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**A new study shows that exercise could lead to new weight loss drugs.
Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound are the weight loss drugs that everyone is talking about right now. They make pounds disappear like magic tricks. But there's a catch. These miraculous treatments typically hide on pharmacy shelves and cost a lot of money.
But don't let go of the handlebars on your treadmill just yet; researchers have found something that could lead to a new sort of weight loss drug. And you know what? It all depends on how your body reacts to doing out. Yes, that thing you love to despise. Here's all you need to know about this interesting study and what it could mean for weight loss treatments in the future.
**Meet the Expert:** Dr. Mir Ali is a bariatric surgeon and the medical director at MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. He really does help people lose weight.
What Did the Study Show?
This study, which came out in the June issue of the journal Molecular Metabolism, looked at how a protein called PGC-1α affects exercise and the body in mice and people. If you're not a science wiz, PGC-1α probably sounds like a robot from a sci-fi movie. But it's really a protein that is very important for things like thermogenesis, which is a fancy way of saying that your muscles can burn energy.
Your muscles make more PGC-1α when you work out, which makes you burn more energy. But if you work out and wonder why the scale hasn't moved an inch, you could not be getting enough of some of the many types of this protein that speed up your metabolism and help you respond to exercise in the short term.
Scientists think that by going after this protein, they can speed up your metabolism. Researchers in the study came to the conclusion that raising PGC-1α levels is important for burning more energy and controlling metabolism.
### What Does This Study Mean for Fitness?
It's crucial to remember that this discovery is still in its early phases before you start thinking about pizza that never ends and losing weight. The scientists just learned that focusing on PGC-1α might help people lose weight. But they still have to work out the details.
Dr. Ali says that people who already lose weight through exercise could not get much benefit from a drug that targets PGC-1α. But it's still early, so anything may happen.
### What Does This Mean for Drugs That Help You Lose Weight?
It's like looking into a crystal ball that isn't very clear right now. There is still a lot of study to be done, but this finding could lead to a new type of weight loss treatment that would provide people with obesity additional options.
Dr. Ali sees this as an extra tool in the weight loss toolbox, not a magical cure. He says, “Most of the weight loss is due to diet.” “Exercise has many benefits, such as helping you lose weight and making your heart healthier.”
It would be great if there was a drug that could help you burn fat even more effectively when you work out. But Dr. Ali argues, “We're a long way from that.”
So, keep your sneakers close and your eyes on the goal. The future of losing weight might be a lot more exciting (and hopefully less expensive). You can look at the injectables that are available right now in the meantime.
Have you ever thought of using alli to lose weight?
