It’s not the first time it’s been talked about: the suggestion of a pill capable of replacing training, with the same benefits for physical and mental health, has already manifested itself several times in the past. Craved by the lazy, it actually is a hope for all those people who are unable to engage in regular physical activity due to aging, illness or disability. And the good news is that (maybe) we’re close.
A group of scientists from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in fact, it seems close to creating a pill that could offer some health benefits of training. Although some does not mean all: “We cannot replace it, physical exercise is important at all levels,” explains the study’s lead author, Bahaa Elgendy, professor of anesthesiology. “If we can practice, we will have to continue to practice. But there are many cases in which a substitute may be necessary…”.
The benefits of exercise… in a nutshell
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Exercise can improve metabolism, muscle growth and physical performance. Researchers aim to replicate these effects with a drug to help counteract the deterioration and muscle weaknesswhich result from various conditions, not least cancer and genetic diseases. Such a drug might also mitigate the muscle loss associated with some weight-loss drugs. In the case of Elgendy’s team, the magic pill is SLU-PP-332a compound capable of activating all three forms of estrogen-related receptors (ERRs), including demanding ERRα, which is crucial for adaptation to muscle stress. The researchers designed new molecules to better interact with ERRs, in order to obtain enhanced responses, greater stability and less toxicity. These new compounds have shown superior efficacy in preliminary tests (in mice), more potently simulating the effect of physical exercise and influencing gene expression in cardiac muscle cells. SLU-PP-332 also appears to have the potential to address obesity, heart failure and age-related renal decline (but for now the data is limited to animal studies).
Furthermore, the activity of the ERR could combat the brain damage seen in the Alzheimer’s disease and in other neurodegenerative conditions. “In all these conditions, ERRs play an important role,” notes Elgendy. “If we had a compound that could effectively activate them, so many beneficial effects could be generated.”
conclusions
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The researchers’ next step will be to further test these compounds, with the aim of develop medical alternatives for those who cannot benefit from exercise, promising a future where the effects of physical activity may be just… within reach pill. More than replacing sport for those who can practice it, SLU-PP-332 could pave the way for treatment of conditions such as muscle atrophy, heart failure and neurodegenerative diseases. And this would be a great achievement.
