You know, historically, prescription weight control medications have not been found to be all that effective.
At best, studies show that people lose maybe a few pounds more than others on an identical diet and it can come at a cost; the pills can have side effects like increased blood pressure, pancreatitis and liver injury as well as trigger anxiety and depression.
So what if I told you there was a pill that could help you lose weight without any side effects?
It might be too good to be true, but researchers at the University of WY School of Pharmacy have been experimenting with capsaicin, which is the ingredient in chili peppers that gives them their spicy burn.
They came up with a long acting form of capsaicin that they call Metabocin. When they gave it to obese mice they found it caused long term weight loss and improved their metabolic profile.
They say Metabocin works by targeting receptors in white fat cells that make them start burning fat for energy instead of storing it.
The mice stayed on the drug for 8 months, which is a long time in the life of a mouse. They tolerated the drug and maintained their weight loss without any signs of safety problems.
Now these were mice and sometimes things that work with mice end up not working in people, so we’ll have to wait for more research down the road.
However, if it works, if could be a real help for the estimated 1 in 3 people worldwide who are overweight or obese.
Until next time this is Joan Trimble wishing you wellness.