Natural Protein, Protects Against Obesity

Filed in archive News , Studies on April 20, 2006

Forbes.com recently reported about a natural protein that might help the body get rid of fat while suppressing the appetite.

According to the University of Melbourne Australia research headed by Dr. Greg Steinberg, the protein called ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), acts directly with muscles, boosting the body's fat-burning ability, therefore helping the body be protected against some of the effects of obesity.

The team found that CNTF activates an enzyme called skeletal muscle AMP kinase, which in turns boosts the body's ability to metabolize fat and sugar. CNTF activates pathways that are similar to pathways activated by exercise.

These findings may help in the development of new ways to reduce the risk of metabolic abnormalities associated with excess weight and development of a therapeutic anti-obesity agent

The study is reported in this week's issue of Nature Medicine.