Burn Off Fat with Fatostatin

A brand new study published recently in the journal, Chemistry and Biology, reports that a new man-made chemical, fatostatin, prevented mice from putting on weight even when they were allowed to eat whatever they wanted. This remarkable drug lowered their production of fat and at the same time lowered the rodents' cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Unlike cholesterol-lowing statins on the market today which block a single enzyme, this new chemical, fatostatin, "hits fat from the very beginning," stated Motonari Uesugi, co-author of the study and a researcher at Kyoto University, Japan.

Imagine being able to do away with Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Atkins, and all the other diets that keep you from eating the foods you love. How does this new chemical work its magic? It has the ability to influence many of the genes involved in fat production, as well as having a positive impact on a collection of risk factors including obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance - all at one time.

The obese mice in the study who were injected with fatostatin showed a noticeable reduction in their weight and their respective livers were a healthy-looking red compared to their untreated obese counterparts. To quote Dr. Uesugi, "When fatostatin was injected, the mice did not get fat even when they ate a lot, and we did not see any obvious side or toxic effects."

Fatostatin appears to have the power to turn off fat production. Yes - actually turn off fat production - making it a powerful weapon against obesity. But don't run to your phone to call your doctor for a magic prescription of fatostatin yet. You will have to be patient since research on the drug is in its earliest stages.

For years various researchers have been searching for a pill to help people fight obesity. There are some anti-obesity drugs on the market at present but they have harmful side effects and patients often stop using them.

Uesugi's laboratory has samples of more than 30,000 chemicals and is testing them on human and mouse cells. Fatostatin appeared to stop fat production by "turning" specific genetic switches.

Uesugi added that injection of such a drug is not an option for those with chronic metabolic diseases such as those that cause obesity. More research needs to be done in order to develop a pill that will be safe for humans.

Regarding safety, "fatostatin's activity on 63 genes, many of which have nothing to do with fat synthesis, raised questions about potential side effects, particularly if the chemical is ingested over many years," stated Dr. Nicholas H.E. Mezitis, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons who is familiar with the study findings.

Still the various researchers seem to agree that there is definitely promise in the area of targeting genetic switches that turn on fat production as fatostatn appears to do. So we will have to wait until this intriguing chemical is approved for ingestion by humans. However, I do have a suggestion for the pharmaceutical marketing team. Are you sure you want to call this new, magical substance, fatostatin? If you want your sales to soar, consider changing the name to slimo-statin, thino-statin, or even skinny-statin.

© Copyright BJ Rakow 2010, 2013. All rights reserved.

B. J. Rakow, Ph.D., Author, "Much of What You Know about Job Search Just Ain't So." - a serious book about job search written in a light-hearted manner.