Exercise in a pill?

31st July 2008

posted in Personal |

Couch potatoes, rejoice. A team of scientists reported this week that they’ve created a pill that chemically mimics exercise — in mice, at least. It remains unclear whether the results can be reproduced in people.

The no-exercise drug is called AICAR. The team, made up of scientists from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif., and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, published a study of their results today online in the journal Cell. Amongst their findings:

Sedentary mice that took the drug for four weeks burned more calories and had less fat than untreated mice. And when tested on a treadmill, they could run about 44 percent farther and 23 percent longer than untreated mice. [Scientists] also report that in mice that did exercise training, a second drug made their workout much more effective at boosting endurance. After a month of taking that drug and exercising, mice could run 68 percent longer and 70 percent farther than other mice that exercised but didn’t get the drug.

I can see how such a medication might be beneficial for people with health conditions that make it difficult to exercise. But while this pill certainly sounds tempting, I don’t exercise just to burn fat or stay in shape. Exercise, for me, works as a stress reducer and helps with my depression symptoms. Gardening, walking, hiking, cycling and rollerblading are all forms of meditation for me, and I love that sweaty and triumphant feeling that comes with a good workout. Plus, my husband and I don’t just powerwalk or hike together, we spend quality time with each other. Can a pill offer all that?

How about you? Would you take an exercise pill? Why or why not?

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 31st, 2008 at 4:04 pm and is filed under Personal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

1 On July 31st, 2008, SP said:

Not to avoid exercise, no. But if it meant that, when I exercised, I could do more and go longer…maybe. Except probably not, in practice, because new drugs make me nervous.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 4:15 pm

2 On July 31st, 2008, MrsDrC said:

I’m with SP I dont trust drugs. My question is, were the mice actually healthier? Or did they just lose weight?

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 4:30 pm

3 On July 31st, 2008, Catgal said:

I wonder if these drugs give the mice little heart palpitations, or if they effected their sleep? That is what I would be worried about.

4 On July 31st, 2008, vesta44 said:

I would want to know about any side effects before I would even consider taking something like that. But, if it was relatively safe, yeah, I would probably take it just so that I could exercise longer and more effectively. I would also want to know if that extended length of exercising would cause me the same amount of pain that I now endure when I exercise or if it would lessen it. I can deal with the pain I have now when I exercise, I don’t think I would be able to deal with more pain, though.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 4:34 pm

5 On July 31st, 2008, Maritzia said:

Like those who have already commented, I’d certainly want to know what side effect I could expect from the drug. But for someone like me with Chronic Fatigue, if it could allow me to exercise without the crippling rebound fatigue, I think I would probably take it.

You said, “love that sweaty and triumphant feeling that comes with a good workout”. I’ve never, in my whole life, experienced that feeling. If I have what is considered a “good workout”, the only thing I am then fit for is spending several days in bed. The line for me between enough exercise to combat the symptoms of the Fibromyalgia and too much exercise for the Chronic Fatigue is a very, very thin line. I go from feeling good to feeling like I’m going to fall over so fast….*shakes her head*

The drug sounds like it would be wonderful for folks like me that would like to be able to do more but just can’t.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 5:32 pm

6 On July 31st, 2008, The Rotund said:

The drug is an interesting development, I guess – though I am troubled by the implicit fat hate. I am also troubled by the term couch potatoes which is so often used to label fatties no matter what their fitness levels.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 5:46 pm

7 On July 31st, 2008, Alix said:

If I knew the drug were safe, which, how could you? (DES anyone?), but for the sake of argument – yes. I have extreme fatigue issues thanks to assorted chronic health problems and I miss exercise like nothing else. I also miss being able to walk or stand more than 5 minutes without leaning on something. If I could take it temporarily to improve my stamina, and it were safe, yep, I would take it. If I were healthy – I wouldn’t. Ignoring pain/fatigue cues during exercise sounds like asking for an injury to me.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 6:36 pm

8 On July 31st, 2008, Piffle said:

Yeah, I think I would provided the side-effects are safe. I would hope that it would help me feel energetic enough to exercise more, fatigue often makes it difficult to start exercising, even though I know if I exercise I’d be less tired. A way to get over that hump would be really nice.

