What is the Point of an ‘Exercise Pill’?

For some people, exercise is a dreaded chore. But thanks to a new drug, sweating it out at the gym could soon be a thing of the past. According to a team of scientists, a revolutionary new ‘exercise pill’ would deliver all the benefits of fitness, in one pint sized pill.

It may sound too good to be true, but the San Diego based team has confirmed that the exercise pill could soon be a reality. Couch potatoes may see it as a godsend, but the Salk Institute scientists stress that more importantly, the drug could transform the lives of people who are unable to exercise for physical reasons. This includes physical disabilities, as well as general obesity.

Introducing GW501516

Hopes for such a pill were spurred when data confirmed that a drug known as GW501516 drastically increased the physical stamina of mice. After receiving the experimental drug, mice were able to run on a treadmill for 270 minutes before exhaustion set in. Meanwhile, their sober counterparts were only able to rack up 160 minutes before hitting their physical limit. Not only did the drug boost endurance, but it was also accompanied by a string of other health benefits. The ‘exercise pill’ mice put on less weight and enjoyed better control over their blood sugar levels, which prompted suggestions that the pill could be used to help people with diabetes.

Gyms and gene mutilation

So how does it work? According to head scientist Ronald Evans, GW501516 changes the activity of nearly 1000 genes. Specifically, it stimulates the activity of genes that break down and burn fat. The findings were published in the journal Cell Metabolism, with scientists explaining that the study could reveal why athletes often “hit a wall” when they push themselves too hard.

“In endurance sport competitions, such as cycling, marathon runs, race walking and cross-country skiing, ‘hitting the wall’ is a dramatic demonstration of sudden and complete exhaustion,” reads the article. GW501516 combats this by stimulating muscle proteins called PPARD, which “dramatically improves endurance capacity.”

“Exercise activates PPARD, but we’re showing that you can do the same thing without mechanical training. It means you can improve endurance to the equivalent level as someone in training, without all of the physical effort,” comments co-author Weiwei Fan.

Replacing treadmills with tablets

So, could an ‘exercise pill’ soon replace a good old fashioned sweat session? While the results are promising, there are still plenty of kinks to smooth out before it emerges as an over the counter solution.

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