Exercise is about to become much easier...

Lily Poor
Mr. Gray
Physics .1, Period: G
May 2, 2017

                                                        "Exercise-in-a-pill" Really Exists! :

         Scientists are discovering that there is a certain mixture of chemicals that can provide all the same benefits and effects of exercise on the body! For many people across the world exercise is not something that is simple or easy. Numerous people from the elderly to the physically disabled have little to no way of receiving the benefits of exercise on their bodies, however with this new discovery that may all change!

        Salk Institute Scientist's came up with a chemical compound that would produce the same effects that exercise does on the body. They tested this chemical compound on mice and it worked! The drug is designed to give users a the same feelings and benefits that occur after going for a run or playing 60 minutes of a sport. These effects include stamina and increased fat burning. Coming up with this chemical compound was not simple. These scientists had to reflect on how the feeling and state of endurance, stamina, and fat burning could be replaced with a chemical compound. 

(ABOVE) A group of muscles in a mouse after the use of the GW drug. 

      Researchers developed the idea that because endurance and stamina are based around the ability to burn increased fat for longer and longer periods of time, it could be replaced with a chemical that could allow humans to develop the increasing ability to burn fat. After extensive testing and research they discovered two chemical compound that worked to increase stamina and burn fat are PPARD and  GW1516. They ran several tests to see how these different chemical compounds could work similarly or differently. They found that both chemical compounds worked however GW improved the mice's stamina by 70%. The test that proved this showed that mice without the drug could only run 160 minutes on the treadmill before exhaustion while mice that had been treated with the drug for 6 weeks could run 270 minutes on the treadmill without exhaustion. This test proved that GW can build stamina without any exercise. 

     To further understand these findings the Salk Institute Scientists broke it down to a molecular level and examined a group of the mines' muscles that had been affected by the GW drug. With this molecular investigation they found 975 genes that changed their expression due to the GW drug, either becoming suppressed or increased. The genes that increased were the genes that regulate burning fat and calories, this allows the mice to be able to burn more fat. The genes that were suppressed were the ones who regulated the breaking down of carbohydrates for energy. Though this sounds surprising what it allowed was for the mice to be able to use sugar as a source of energy, not only for the muscles but also for the brain, which allowed the mice to be able to run longer because they did not suffer from muscle OR mental fatigue. Overall this drug gives mice the ability to increase their stamina, burn more fat, and be resistant to weight gain. 

      Although this drug has only been tested on mice many pharmaceutical companies are taking interest in investing in the drug so that they can use it to test on humans. This drug could change the world. Many people especially those suffering from, heart conditions, pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, old age, and many other health limitations, could seriously benefit from this knew discovery.  This drug could help many people in the future be able to burn more calories, resist weight gain, and build stamina without having to go through vigorous physical training and activity.