Nestlé 'Exercise in a Bottle' Helps People Living A Sedentary Lifestyle

Have you heard of Nestle's "Exercise In A Bottle?" Scientists at the Nestle Institute of Health Science with headquarters located in Geneva have worked on an enzyme that could help to regulate and control metabolism. Findings published in the journal Chemistry & Biology show that when stimulating the compound C13 that mimics fat-burning effects of exercise, participants were better able to lose weight. 

In the study "Mechanism of Action of Compound-13: An α1-Selective Small Molecule Activator of AMPK," researchers activated an enzyme on the C13 compound in mice called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) to stop liver from producing fat.

"The enzyme can help people who can't tolerate or continue rigorous exercise," said lead study author Kei Sakamoto, from the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences in Lausanne, Switzerland, in a news release. "Instead of 20 minutes of jogging or 40 minutes of cycling, it may help boost metabolism with moderate exercise like brisk walking."

Researchers noted the the findings could potentially lead to the development of products that could help those suffering from metabolism disorder such as Type 2 diabetes.

"In some conditions, such as diabetes, the body doesn't respond properly to insulin and muscle cells reject the message about their need to take up glucose," Sakamoto added. "However, even under such medical conditions, AMPK can find an alternative way and take up glucose in muscle."

Furthermore, researchers believe that the development of future products could help bring good news for those living a sedentary lifestyle. However, they reiterated that no product can replace exercise and the number of effects will be limited unless individuals make other changes in their life, as well.

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).