Most of us have a secret wish: to eat without gaining any pounds of body fat.
Unless you're blessed with god-like metabolism, that wish would likely remain unattainable, but here's some fantastic news: researchers might have found a way to use body fat to help you burn energy.
A group of scientists from the UT Southwestern Medical Center Touchstone’s diabetes research centre have reportedly discovered a way to convert body fat to energy-burning cells.
According to a report by Mashable SEA, the team managed to do so by using a technology called CRISPR which allows for the editing of genomes and DNA sequences.
The report quoted research lead, Internal Medicine professor Rana Gupta, as saying that process is like "flipping a switch", and by creating mutations within the DNA sequences, the team essentially "removed the brakes" on energy-burning pathways in fat cells.
Basically, in layman's term, they can transform energy-storing fat cells into ones that work to burn energy instead.
"Our research demonstrates that releasing this brake in fat cells can potentially help make existing diabetes medications much more effective,” he was quoted as saying.
Gupta explained that the human body has two types of fat cells: 1) white fat cells that serve as energy-storing sites and 2) the brown and beige cells that burn excess energy.
He said research reveals that the brown fat cells, which is found to be lesser in obese people, improve protection against diabetes and heart disease.
As such, Gupta said the discovery that allows the fat cell conversion into energy burning ones could potentially help those struggling with obesity and heart disease.
"Our research demonstrates that releasing this brake in fat cells can potentially help make existing diabetes medications much more effective.
"There is tremendous interest in driving the production of these energy-burning fat cells as a treatment against metabolic diseases such as diabetes,” he was further quoted as saying.
This is such an awesome discovery! We really do hope that this will turn into something more.
Unless you're blessed with god-like metabolism, that wish would likely remain unattainable, but here's some fantastic news: researchers might have found a way to use body fat to help you burn energy.
Fighting fire with fire
A group of scientists from the UT Southwestern Medical Center Touchstone’s diabetes research centre have reportedly discovered a way to convert body fat to energy-burning cells.
According to a report by Mashable SEA, the team managed to do so by using a technology called CRISPR which allows for the editing of genomes and DNA sequences.
The report quoted research lead, Internal Medicine professor Rana Gupta, as saying that process is like "flipping a switch", and by creating mutations within the DNA sequences, the team essentially "removed the brakes" on energy-burning pathways in fat cells.
Basically, in layman's term, they can transform energy-storing fat cells into ones that work to burn energy instead.
"Our research demonstrates that releasing this brake in fat cells can potentially help make existing diabetes medications much more effective,” he was quoted as saying.
Gupta explained that the human body has two types of fat cells: 1) white fat cells that serve as energy-storing sites and 2) the brown and beige cells that burn excess energy.
He said research reveals that the brown fat cells, which is found to be lesser in obese people, improve protection against diabetes and heart disease.
As such, Gupta said the discovery that allows the fat cell conversion into energy burning ones could potentially help those struggling with obesity and heart disease.
"Our research demonstrates that releasing this brake in fat cells can potentially help make existing diabetes medications much more effective.
"There is tremendous interest in driving the production of these energy-burning fat cells as a treatment against metabolic diseases such as diabetes,” he was further quoted as saying.
This is such an awesome discovery! We really do hope that this will turn into something more.
