Yzabelle Bostyn
SCIENTISTS in Spain are rejoicing after creating a possible treatment for obesity, a ‘nanosystem’ that can convert fat cells.
The fight against obesity is without doubt one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century.
Experts have warned the epidemic does not stop growing and this could have serious consequences for our health.
Currently, there are only a few options for treatment, and still, these only produce limited results which cannot be sustained over time.
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Now, a group of researchers from Malaga are giving us hope after finding a brand new effective treatment for the disease.
It was led by Doctor Rajaa El Bekay, as part of the ‘Endocrinology and Nutrition, Diabetes and Obesity Group’ of the Malaga Biomedical Research Institute and Nanomedicine platform.
The research was part of a collaboration with the ‘Diabetes and its comorbidities: Prevention and Treatment’ group and the Clinical Management Unit of the Hospital Regional and Virgen de la Victoria.
A revolutionary study, the researchers have developed a revolutionary nanosystem capable of going directly to fat, minimising side effects on other areas.
The treatment was found to successfully reduce body weight in animals.
It was published in the American magazine, ‘Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy’.
According to El Bekay, the nanosystem uses microARN molecules (a small ARN molecule) and gold particles to block weight gain in obese rats.
It also stimulates the conversion of white fat (principally used as energy stores) into beige fat, which burns energy and thus fat.
“It is innovative because we have been able to discover a precise medical treatment which targets fat,” said the doctor.
She highlighted the benefits of beige fat, which uses fat and improves animals metabolic rate so that they do not gain weight.
According to El Bekay: “Despite giving them a diet rich in fat and calories, the rats did not get fatter. It’s as if we have stopped their weight gain.”
She also signalled that the treatment lessens diabetes type 2 diabetes symptoms and the resistance to insulin.
It was found that obese rats lost about 7% of their body weight.
In the future, it is hoped the treatment may be used in humans.
Currently, all treatments for obesity must be combined with other interventions, like diet and exercise.
“This means they can be reversed, and if the patient finishes treatment and immediately goes back to normal, they will gain weight once again,” she said.
However, the new treatment could provide a lasting solution to obesity, as a month after the treatment was finalised, the rats were still impacted on a ‘molecular’ level by the study.
It has now been patented, showing its ‘relevance and potential in the market’.
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