Obesity is becoming more and more prevalent.is more than 4 out of 10 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is classified as obese in the United States. research Since 1980, the prevalence of obesity has doubled in more than 70 countries and continues to increase in most other countries.
The growing pandemic of obesity is a major public health crisis. Obesity is associated with several chronic illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. In addition, medical costs can cost billions of dollars.
People who are overweight or obese are often advised to reduce their calorie intake and increase their energy expenditure in order to lose weight. This calorie deficiency can be achieved by changing the diet and doing more physical activity.
Physical exercise and physical activity are essential for overall health. The guidelines recommend that adults perform two days of strength-building activity in addition to medium-intensity physical activity for 150 minutes each week.
In addition to supporting good health, exercise increases the body’s energy needs. Calories burned can directly affect weight and fat loss, and can increase muscle mass and metabolism. Exercise also helps balance hormones that can affect weight, such as cortisol, insulin, thyroid hormones, testosterone, and progesterone.
However, according to new research, exercise may also have other biochemical benefits that help combat obesity and related conditions.
A recent study led by scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine and Baylor University found that naturally occurring molecules could help reduce hunger and promote weight loss.
Weight loss effect by exercise
A new study found that exercise induces anorexia-suppressing molecules.
This molecule is called lac-phe, and its level rises significantly immediately after exercise. The compound can check appetite, which can reduce obesity and overweight in the long run.
The team set out to understand how exercise affects weight and glycemic control. They wanted to see the specific molecules and biological pathways involved. They used what is called a “metabolomics” approach to examine molecules that appeared and disappeared in the blood of experimental mice before and after exercising on a treadmill. In other words, the natural decline and flow of body chemicals during exercise.
Scientists have used mass spectrometers to identify the presence of various molecules in tissues or blood samples based on weight. They were able to track the concentrations of various molecules and compare the data before and after the exercise to see how the exercise raised or lowered the molecules.
They confirmed that the molecule measuring 236 with a mass spectrometer had the largest change in concentration. This is how they identified lac-phe spikes.
Next, it was important to understand whether the spikes appeared only in mice or were universal among species. The team also needed to determine if the spikes were due to exercise or other causes such as stress.
Racehorses, mice, and humans
To find more answers, the team turned to racehorses. Scientists visited the racetrack and took blood samples from the horses. Then they performed another mass spectrometric experiment and were excited to find the same spike in an unknown molecule with a mass of 236.
At this point, the team considered an independent study that is also being conducted at Stanford University. Genetics researchers have measured how various molecules increased in human participants during and after exercise. The results also revealed spikes in molecules with a mass of 236.
In addition, the genetics team analyzed its chemical formula and discovered that it was a combination of lactic acid and phenylalanine.
Therefore, lac-phe appears to appear after exercise as well in mice, racehorses, and humans.
What is lac-phe?
Lac-phe is named because it is a molecule that combines lactic acid and phenylalanine.
Lactic acid or lactic acid is an organic acid produced by the body during anaerobic respiration, meaning the absence of oxygen. Lactic acid is produced when the body breaks down glucose to produce cellular energy (ATP).
If you have been sprinting or exercising hard, you will remember the burning sensation and discomfort of your muscles. That is the effect of lactic acid.
Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid and a component of proteins. It occurs naturally in the body, in many protein-rich foods, and in the artificial sweetener aspartame.
When exercising, lactic acid is produced. This spike triggers a protein called CNDP2 to bind to lactic acid to form lac-phe. CNDP2 is present in many cells and is very active in immune cells.
Treatment of obese mice with lac-phe reduced appetite by approximately 30%. Second, this reduces their weight and fat and improves their glucose tolerance. The authors stated that these effects were similar to the reversal of diabetes.
However, mice lacking the CNDP2 gene were unable to produce lac-phe. Therefore, they did not lose as much weight in the exercise plan as the control mice.
Scientists speculate that the lac-phe pathway may be responsible for about 25% of the weight loss effect of exercise.
Our goal
The results of the study provide a better understanding of how exercise can affect hunger and indirectly affect weight beyond calories burned. However, while these findings are exciting, they are still in their infancy and further investigation is needed to further investigate these mechanisms.
The next big challenge is to see if the discovery can be converted into a drug that can control appetite. However, first, scientists need to further identify how lac-phe affects the hunger signal and identify the receptors in the brain involved in this process.
If scientists have a complete understanding of the processes associated with exercise and appetite suppression, they are one step closer to helping people improve their health and tackle the obesity epidemic.
