'Exercise in a bottle' may offer benefits of physical activity

Researchers from the Nestlé Institute of Health suggest that drink and food supplements may one day offer benefits to people who can't exercise.

In a recent study, scientists found that a particular compound, C13, can be introduced to the body and assist with processes like metabolic regulation and fat and sugar elimination.

In mice, the compound was able to stop the liver from producing fat.

Boosting your workout

In diabetics, the body doesn't respond properly to insulin, which means that exercise sometimes can't augment the effects of dysregulated blood sugar.

With the C13 compound, however, getting glucose to the muscles might be easier, said study author Kei Sakamoto.

For people that can't tolerate rigorous exercise, too, - like elderly individuals or the severely obese - "exercise in a bottle" might prove helpful.

"Instead of 20 minutes of jogging or 40 minutes of cycling, it may help boost metabolism with moderate exercise like brisk walking," Sakamoto said.

However, the findings don't suggest that a nutritional supplement can replace exercise, Sakamoto warned, as there are too many benefits of physical activity that can't be replicated with a food or drink product.

Source: Tech Times