Jun 01, 06
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Lethargy is fat burning
Something educational I stubbled across. For all you lazy people out there, basically says, Sleep lots in dark rooms and lose weight
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Originally Posted by http://www.rds-online.org.uk/pages/headline_detail.asp?i_ToolbarID=6&i_Page ID=2136
Constant darkness throws a molecular switch in mammals that shifts the body's fuel consumption from glucose to fat, and induces a state of torpor in mice.
A series of darkness experiments pinpointed a messenger hormone called 5'-AMP as the key mediator of the constant darkness effect, switching mice from a glucose-burning, fat-storing state to a fat-burning, glucose-conserving lethargy.
Mice injected with the hormone were found to have a lower body temperature, a sign of torpor, and core body temperature measurements confirmed their lethargic state. Mice kept in constant dark also ate less, lost weight, and showed evidence of increased fat consumption, all hallmarks of hibernation in larger mammals.
The hormone has previously been shown to regulate enzymes controlling glucose usage and production. The brain requires glucose to function. By switching the primary source of energy in other organs from glucose to fat, 5'-AMP saves glucose for brain function. As well as providing insight into mammalian hibernation, the researchers note that the hormone may also provide new directions in obesity and type 2 diabetes research.
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