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Losing weight without dieting is realistic
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Many people who struggle with extra pounds know about the need to follow a strict diet and exercise, and will be skeptical about promises that fat will go away on its own during sleep or rest.
But for science, practically nothing is impossible, and scientists have found a genetic “switch” that is built into each fat cell, when exposed to it, the metabolism begins to occur faster and as a result the body begins to burn excess fat, while not even requiring physical exercise.
Studies on laboratory rodents have shown the new method to be highly effective – after activating the “switch”, the mice lost almost half their weight.
During the study of human fat, it was found that the genetic "switch" could also be used to treat obesity in humans.
This effect on genes was discovered relatively recently, so it will take several more years of testing before the method is widely used.
Today, obesity is a serious problem, with more than half a million people suffering from this disease worldwide. In the United States alone, $200 billion is spent annually on treating obesity. Obesity is the cause of most deaths, and excess weight can cause heart and vascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer.
A professor at Cambridge University noted that obesity is the scourge of modern society and if it becomes possible to control metabolism at the genetic level, it will be a real salvation.
In earlier studies, scientists found that the FTO gene has a strong link to obesity, but until recently, experts were unable to determine the principle of action of these genes and how its mutations affect a person's weight.
In the latest work, scientists have identified two more intracellular genes, IRX3 and IRX5, which are involved in the metabolic process.
To lose weight you need to burn more calories than you consume, so a person who wants to lose weight needs to not only follow a diet, but also exercise.
There is another fat burning process in the body called thermogenesis, which is activated under certain conditions, for example, in cold weather this process helps to keep internal organs warm.
The IRX3 and IRX5 genes are the "switches" that activate the process of thermogenesis. During studies on laboratory rodents, it was found that stopping the IRX3 gene increases energy burning and promotes weight loss, while the rodents were not limited in food or increased in physical activity. In addition, the mice were found to be resistant to fatty foods.
Studies on human fat cells have shown that silencing the above genes improves fat burning in people with a genetic predisposition to obesity. A reverse relationship has also been established: when IRX3 and IRX5 are activated, fat burning rates are reduced in people who do not have any predisposition to obesity.
The scientists say the discovery is significant. Obesity may be linked to changes in the body at the cellular level, and genetic intervention could be a significant addition to diet and exercise.
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