Mayo Clinic researchers and investigators at the University of Iowa, University of Connecticut and New York University said that the energy-saving mechanism is controlled by ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels. ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is the "energy currency" utilized by cells in the body…
"While mechanisms that preserve energy are naturally protective - in times of food shortage or environmental stress - they promote obesity in a sedentary, modern society. Our findings suggest that therapeutic targeting of the KATP channel function, specifically in muscle, could offer a new option for obese patients with lower capacity for exercise," said Alexey Alekseev, Mayo Clinic electrophysiologist and first author of the study.
Times of India, 1/5/10
Additional coverage:
Tags: ATP-Sensitive potassium channels, Nutrition, Obesity, Research