metabolism news stories on Newser

Need to Lose Weight? Freeze Yourself

Kevin Spak — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:07:00 CDT

If you’re desperate for a new way to lose weight, forget feeling the burn and try feeling the chill, suggests Ray Cronise, an ex-NASA scientist who lost 30 pounds in six weeks by subjecting himself to low temperatures. The theory is simple: Your body wants to maintain a constant temperature,...

Egg-cellent News: Fried Breakfast 'Is Best'

Mary Papenfuss — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 07:15:56 CDT

A breakfast of fried eggs and bacon or sausage may be the best way to "program" the body to efficiently break down fats the rest of the day, according to a new study. Breakfasts rich in carbohydrates, such as cereal, may only prepare the body to break down carbs, say...

Sitting All Day Is Making You Fat

Harry Kimball — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:59:46 CST

Exercise all you want, but that office chair—or your couch at home—will erase your good intentions. Multiple studies, Olivia Judson writes, have shown that people who sit for extended periods can’t help but pack on the pounds. Consider this result: “Among people who sit in front of the...

Size Zero Mom Trounces Big Boys in Eating Competition

Kevin Spak — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:14:00 CDT

Juliet Lee only eats one meal a day—but sometimes it’s a really big meal. The 44-year-old, who weights in at 100 pounds, is the 11th ranked competitive eater in the world, but she swears she never practices. The talent comes entirely from her one-meal-a-day habit. “It’s natural,” she tells...

Sorry, Exercise Doesn't Boost Metabolism

Katherine Thompson — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:30:01 CDT

You went for a half-hour run this afternoon, so it’s OK to have that extra slice of cake tonight, right? That’s actually wrong, say scientists, and they’re just as surprised about it as you. The now-debunked assumption was that exercise leaves the body with more power to burn fat for...

Your Body Wants You to Stay Fat

Katherine Thompson — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:34:41 CDT

Your body doesn't want you to lose weight, scientists say, and makes it tough to keep off pounds lost. Scientists tell the Los Angeles Times that brain and hormone cues increase post-diet as natural processes try to get that old figure back. And while research into the heavy issues is...

What We Can Learn From Being Dog-Tired

Laila Weir — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:33:06 CDT

Alaskan sled dogs racing for days on end don’t get tired out the way a human runner would, the New York Times reports, and researchers eager to imitate this fatigue resistance in people—particularly soldiers—say it’s because they’re somehow able to change their metabolism. “Suddenly they throw a switch—...

Health History Hidden in Urine

Katherine Thompson — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:07:18 CDT

Urine does indeed hold metabolic clues, researchers have found, and could shed light on blood pressure and heart problems, the Times of London reports. "Metabolic profiling can tell us how specific aspects of a person’s diet and how much they drink are contributing to their risks for certain diseases"—something...

Feds OK Wyeth's New Antidepressant

Harry Kimball — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:41:17 CST

Antidepressant Effexor XR will soon lose patent protection, and maker Wyeth is hoping Pristiq, the successor drug approved today by the FDA, will soften the financial blow. Higher-ups at the company gush over Pristiq's advantages, including zero acclimation time and no liver interaction, and hope that sales will offset losses...