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SCD-1 Gene - A Cure for Obesity?It seems the SCD-1 gene plays an important role in weight gain and obesity. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison removed the SCD-1 gene from a group of mice who were then fed double-bacon cheeseburgers. Result? The mice stayed lean and did not gain weight, and their blood sugar was lower than normal animals that ate the same high-fat stuff, indicating that they did not have adult-onset or type II diabetes which affects 17 million Americans and is a major element of the growing wave of obesity. SCD-1 makes an enzyme that inserts a double bond into an unsaturated fatty acid. The result is a saturated fat, which can be stored in the rodent equivalent of spare-tire bulge. Researchers said: "We never thought SCD-1 would be a central enzyme in regulating metabolism". Who knows, maybe in a few years we humans will be able to eat high fat foods without getting overweight or suffering from obesity. SOURCE: University of Wisconsin. Healthy Weight Loss Advice Return to Diet NewsDiet Home |
