Human trials of an experimental injection have shown potential for reducing deadly visceral fat. Visceral fat is the fat around internal organs. The injection triggers fat cell death in a process called apoptosis.
Visceral fat can “choke” organs and increase inflammation and health risks. While weight loss shrinks fat cells, they are still there. This drug kills the cells. If the cells shrink but remain, they can grow again. When they are dead, they leave the body. The drug had already been shown to reduce subcutaneous fat — the superficial fat that doesn’t carry the same health risks.
“This is a highly innovative approach to obesity pharmacotherapy that has produced some remarkable results in early human trials,” said Dr. W. Timothy Garvey of the Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham, who worked on the research.
Researchers are interested to learn if the drug could help people keep weight off after losing weight with other medications like Wegovy. Many people lose weight and then regain it once they stop taking the medication. But if they got the injection to kill the fat cells, weight gain may not be as easy.
The American Heart Association published research showing that visceral fat is more strongly associated with heart failure than BMI. Visceral fat impacts metabolism and insulin resistance.
This is a human trial, but it only had 41 participants. In the study, 23 received the drug, and 18 got placebo. Researchers say the treatment needs to be studied for long-term safety and metabolic impact. And others have cautioned that the current study doesn’t show improved eventual health outcomes, just that it killed fat in this study. Larger clinical trials are underway to study the drug’s efficacy and safety.
Going from a trial to being a prescribed medication is a long road. While this drug seems very promising, it could be a long time before it hits the market. In the meantime, diet, exercise and lifestyle are the best ways to control weight. There are medications that help people with their weight loss journey. If you are interested in medication, speak to your doctor about the best options for you. There is no easy fix. Every medication needs to be used in concert with diet and lifestyle changes so that you can see healthy, sustainable results that last.