Of course, people aren’t mice, so we don’t know if this will work for us, as you said. I’m not sticking my head underwater until this pill arrives, suspect I’d drown.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 6:39 pm

9 On July 31st, 2008, bb said:

I would want to take it once, just to see. I already have freakish endurance, so curiosity makes me wanna see if I can push it even further.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 6:52 pm

10 On July 31st, 2008, Melissa said:

I second the idea of seeing what the side effects are!
I don’t have a good feeling towards taking pills in general, so I’d really have to see the reality of this drug!

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 7:05 pm

11 On July 31st, 2008, happysmiles said:

Wow, this pill sounds incredibly lazy. “Why get off your butt when you can just take a pill instead?” I can see the slogans on TV already. It seems like just another “miracle pill” like all those diet pills you see on TV. I would never take it. Though pills are generally pretty sketchy anyways.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 7:15 pm

12 On July 31st, 2008, littlem said:

I’m with SP, and Piffle, trying to get over the hump. Then again, I run the NYC Stress and Endurance Concrete Marathon, so I’m always looking to maximize so I don’t just collapse at the end of the day.

And as for side effects, you know … I get more skeptical every year since the EPA report came out that said the air quality here was *cough* safe after 9/11. Whatever, dudes. Either they lie, or half the time I don’t know, so I’ll do my own research and trust in the gods to protect me if they want me to hang out on the planet and be productive.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 8:23 pm

13 On July 31st, 2008, Michelle said:

It sounds like salvation to me! I have severe, debilitating asthma, the sort that’s triggered by exercise and usually treated with a steroid-based medication. I’d happily swap the steroids for exercise-in-pill form.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 8:26 pm

14 On July 31st, 2008, Tiana said:

Isn’t that almost a form of doping?

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 9:21 pm

15 On July 31st, 2008, purpleshinycrafter said:

If it was somehow proven absolutely safe, I would definitely try it–to “get over the hump” as others have said.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 10:12 pm

16 On July 31st, 2008, Rachel said:

Isn’t that almost a form of doping?

Yeah, they’re working with various committees to develop tests to detect it in anticipation of athletes using it to gain an unfair advantage.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 10:27 pm

17 On July 31st, 2008, Kristie said:

After watching one of my 15-year-old students some years back face a life of heart problems after “successfully” using Fen-Phen (or is it Phen-Fen?), not a chance. Minimum 20 years of testing before I take a drug like that unless I’m terminal already. If it’s too good to be true…

The human body is designed to move. Even my fat, frequently-in-pain body. I move it as I can; it likes it.

posted on July 31st, 2008 at 11:44 pm

18 On August 1st, 2008, Denise said:

Not for me. If I didn’t have exercise to de-stress, no one around me would be safe!

posted on August 1st, 2008 at 12:15 am

19 On August 1st, 2008, Rachel said:

I am also troubled by the term couch potatoes which is so often used to label fatties no matter what their fitness levels.

*Shrug* I call my hubby a couch potato and he’s tall and thin, but I see your point. Unfortunately, I think people will just see this pill as yet another sign that fat people are lazy — because, of course, who else would take this pill? We all know thin people are already very physically active and in no need of an exercise pill *cue sarcasm here*.

posted on August 1st, 2008 at 12:36 am

20 On August 1st, 2008, Krista said:

I’d only take a pill like that if I had a broken leg or there was some other reason why I couldn’t get up and walk. I, too, use exercise as stress relief (as well as for transportation). Exercise is the only thing that helps my anxiety levels, too.

