Obesity is one of the most common health problems in the world, which also causes other diseases.
Long-term obesity can increase the risk of various heart problems, stroke, type 2 diabetes and even certain types of cancer.
Even though millions of people are affected, there are still very few safe and effective medications to treat severe obesity.
However, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine have studied a drug that was originally created to help people with Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and sickle cell disease.
Although the drug didn’t work for these diseases, researchers now think it could help with obesity. This study was led by Dr. David Kass and published in the Journal of Clinical Research.
The drug works by blocking a protein in the body called PDE9, which helps control some important chemical reactions, including reactions that affect the heart and the way the body uses energy.
Research in mice found that blocking PDE9 reduced obesity and fat levels in the liver and even made their hearts healthier.
The most surprising part? The mice did not eat less or exercise more, but they still lost weight and became healthier.
The idea emerged from 2015 research, when the same scientists found that PDE9 worsened heart problems when blood pressure was high. That made them wonder: Could stopping PDE9 also help with other problems related to obesity?
The drug they used is called a PDE9 inhibitor and works in a way similar to Viagra, which blocks a related protein called PDE5. Both control a chemical in the body known as cyclic GMP, which helps many important systems work smoothly.
This is important because obesity is so common, as more than 40% of adults in America are obese, according to US health data. Among women over 60 years old, approximately 43% suffer from it.
If this new treatment works the same way in humans as it does in mice, a person weighing 250 pounds could lose about 50 pounds – just by taking a pill, without having to change their diet or exercise habits.
More studies and research are needed to ensure that the drug works safely in humans. But if so, this could be a huge step forward toward curing obesity.
