Molecular clue one more crumb on the path to combat obesity ...

Researchers have been creeping down a path to try to find clues that will help them combat obesity ? which as we all know is a major health crisis not only in North America but globally. Sure, we can say, just eat less and move more, and that often remains the bottom-line answer, but in all fairness there are also other factors and interactions at work metabolically.

Indeed, this most recent study in the January 2012 issue of the science journal Nature reveals the possibility that a molecule called PGC1-? may coordinate the activity of other genes. And ? guess what? ? exercise seems to trigger muscles cells to produce it. In turn, white fat cells, which store calories, turn into brown fat cells, which burn calories, per the researchers citing another study from September 2008.

In this newest study, researchers added to the information with another crumb of information, noting that PGC1-? seems to stimulate muscle cells to produce and secrete a hormone they call ?irisin? which causes the transformation of white fat cells into brown fat cells. At least in mice for now, irisin causes weight loss and reduced insulin resistance ? with or without exercise, it seems. Still, researchers noted that irisin is produced by muscle in response to exercise, and it seems that both human and mouse irisin is the same.

Are researchers on the path of that coveted magic pill to treat obesity? Perhaps.

Coach cuts to the chase: This doesn?t mean we can sit back and wait for researchers to come up with a molecular ?excuse? or silver bullet we can use for being overweight. While this is interesting, we still say: Exercise as recommended, and eat nutritiously and (likely) less.

For the research geeks: The study by Bostr?m P et al. (?A PGC1-?-dependent myokine that drives brown-fat-like development of white fat and thermogenesis?) was published in the January 2012, issue of the journal Nature (Nature 2012 Jan 26; 481:463). Click here to access the free abstract .

?Therese Iknoian

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Got a question for the Coach at Adventure Network + Total Fitness Network? Send her an email directly by clicking here and ask away. Not all questions will appear on Adventure Network, and Coach can?t answer most questions individually. But she?ll choose the best of the best for publication.

The ?Coach,? Therese Iknoian, has her Master?s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise physiology and is an American College of Sports Medicine-certified instructor. To read more about Therese?s coaching, outdoor and fitness background, click here.

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Source: http://www.adventurenetwork.com/2012/molecular-clue-one-more-crumb-on-the-path-to-combating-obesity/

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