A drug dubbed an "imaginary meal in a pill" is being developed by scientists.

    The pill tricks the body into thinking it has consumed a large amount of calories - as if you have just eaten a substantial meal.

    The dieter's dream, it would allow them to continue to enjoy fatty foods without putting on weight.

    The drug, which tricks the body into believing it has eaten, also cuts cholesterol and keeps blood sugar levels under control.

    Researcher Ronald Evans said: "This pill is like an imaginary meal.

    "It sends out the same signals that normally happen when you eat a lot of food, so the body starts clearing out space to store it.

    "But there are no calories and no change in appetite."

    British doctors described the U.S. breakthrough as potentially of great importance – but cautioned that much more work needs to be done. The research comes amid growing concern that the world is losing the battle against obesity.

    The excitement surrounds a new medicine called fexaramine.

    Given to obese mice fed fatty food, it stopped them from piling on the pounds.

    Fat was burnt off, levels of artery-clogging cholesterol fell and blood sugar levels were better controled.

    The drug also sped up metabolism and turned harmful white fat that wobbles around the waist into healthy brown fat.

    Remarkably, it did all this without affecting appetite.

    If the drug worked as well in people, it might mean could keep their weight under control while eating just as much as usual.

    They may even be able to keep trim while feasting on chips, cakes and other fatty foods.

    Professor Evans, of the Salk Institute in California, said that fexaramine works by making the body believe it has eaten a big meal.

    When the drug hits the stomach, it kick-starts digestion.

    Fexaramine also spurs the body into burning off fat to create space to store the incoming nutrients.

    The medicine doesn't pass into the bloodstream and circulate round the body but stays in the stomach, which should cut the risk of side effects.

    Words to Learn 相关词汇

    提醒

    tíxǐng

    caution

    urge to be cautious, warn, admonish     

    苗条

    miáotiáo

    trim

    in good physical condition, fit, slim     

    “虚拟食物”药丸能解决肥胖危机吗？

    科学家正在研发一种“虚拟食物”药丸。

    这种药丸能在体内制造已食用大量卡路里的假象，让身体误以为已经吃下大量食物。

    减肥者梦想一种让自己可以大快朵颐又不长肉的神药，答案就是这种药丸。

    这种药不但能够骗过身体，让它以为你已经吃过了，还能降低胆固醇和控制血糖。

    罗纳德·埃万斯是该药的研究者，他表示：“这种药丸就像一顿虚拟的大餐。”

    “它在人体发出了与食用大量食物后同样的信号，于是身体开始准备清出空间存放它。

    “但实际上没摄入卡路里，食欲也没有变化。”

    英国医学界认为美国的这项突破影响巨大——但同时提醒还需大量后续研究。面对全世界越来越难控制的肥胖问题，该研究应运而生。

    这种名为fexaramine的药振奋人心。

    这种药能让食用高脂食物的肥胖老鼠不再长胖。

    它可以促进脂肪燃烧，降低阻塞动脉的胆固醇，控制血糖。

    它还能加速新陈代谢，将腰部多余而有害的白色脂肪转化为健康的棕色脂肪。值得一提的是，fexaramine在不影响食欲的前提下实现上述药效。

    如果这种药对人有效，可能意味着人们可以不改变饮食习惯而保持健康体重。

    它甚至能让你在大吃薯条、蛋糕等高脂食物的同时保持苗条。

    加利福尼亚州索尔克生物研究所的埃万斯教授表示，fexaramine的工作原理是让身体误认为已食用一大份食物。

    当fexaramine进入胃部，会立即开启消化过程。

    Fexaramine还会刺激身体燃烧脂肪以腾出空间贮存新摄入的营养物质。

    这种药只停留在胃部，不进入血液循环，因此带来副作用的风险较小。