Obesity Gene Linked To Lower Levels Of Adrenaline

levels of adrenaline were much higher in the thin mice

Last year there was plenty of talk about the FTO gene which scientists have linked to higher rates of obesity. Individuals who have two variants of the FTO gene, (which is short for FATSO) are statistically more likely to have weight problems than those people who don’t. It is one thing to know that these genes produce high rates of obesity but until recently scientists had no idea why these genes produce high rates of obesity and how they had an effect on the human body.

Recently scientists from Germany using laboratory mice designed a study to learn exactly how mice with the FTO genes are different from mice without the FTO genes. Professor Stuart Weiss, a professor of medicine from the New York University School of Medicine explained that some of the mice were eating just as much as other mice but they were burning more calories on a daily basis through a ‘non-exercise mediated pathway’.

This begs the question ‘how did the mice without the FTO gene manage to burn more calories than those who didn’t?’ According to Professor Ulrich Ruther from the University of Dusseldorf the amount of the hormone leptin was higher in the blood of the mice without the FTO gene. Also the level of adiponectin which is a hormone that comes into play in the process of metabolism was significantly lower in the mice with the FTO gene.

But most significantly, levels of adrenaline were much higher in the thin mice and adrenaline in the bloodstream causes you to burn more calories even when you are not exercising. The scientists have not been able to understand exactly why the adrenaline levels were higher in the mice who were FTO gene deficient but will be looking into further research to come up with an answer.

If the mechanisms of how genetics influence body weight can be fully understood it will be possible to develop drugs and treatments to help individuals who are more predisposed to becoming obese.

It should be remembered however by all obese individuals that not all men and women who have the FTO genes are obese and that scientists have said that having these genes should not be used as a blanket excuse for being overweight. It is still possible to live a normal healthy life if you do have these genes.

The research was published in the medical journal Nature.