Mice Get Fit With 'Exercise in a Pill' By Howard LeWine, M.D., Harvard Health Publications Couch potatoes can get some of the benefits of exercise with a new drug, researchers say. So far, it has been tested only in mice. After four weeks of taking it, they burned more calories and had less fat than other mice. They also could run 44% farther and 23% longer on a treadmill. Mice who also exercised regularly got even more benefit with a second drug that was tested. They could run 68% longer and 70% farther than mice that exercised but didn't get the drug. The study was published online by the journal Cell. What Is the Doctor's Reaction?After my usual exercise routine yesterday morning, I ran into a fellow I see regularly at the gym. He had just finished a strenuous workout with free weights. With a big smile, he said, "Wouldn’t it be great if we could just take a pill instead of having to do this every day?" I am not sure if my friend at the gym already had some inside knowledge of a story that hit the wire services yesterday afternoon. Researchers reported early findings that suggested a drug could do what now takes an hour of my time most days of the week. The report came from Ronald Evans, Ph.D., and his colleagues at the Salk Institute in San Diego. The news story caused me to wonder what I would do if such a pill should become available. Could I really give up my exercise habit? Probably not.I love to spin. Spinning is more than just riding a stationary bike for about an hour. You are in a class led by an enthusiastic instructor. The instructor turns on his MP3 player (or inserts a disc) with a play list of songs organized for that day's spin routine. Loud music fills the room. The buzz of the pedals churning begins. My heart rate starts to rise and my muscles feel that slight ache of exertion. I can't imagine a pill giving me that same sense of pleasure for that hour. What Changes Can You Make Now?I don't suggest that everyone will take to Spinning as I have. In fact, most friends that I persuade to try it say "no thanks" the next time I invite them. But I do think most people can find an exercise that they enjoy. Walking at a brisk pace, water aerobics and tai chi are just a few examples. These activities will improve your level of fitness and overall strength. If you are not exercising regularly now, you must first schedule it into your day just as you schedule everything else. Put it on your calendar, even if you have just 10 or 15 minutes. Once it becomes part of your daily routine, you can increase how long and how intensely you exercise. But first, you need to make it a priority. What Can You Expect Looking to the Future?I think this research and the work of others will lead to drugs that can increase our endurance without exercising. But before such a drug could be approved, researchers would need to prove it was safe when taken over many years, perhaps decades. Just as importantly, the "exercise pill" must show that it has the same benefits of real exercise: Decreased risk of certain cancers and many long-term diseases, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis Improved mood and symptom relief for mild depression Increased energy and staminaBetter sleep quality (as long as you don't exercise close to bed time)
