'Anti-obesity vaccine' developed

BBC ^ | July 31, 2007

[Zakeet]

US researchers have developed a vaccine which prevents weight gain in rats, offering clues about human treatments.

The vaccine prompts the body to produce antibodies against ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger and weight gain.

Vaccinated rats put on less weight while eating the same amount as those which did not have the jab.

[Zakeet]

The good news -- the stuff apparently works. The bad news -- on rats only, at the present time.

Nevertheless, the article is a good read on a promising treatment for a widespread medical problem.

[ECM]

Wow, I could see myself abusing this in no-time flat (sub-10% bodyfat, but staying here is a living hell as far as eating goes.)

[Defiant]

OK, this is just too easy. Someone post that picture of Teddy on the docks.

[Just A Nobody]

Here we go...................

[Paleo Conservative]

[A CA Guy]

What does it do, force the mouth to stay closed 23 hours a day?

[CougarGA7]

Dont tell me. It is a pill that induces lockjaw.

[AntiGuv]

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[Thinkin' Gal]

"And since ghrelin is present in the brain you might start an immune system response against the brain. It's not necessarily a very safe thing to do - I wouldn't want to be a volunteer."

Looks like it has a built-in Darwin Award.

[coconutt2000]

Wow! This is hugh!

[Zakeet]

"And since ghrelin is present in the brain you might start an immune system response against the brain. It's not necessarily a very safe thing to do - I wouldn't want to be a volunteer."

Looks like it has a built-in Darwin Award.

At least liberals have nothing to fear.

[John Valentine]

I would be VERY surprised if this works in humans.

As far as I know, all ghrelen based research has come up empty whenever it has involved actual humans, probably because human eating patterns are determined by so much more than actual biological hunger.

Neverhteless, I hope they carry on. perhaps they will make a breakthrough that could work its way through pre-clinical, and Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 human clinical testing sometime before I shrug off this mortal coil...

[John Valentine]

I would be VERY surprised if this works in humans.

As far as I know, all ghrelen based research has come up empty whenever it has involved actual humans, probably because human eating patterns are determined by so much more than actual biological hunger.

Neverhteless, I hope they carry on. Perhaps they will make a breakthrough that could work its way through pre-clinical, and Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 human clinical trials sometime before I shrug off this mortal coil...

Ten years would not be unusual.

[GOP Poet]

bump

[Zon]

We have little software programs inside us called genes, about 23 thousand of them. They were designed or evolved tens of thousands of years ago when conditions were quite different. I'll give you just one example. The fat insulin receptor gene says, “Hold on to every calorie because the next hunting season may not work out so well.” And that’s a gene we'd like to reprogram. It made sense 20 thousand years ago when calories were few and far between. What would happen if we blocked that? We have a new technology that can turn genes off called RNA interference. So when that gene was turned off in mice, these mice ate ravenously and yet they remained slim. They got the health benefits of being slim. They didn't get diabetes, didn't get heart disease or cancer. They lived 20 to 25 percent longer while eating ravenously. There are several pharmaceutical companies who have noticed that might be a good human drug.

http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0622.html?printable=1

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

built-in Darwin Award

Does this mean that I'm smarter now that I'm 10% heavier than I was back in the day? Must be some compensation . . .

[metesky]

If only they'd develop a "mind your own gd business" vaccine, eh?

[DustyMoment]

'Anti-obesity vaccine' developed

Whew!!! This is great news!!! We can give people this vaccine and let them continue their blubberbutt ways consuming crap at McDonald's without fear of any health consequences, but we CAN'T cure cancer, diabetes, AIDS, leukemia, the common cold or a whole laundry list of other horrible diseases.

Good to know that US medical researchers have their priorities straight!!







/semi-sarc

[Just A Nobody]

If only they'd develop a "mind your own gd business" vaccine,

Wow! Now there's a concept I could get behind!

[mewzilla]

Folks should read the second paragraph from the end of the entire article. Yikes.