Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Stanford University discovered how exercise helps with weight loss through a newly identified brain mechanism.
Scientists found that the compound Lac-Phe, produced during exercise, reduces appetite in mice by directly inhibiting AgRP neurons in the brain, leading to weight loss. The findings were published in Nature Metabolism.
Dr. Yang He explained that Lac-Phe works by activating KATP channels on AgRP neurons, making them less active, which in turn activates PVH neurons that suppress hunger.
This chain reaction resulted in mice eating less while maintaining normal behavior, suggesting no unpleasant side effects.
The research team confirmed that blocking KATP channels eliminated Lac-Phe’s appetite-suppressing effects.
This discovery opens possibilities for developing weight management treatments that could target this mechanism without requiring intense exercise.
While the study focused on mice, the findings are promising for humans and could lead to new therapeutic approaches for obesity and related diseases.
