Not likely, but the above title is sort of a humorous comment in a very well written discussion of the exercise Pill that is in the news.

The young man, Alex DeLarge, that writes this column presents some very good data and facts around AICAR and the development of this drug for people that are not physically able to exercise.

Two types of muscle exist: Type 1 (slow-twitch) and Type 2 (fast-twitch). Type 1 burns more fat (oxidizes fatty acids), is more resistant to fatigue — due to an abundance of mitrochondria producing cellular energy — and increases with endurance training.

Type 2 muscle fibers contain fewer mitrochondria, fatigues more easily, burns glucose and is commonly found in obese and sedentary individuals.

Science Daily, among other sources provided, provides a digestible in-depth explanation of the way AICAR further works at the cellular and metabolic level to achieve increased muscle endurance.

I think that he makes good sense and think that we will be hearing more from him on this subject in the coming days.

Read Alexs’ report on the Exercise Pill here.

Penny

Things change fast in the world of Science. It was only about a year ago that one of the major online weight loss websites was discussing the possibility of an exercise pill.

The following hypothetical discussion took place on the Diet Blog in September, 2007 and was in regard to “what if” an exercise pill were to be invented?

From a writer named Crabby McSlacker:

Don’t get excited, scientists haven’t invented one yet. But how many times have you heard that if they could put exercise in a pill it would be a miracle drug because of all incredible health benefits exercise provides?

It’s an interesting mental exercise to pretend that it’s already happened. Suppose there was now a pill that could burn the same number of calories, build the same muscles, and provide all the same health benefits as any amount of exercise you could do.

How much exercise would you get?
* Would you ever go to the gym again?

* Would you keep doing your favorite run every day? Walk it instead? Or stay inside and relax with a good book?

* Would you still stroll the neighborhood streets just to see what’s going on? Or would you just wave to your neighbors from the inside of your car?

* Would you go on a pretty nature hike that was a mile long? Ten miles long? Or go to a movie instead?

Read the Diet Blog article about the exercise pill.

Subscribe to this New Exercise Pill Blog to find the latest news.

Penny

In a recent article in Science Daily (Aug. 6, 2008) there is a major discussion of what some of the effects might be from using the new exercise pill with no exercise.

There is a close examination of the tests that were performed and a long list of tests that were not performed. For the technically minded I recommend you read this article in its entirety.

For instance, taken in part from the article, here are some of the tests not performed:

Commonly known benefits of exercise not tested in the Cell paper were:

* Decreased resting and submaximal exercise heart rate
* Increased heart stroke volume at all exercise work loads
* Increased maximal exercise cardiac output
* Lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness
* Increased aerobic capacity
* Increased strength and cross-sectional area of skeletal muscle
* Delayed loss of muscle mass and strength with aging and physical frailty
* Improved balance and coordination
* Improved flexibility
* Reduced osteoporosis
* Reduced joint stress and back pain
* Decreased gallstone disease
* Improved endothelial function
* Decreased incidence of myocardial ischemia
* Less myocardial damage from ischemia

… (more)…

Read the Science Daily article on the new exercise pill.

Penny

The Sports and Cooking Blog has a good article about “Exercise in a Pill”

This one is written by a man who definitely is in to the exercise programs and he gives a fair opinion as to how he believes the new exercise pill will help people.

Umit, the writer, explains that it is his hopes that these new drugs will be beneficial to people that need them for health or physical problems, and also hopes that they will not be misused in the field of athletics.

Check out Umit’s nice Blog: Sports & Cooking.

Penny

The Journal Cell Press reports on the benefits of new exercise drugs.

AICAR might be sufficient to overcome the exercise requirement.

These new pills taken orally may even increase endurance without exercise.

Read this report on the New Exercise Pill.

Another clinical report on the Drug Discovery Opinion website explains that

Exercise Pills have the potential to treat diseases such as diabetes, where exercise has been shown to be beneficial and to offer protection against obesity.

These drugs also have the more controversial potential to increase endurance in athletes.

This report on Fitness Without Effort shows technical specifics on the New Exercsie Pill.

Penny

When combined with exercise, the Exercise Pill increases ability 44 per cent.

Professor Ronald Evans, of the Salk Institute, La Jolla, California, said: “This is a drug that is like pharmacological exercise. We were blown away.” One drug, AICAR, has already been dubbed the “couch potato’s dream.”

AICAR increased running time by 44 per cent. This drug works by short-circuiting the signals normally triggered by exercise that tell cells to burn fat, lower blood sugar and suppress inflammation, thus releasing more energy.

The aim of the Salk research is to improve the efficiency of exercise and help those who, through frailty or ill-health, do not get enough. Professor Evans said: “If you don’t like exercise, you love the idea of getting the benefits from a pill [with AICAR]. If you do like exercise, you like the idea of getting more bang for your buck [with GW1516].”

Professor Evans said. “Drugs that improve health are not only going to be used by people who have medical problems. They may also be used by people who are healthy or by athletes who want an edge.”

The British Olympic Association said the association’s chief medical officer in Beijing, Dr. Ian McCurdie, was aware of the drugs.

Source: Wikipedia: GW 501,516 (footnote 8, “Warning to Beijjing Olympics over pills that mimic exercise.”)

NewExercisePill.com previous post about the Salk Institute Study.

Note: six hours after I wrote this post, another very detailed article came out in a Cape Town South Africa newspaper warning about the possible use of these drugs in the Beijjing Olympics.

Penny
// –>

No one likes to exercise very much.

I want you to take a look at one of the easiest ways that there is to lose weight, get healthy and feel fit.

Check out the Bun and Thigh Roller.
(Only needed five minutes a day.)

It has been working great for me!

Penny