Viagra may burn fat

Friday January 18th, 2013

The use of Viagra may be giving men a second, unexpected, boost - around their waists, researchers say.

A German study claims the drug has an effect on harmful fat cells.

"Potentially" it could melt unwelcome layers of fat around the midriff, according to the scientists at the University of Bonn, Germany.

The findings come from a study of laboratory mice. The researchers set out to find out why mice given the drug appeared to avoid become obese in spite of being fed a high-fat diet.

The researchers have reported their findings in The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

They found that white fat cells become "beige" fat cells, which play a key role in animal metabolism, helping to burn fat into heat.

Researcher Dr Ana Kilic said: "The effects were quite amazing."

And fellow researcher Professor Alexander Pfeifer said the research showed the drug "can also reduce the risks of gaining excessive weight."

"We are currently in the basic research stage, and all the studies have been exclusively performed on mice," he added.

Increased cGMP promotes healthy expansion and browning of white adipose tissue. The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology January 2013 [abstract]

Tags: Diet & Food | Europe | Fitness | Men's Health | Pharmaceuticals

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