French Researchers Claim Experimental Diet Drug Tricks Body Into Losing Weight

By Aaron Poehler

Published on November 07, 2008

A team of scientists at the University of Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg say that experimental drug SRT1720, developed by GlaxoSmithKline company Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, encourages the body to burn fat reserves even on a fatty diet.

SRT1720, a chemical cousin of red wine extract resveratrol, was tested on mice over a 10-week period. In low doses, the mice were partially protected from weight gain when fed a high-fat diet; in higher doses, the drug completely blocked weight gain. Additionally, the mice involved in the tests also demonstrated heightened athletic ability along with improved blood sugar tolerance and insulin sensitivity -- crucial factors for preventing the onset of diabetes. No side effects were noted.

SRT1720, which functions by shifting the body to a fat-burning mode which is generally used only when energy is low, was developed after reservatrol tests on mice showed some fat-burning effects via the protein SIRT1, although humans would have to consume gallons of red wine to achieve similar results. SRT1720 was created to specifically target the SIRT1 protein; many other drug companies are also said to be developing similar SIRT1-activator weight loss drugs.

The scientists involved in the study noted that more study of SRT1720 is needed before the drug is tested for use on humans.

 

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