Can a Specific Protein Reduce Obesity and High Blood Sugar?

Diseases related to obesity and high blood sugar are more prevalent these days. As of a study conducted in 2010, 33.8% of adults were considered obese. Almost 100 million people in the United States have diabetes of prediabetes. These problems are highly prevalent in Canada and many other nations as well. These diseases are serious and lead to lifelong health complications.

Fortunately, a new study by York University may offer new hope for people with both of these problems. The nesfatin-1 protein may actually reduce obesity and high blood sugar. The study was conducted on laboratory rats to see how the protein could lead to appetite suppression and keep sugar levels in check.

Dr. Suraj Unniappan would like to study these effects in more detail and develop a better understanding of their impact on human beings. Hopefully, this protein could help humans live a better lifestyle. Unniappan believes the protein causes insulin to be secreted from the pancreas. This theory is supported by analysis from the Laboratory of Integrative Neuroendocrinology, which analyzed the relationship between how the relationship between the gut and brain was changed after the protein was introduced.

The rats in the study had the nesfatin-1 protein injected directly into their brain. The rat subjects ate more frequently, but consumed less food during feedings. This resulted in lower body fat and blood sugar levels.

The protein Unniappan used in his study is still relatively new. Nesfatin-1 was discovered by a team of Japanese scientists five years ago. The protein has already been known to affect appetite and body fat, but the researchers at York University have gone an extra step to identify the role that the protein could play in treating obesity and diabetes. Although the research is good news for many people around the world, it may be a few years before the research can be finished and put into practice.

After reading the study, many people are wondering what impact it will have on humans. It will probably be some time before it is can be used in clinical trials. Another obstacle that must be overcome is finding a way to get the protein into the brain of a test subject without injecting it directly. It may take a while before scientists are able to come up with a pill that can be taken orally. With additional research, scientists may find a way to use the nesfatin-1 protein to help control diabetes and obesity in humans.

Diabetes and obesity tend to contribute to each other. If the researchers at York University have actually found a way to control both diseases, they may go a long way to treating the ailments over millions of people around the world are exposed to. Hopefully, additional studies will shed more light on the nesfatin-1 protein and how it can be used to fight obesity and diabetes.