Have you ever wondered why some people seem to be able to eat whatever they want, or however much they want, without getting fat? Yes, some of these same people exercise consistently, which burns additional energy; but you’ve probably thought to yourself – how is it possible they never put on weight?
There’s been talk for a while in medical research circles about a “skinny gene” but evidence has been short on how or why it might work. Also, geneticists advise that even when a certain gene has been identified, the influence it and our environment have on other genes is just too complex to draw single or simple conclusions.
But recently scientists were experimenting with a special protein that switches certain genes on and off. The interesting thing they discovered was that when this protein wasn’t present in mice, regardless of how much food the animal consumed, it didn’t put on any significant weight.
It seems the mice that had been bred without the specific protein had significantly higher levels of a hormone which regulates blood glucose levels, called adipolin. This resulted in the body being much better at regulating its blood glucose levels, which prevented the excess glucose from turning to fat and being laid down within the body.
So is this finally the magic diet pill we’ve been waiting for? Unfortunately the answer is we don’t know yet. What occurs in mice doesn’t necessarily translate to humans; but it’s certainly possible. And I’m sure you’ll agree it’s an exciting discovery and one that is sure to spur further investigation from research scientists.