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Molecule imitating exercise could help treat type 2 diabetes and obesity

All of the benefits, none of the effort? Scientists are investigating a molecule that appears to mimic exercise

A molecule has reportedly been developed that mimics the effects of exercise, potentially reducing type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The molecule, called "compound 14," prevents cells from feeling like they have no more energy left, activating their energy sensors, known in the scientific community as AMPK, according to researchers from the University of Southampton in the UK.

This leads to increased glucose uptake and faster metabolism, says the research team who developed the molecule and whose paper about it was published in the journal Chemistry and Biology.

Activating AMPK with the "compound 14" molecule improved glucose tolerence and reportedly stimulated weight loss in obese mice, according to the paper.