Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
If you could take a pill instead of going on a diet . . . and it was totally healthy . . . would you do it? It might not be a hypothetical much longer.
Researchers at Stanford and Baylor think they've identified a molecule that prevents us from feeling hungry. They found that working out sends a signal to our brain that tells us we don't need to eat right now. And if they can make the molecule in pill-form, it could help you lose weight without even trying.
Unfortunately, it could still be years before a pill like that hits the market. But they're pretty confident about the science. They found the same compound was present in mice after they exercised, and also racehorses.
They tested the theory in mice and gave them a high dose of the stuff. The ones they gave it to still had the same amount of energy, but ate about half as much. And within 10 days, they were already losing body fat.