Snakes could help humans fight obesity, thanks to this compound
Scientists just found a surprising link between the gut and brain that could help fight obesity, thanks to pythons.
After eating, these snakes produce a compound called pTOS, which tells the brain to help control hunger and body weight.
pTOS levels shoot up after a meal in Burmese pythons
In Burmese pythons, pTOS levels shoot up after a meal because gut microbes transform food into this special compound.
When researchers gave pTOS to mice, it switched on certain brain cells and made them eat less.
Could it be a breakthrough treatment for obesity?
Giving pTOS to obese mice helped them eat less and lose about 9% of their body weight in a month.
Since humans also make some pTOS after eating, scientists think it might play a similar role for us—and unlike current obesity medications, researchers say it may avoid some gastrointestinal side-effects, although absence of nausea or other stomach-related effects was not demonstrated in the animal experiments.
This could mean safer treatments in the future by tapping into our own gut-brain signals.