Scientists might just have discovered the magic 'shortcut' to long-term weight loss, without the need to rely on GLP-1 medications, or any of the nasty side effects.
It's no secret that GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic have been absolutely revolutionary for peoplem living with obesity.
But while millions of people all over the world have experienced significant weight loss while using the drugs, many have reported a number of side effects, most commonly nausea and vomiting.
Now, early research by Professor Robert Doyle and his team at Syracuse University, there could be a new 'shortcut' for achieving weight loss without any of the side effects.
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GLP-1 medications work by mimicking the natural GLP-1 hormone to help regulate blood sugar and appetite, by stimulating insulin release from the pancreas.
However, scientists are now looking studying 'support' cells in the brain that could lead to appetite reduction without triggering the gastrointestinal stress.
So far, the research has discovered that these support cells, glia and astrocytes, play a role in reducing feelings of hunger, but it's unclear how big of a role they play.
Professor Doyle said in the study, via Science Daily: "We wanted to know whether support cells might produce new peptides or new signaling molecules that might be critical in body weight reduction."
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To explain the concept to us non-scientists, he likened each brain neuron as a light bulb and the support cells to the components that allow the bulb to brighten, such as the switch, wiring and filament.
He continued: "All of those supporting parts beyond the light bulb play a role in making the light shine."
The team discovered that some support cells produce a molecule called octadecaneuropeptide (OND) which suppresses appetite.
They injected ODN into rats' brains which made them lose weight and improved how they processed glucose, but obviously this isn't a practical solution for humans.
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Instead, they created a version called tridecaneuropeptide (TDN), which can be injected into skin, like Mounjaro or Ozempic, which helped the animals lose weight and respond better to insulin without any gastrointestinal symptoms.
These new injections are able to bypass neurons, taking a shortcut to the support cells, cutting short the 'marathon' of chemical reactions that cause the side effects.
"Instead of running a marathon from the very beginning like current drugs do, our targeting downstream pathways in support cells is like starting the race halfway through, reducing the unpleasant side effects many people experience," Doyle said.
"If we could hit that downstream process directly, then potentially we wouldn't have to use GLP-1 drugs with their side effects. Or we could reduce their dose, improving the toleration of these drugs. We could trigger weight loss signals that happen later in the pathway more directly."
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A company called CoronationBio is now working to turn this discovery into a real life obesity treatment, with human trials expected to take place in 2026 or 2027.
Emma Rosemurgey