With literally millions and millions of individuals throughout the world continually battling excess body fat and obesity concerns, there is no shortage of “so called” weight loss experts, weight loss approaches, and weight loss “miracle pills” to consider. This being said, the most safe and effective approach to weight loss is living a health lifestyle that is filled with regular physical activity, a nutritionally well balanced whole foods diet, and plenty of rest, relaxation, and sleep.

While most weight loss experts will agree with this approach researchers at Harvard Medical School may have just made an astounding discovery that could spell drastic changes to the way in which we approach weight loss, obesity and related diseases such as diabetes. The researchers discovered a previously unknown hormone that they’re dubbing irisin.

Early clinical trials involving mice injected with the Irisin hormone have already shown that irisin could deliver miraculous results in terms of weight loss and blood sugar regulation. Weight loss seekers: Could this be what you’ve been waiting for to assist you in beating obesity.

What is Irisin and Can it Assist in the Battle Against Obesity?

Quite simply, irisin is a special hormone that typically builds up in the blood of endurance athletes after months of intense physical training. Bruce Spiegelman, the lead author of the new study and a cell biologist at Harvard Medical School as well as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, previously discovered a similar protein that tends to also build up in the blood following prolonged exercise.

Spiegelman and his team discovered that this particular protein strengthened the muscles and protected against diabetes and obesity. However, the researchers weren’t sure how the protein was capable of communicating its effects to the entire body. After looking for other similar proteins produced by muscle tissue, they discovered irisin, and noticed how it built up in the blood following endurance exercise. From here, irisin is able to travel to other body tissues besides muscle.

The researchers also discovered that the Irisin hormone would only accumulate significantly in mice following three weeks of exercise on a fixed wheel, while similar accumulations would occur in humans following endurance exercise for at least 10 weeks.

In short, irisin is capable of replicating the effects of exercise. As such, receiving an injection of irisin would trick your body into thinking that it’s been undergoing endurance exercise, even when it actually hasn’t.

What are the Effects of Irisin?

So far, the Irisin hormone has only been tested as an injection in mice. However, Sven Enerback, a researcher focused on exploring the connections between genetics and obesity at Sweden’s University of Gothenburg, said that there is a high probability that irisin will function identically in humans and mice since the hormone is structured the same in both species.

When Spiegelman and his researchers treated mice with an injection of irisin, they burned more calories and their fat cells were able to process oxygen more efficiently.

Next, the researchers tested irisin on mice that were genetically engineered to be obese, and who were placed on high-fat diets. In this case, the mice lost weight within just 10 days of receiving their first treatment. The mice were also better able to control their blood sugar, indicating the hormone’s usefulness in treating diabetes.

Importantly, none of the mice used in the study seemed to experience any negative side effects as a result of being injected with irisin.

When Will Irisin be Available for Humans?

Of course, there is a significant amount of additional research that remains before irisin could be available in drug form to the general public. The researchers have yet to conduct human trials, which will hopefully determine the long-term effects of irisin. Spiegelman and his team are hopeful that using irisin for an extended period of time would lead to more significant weight loss, while, at the same time, lowering the risk of heart disease, hypertension and other obesity-related diseases.

Regardless of these hurdles, the researchers remain optimistic about a potential timeframe for irisin availability. According to Enerback, irisin could actually be relatively easy to develop in comparison to other drugs since it’s naturally manufactured by the human body. If everything runs smoothly, Enerback expects irisin to be available by approximately 2018.

According to Enerback, irisin could be extremely useful for those who have continually tried, and failed, to successfully lose weight through exercising and dieting alone.

Irisin Hormone and Beating Obesity: The Bottom Line

The Irisin hormone is a newly discovered hormone that builds up in the blood stream following a prolonged period of endurance-based physical training. It’s believed that irisin, when injected into the bloodstream, can mimic the effects of real exercise and lead to weight loss as well as better regulation of blood sugar levels.

However, researchers predict that irisin won’t be available in drug form for at least another six years. In the meantime, the best and safest way to lose weight is through a combination of a calorie-conscious, balanced diet and plenty of physical exercise.

The full text of the study can be found in the January 11th issue of the scientific journal Nature.