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Newly Discovered Protein Plays a Key Role in Obesity

Scientists are constantly looking for ways to reverse the obesity epidemic, since obesity can lead to a bunch of other health problems. Recently, scientists from the Scripps Research Institute discovered a signaling protein called Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 2 (PGRMC2) that has been shown to be highly expressed in fat tissue. This could change the way healthcare providers approach obesity and its related metabolic diseases.

The research team discovered that PGRMC2 is a carrier of heme iron, protecting the body from its damaging effects. Their research was done on mice. But their theory is that this protein acts in the same way in humans. One observation that they made is that the mice who had less PGRMC2 in their systems were glucose intolerant and more insulin resistant. So they treated the mice with a drug that activated PGRMC2 production. These mice showed substantial improvement of their glucose intolerance and insulin resistance.

Could a PGRMC2 modulator help humans to combat obesity? It's possible, according to the researchers who conducted this study. Obesity can cause a lot of damage to the human body. So discovering a way to combat it is important. Of course, lifestyle factors like diet and movement are always considered. But for some, those are not enough. Obesity has a lot of negative effects. It increases the likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, infertility, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and more. So having one more tool to help reduce it is not a bad thing.

People are always looking for a quick fix. And that may be what a PGRMC2 activator does. But sometimes these quick fixes come with negative side effects. So just remember that while this protein activator may work for some, that doesn't mean it will be right for everyone. In the meantime, while scientists work on a PGRMC2 modulator that is safe for some humans, you can do other things to reduce the incidence of obesity. Lace up your sneakers and get moving. Reduce your refined carbohydrate consumption (or better yet, eliminate them from your diet altogether). Eat more vegetables and less crap. Stop drinking and smoking if you do so. There are a lot of ways to reduce the obesity epidemic aside from a "magic solution" such as this might be.