[…] Researchers at UC Berkeley are now investigating a very different strategy for treating obesity and diabetes. Instead of reducing the amount of energy a person consumes, their approach is designed to increase the amount of energy the body uses by raising metabolic activity.
A Different Way to Target Weight Loss
In a study published August 21 in Science Advances, the team reports that a molecular compound called 5-tetradecyloxy-2-furoic acid (TOFA) can interfere with the production of lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides. At the same time, it activates genes that encourage cells to use fat for fuel and produce more energy.
In experiments with mice, TOFA improved insulin sensitivity and glucose control, reduced triglyceride levels, and improved signs of fatty liver disease. Obese mice treated with the compound lost fat while showing no significant reduction in lean muscle mass.
“Body weight responds to two levers: taking in fewer calories, or spending more energy,” said Anders Näär, a professor of metabolic biology and nutrition at UC Berkeley and senior author of the study. “GLP-1s work almost entirely on the first, so we went after the second.”
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“TOFA appears to engage a coordinated metabolic response,” said study first author Justin Y. Lee, a postdoctoral student at UCSF who conducted the research as a Ph.D. student at Berkeley. “It is not simply blocking lipid synthesis. It is also activating energy expenditure pathways that may help the body handle excess lipid and glucose more effectively.”
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The team then examined whether TOFA could be paired with existing GLP-1 medications. These included semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic or Wegovy, and tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound.
In mice, combining TOFA with these GLP-1 drugs produced larger improvements in body weight, glucose control, insulin levels, and triglycerides than either treatment produced on its own.
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Despite the promising results, the researchers emphasize that TOFA has so far been studied only in animals. Its safety and effectiveness in humans remain unknown and will need to be evaluated in future studies.
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Source: Experimental compound helps burn fat without muscle loss | ScienceDaily
Robin Edgar
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