Fat oxidation not enough for fat loss say Sydney scientists

Posted on Thursday 25th Mar 10

The scientists from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research reconfirmed the obvious (but often unpopular with the general population) notion that the only reliable way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more.

Using genetically-altered mice, it was shown that although fats can be burned in preference to carbohydrates, it was the unburned carbohydrates that were actually stored as fat. This resulted in the altered mice having the same weight and body composition as the normal mice.

The research was focused on the enzyme which controls whether cells burn fats or carbohydrates, known as acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC2). Scientists demonstrated that by blocking off the ACC2 enzyme, cells were now required to burn the fats first, rather than carbohydrates.

The researchers said that previous studies had misinterpreted the process as being able to make fat stores ‘evaporate,’ without people changing food intake or energy expenditure; ‘Our data urges a correction in people’s concept of a magic bullet… something that will miraculously make them thin while they sit on the couch watching television’ said study Associate Professor Greg Cooney; ‘while none of the large pharmaceuticals companies have marketed ACC2 inhibitors, there are many kinds of so called ‘fat-burning pills’ available in the health food, body building and alternative medicine markets, where limited clinical effectiveness data are required’.

Source: Cell Metabolism

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