disaster.
Instead of our government or big pharma coming up with a more hands-on solution, they just simply want to shove another pill down our gullet.
So, for me personally, this new medication would be a hard pass.
