Only yesterday The Online Clinic Blog reported the findings of scientists from the University of Pittsburgh. Based on a study of 200 women, the scientists calculated that in order to lose weight, and to keep the weight off, a woman has to do 55 minutes of moderate exercise per day for five days of the week. For the average British woman this is a major lifestyle commitment and one that many women are unable to make. Perhaps reading this news one might have been left thinking that scientists would do better developing a pill which could be taken daily to help us lose weight and become fitter without the need to do any exercise at all.
Well today the news was announced that scientists have had a breakthrough in developing just such a pill. They have developed two potential pills that could be able to offer the benefits of exercise for those who take it, even if they chose to remain in their armchairs and do no exercise at all. The American medical journal Cell reports that the two drugs, which are labelled AICAR and GW1516, are able to increase muscle and stamina and to burn fat.
Mice, which were given the drugs in the clinical trial, were able to run 44 percent further on the treadmill than the mice that performed the same task without the aid of the medication. The drugs that the mice were given had an effect on a gene that is involved in building and regulating muscle. This genetic alteration in turn led to the development of muscle that was more likely to burn fat.
The lead scientist said that developing a pill suitable for humans could, “if you like exercise”, get you “more bang for your buck.” He also added that, for those who did not, the development of such a pill could have huge benefits especially for a condition such as diabetes. He also added that, as many people struggled to get the recommended amount of daily exercise, it was necessary to develop new ways to counteract this problem.
It could be argued that the development of a drug that mimics the effects of exercise will merely promote a society less prone to physical exertion. Is it the future of exercise or a step too far?