Imagine a pill that could mimic the physical effects of running a 10k, without you moving a muscle—which is exactly what scientists in Denmark have developed. According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the drug called LaKe is shown to encourage ketones and lactate in animal studies. “We’ve developed a molecule that can mimic the body’s natural metabolic response to strenuous exercise and fasting,” Dr. Thomas Poulsen, a chemist at Aarhus University who led the research, said, via the New York Post. “In practice, the molecule brings the body into a metabolic state corresponding to running 10 kilometers at high speed on an empty stomach.” Here’s what to know about the pill.
RELATED: 8 Ways to Improve Your Running Technique.
Human Trials
Shutterstock
After promising results, the drug will now move onto clinical human trials at Aarhus University. “It can be difficult to maintain motivation to run many kilometers at high speed and go without food,” Dr. Poulsen says. “For people with physical ailments, such as a weak heart or general weakness, a nutritional supplement can be the key to better recovery.”
How Exactly Does It Work?
ShutterstockExercise causes the body to produce lactate and ketones, a natural inflammatory response after physical excursion. This encourages hunger suppression while decreasing free fatty acids. The LaKe pill has the same effect without the need for strenuous exercise. “This has a number of health benefits, for example, reducing the risk of developing metabolic syndrome [a group of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes],” says Dr. Poulsen.
When Will the Drug Be Available?
Shutterstock Scientists warn it will be many years before the drug is available to the public. In the meantime, lifestyle habits such as intermittent fasting can also encourage the production of ketones. “One of the things that also happens towards the end of a fast is that the body produces ketones, similar to a keto diet,” molecular exercise physiologist Keith Baartells UC Davis Health. “Yet, eating a normal diet but restricting when you eat will not give you all the benefits of the keto diet. When the body is put in periods of longer fasts, it will start producing ketones, but may not get to the levels that you need for therapeutic ketosis.”
600 Calories Burned?
Shutterstock
According to data from Runner’s World, a 10K run burns around 600 calories. This means LaKe could be key in encouraging significant weight loss, much like diabetes/weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy.
