- Researchers report that the diabetes drug metformin may increase your body’s production of the same molecule produced after vigorous exercise, producing weight loss benefits.
- This molecule is known for its “anti-hunger” effects that suppress appetite.
- Experts say that metformin can lead to modest weight loss through many pathways, but these findings primarily emphasize the value of exercise.
The diabetes medication metformin increases the body’s production of a molecule that suppresses appetite, according to a
This same molecule is also produced during and after vigorous exercise — a fact that was
Known as the “anti-hunger” molecule, researchers believe the lac-phe molecule explains the slight weight loss effects of metformin, the
“Until now, the way metformin, which is prescribed to control blood sugar levels, also brings about weight loss has been unclear,” said Jonathan Long, PhD, an associate professor of pathology at Stanford and a study author, in a press statement. “Now we know that it is acting through the same pathway as vigorous exercise to reduce hunger. Understanding how these pathways are controlled may lead to viable strategies to lower body mass and improve health in millions of people.”
After trials in mice with obesity, researchers analyzed blood plasma samples from people with type 2 diabetes before and after 12 weeks of taking metformin.
Participants started on a daily dose of 500 mg, increasing gradually to 2,000 mg.
Researchers reported that during this period, the participants’ lac-phe levels increased significantly.
The researchers also analyzed blood samples in a larger study with 79 participants with diabetes and heart disease. Lac-phe levels were significantly higher in the participants taking…
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