posted on August 1st, 2008 at 9:51 am

21 On August 1st, 2008, Risha said:

Eh, I have no problem admitting that I am lazy and would totally take that pill (after the aforementioned researching of side effects, long term effects, etc.). I do not enjoy exercise for exercise’s sake, I don’t get any sort of runner’s high, it stresses me out more than relaxes me, and I rarely have time for the few active hobbies that I actually enjoy (such as dancing or riding). In the (extremely unlikely) event that it’s easy and safe, why not get the benefits from it?

posted on August 1st, 2008 at 10:31 am

22 On August 1st, 2008, Nancy Lebovitz said:

If I had *very* good reason to think that pill was safe, I’d take it. I’ve been gradually getting into exercise lately, but it’s a matter of working around/against a life-time aversion to it. At least part of the issue is a habit of seriously restricting my breathing, so I’m working on the muscle tension and habits, but I don’t think exercise is a moral issue.

It’s fun for you or it isn’t. It improves your health or it doesn’t. It’s the use of time that most improves your life or not.

It’s a tool, not a proof of virtue.

posted on August 1st, 2008 at 10:58 am

23 On August 1st, 2008, Yorke said:

I’d definitely take something like this on my off days when my muscles need a rest but my cardiovascular system doesn’t.

posted on August 1st, 2008 at 12:10 pm

24 On August 1st, 2008, mccn said:

I’m kinda on the fence, which surprises me – I’m highly suspicious of medications that haven’t been out for at least 20 years AND I’m highly suspicious of “substitutes” for things – usually, if you’re not doing the thing, you’re not getting the consequences. But. . . I, too, am intrigued by the idea of something that could help me go longer – I often wish I could run longer, faster (though part of what’s constraining me is low blood sugar concerns; I’m diabetic). I’m tempted by the thought of something that could help.

And, while I don’t want to replace my exercise – part of why I do it is paranoia about heart attack. Could this pill give you the cardiovascular benefits of daily exercise, even if I still only work out 2-3 times/week? Geez, if so, I’d find that super-compelling, if the side effects were liveable.

posted on August 1st, 2008 at 12:50 pm

25 On August 1st, 2008, pennylane said:

I find the reporting on this to be very confusing. It sounds as if it is intended for people who are sedentary and or very active because it can help boost endurance/cardiovascular performance which could help those who can’t move often or who are trying to move a lot. It is not actually “exercise in a pill.” It’s a performance enhancer.

Like many of you I need exercise for my mental health. But I have to admit I’d be really attempted to use a shortcut to boost my endurance, etc. I love working out and I’d love to be more efficient/do it more.

posted on August 1st, 2008 at 1:09 pm

26 On August 3rd, 2008, Jackie said:

It sounds fishy too me. Like something that will be marginally approved, but not by the FDA, and end up in bulk on shelves at the GNC.

posted on August 3rd, 2008 at 1:57 am

27 On August 3rd, 2008, wriggles said:

This pill indicates that being sedentary is almost always a sign that something is wrong with you. Terms such as lazy or couch potato merely obscure.
As has already been said, the body is made to move, if it isn’t it isn’t a character flaw it is a sign, like unexplained discomfort.
Because it seems to increase the body’s use of it’s available energy, it is both a performance enhancer and a possible corrector of one of the things that causes one to be sedentary.
It also has potential regards diabetes.

I’m not convinced that it has applications for people with chronic fatigue, unless it is part of the cause.

posted on August 3rd, 2008 at 10:23 am

28 On August 5th, 2008, SueW said:

Frankly I’m suspicious of it. No promises were made. Nothing was said about whether the rats lived longer than those rats which were not fed the substance. Nothing was said about the health of the rats. That leads me to believe that the rats DID NOT live longer and were NOT healthier.

Snake oil salespersons will always be with us only now, the snake oil can actually harm us in addition to NOT doing what it promised.

Chances are it’s a blind alley and only makes a good news story but if such a pill came out, no I would NOT take it.

posted on August 5th, 2008 at 6:27 am