Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Fat Wednesday
Because Mardi Gras was already taken.
We all know that being fat (and by this I mean actually fat, not Beverly Hills teenage girl ohmygodIhaveboobs fat) is bad for us. We all know smoking is bad for us. However, this doesn't make it easier for people to lose weight or quit smoking.
A French biotech company, however, has a possible solution. Rimonabant is a new drug that they hope will be out on the market next year, which acts on the endocannabinoid system to ease cravings for food and cigarettes. It works on the same receptors, CB1, as the THC in marijuana, but has the opposite effect.
I wrote my neuropharmacology paper on the endocannabiniod system, so it has a special place in my heart. It actually has much, much more far-reaching effects than just the munchies and spacey-ness you get from smoking pot. It's crucial for memory, and learning, and appetite, and also fertility, embryo implantation/development, and digestion. Amongst other things we don't know about yet.
I also really wonder if all those nutjobs who want to 'punish' the French for not going along with W's war will continue their boycott if it means staying fat. Heh.
We all know that being fat (and by this I mean actually fat, not Beverly Hills teenage girl ohmygodIhaveboobs fat) is bad for us. We all know smoking is bad for us. However, this doesn't make it easier for people to lose weight or quit smoking.
A French biotech company, however, has a possible solution. Rimonabant is a new drug that they hope will be out on the market next year, which acts on the endocannabinoid system to ease cravings for food and cigarettes. It works on the same receptors, CB1, as the THC in marijuana, but has the opposite effect.
I wrote my neuropharmacology paper on the endocannabiniod system, so it has a special place in my heart. It actually has much, much more far-reaching effects than just the munchies and spacey-ness you get from smoking pot. It's crucial for memory, and learning, and appetite, and also fertility, embryo implantation/development, and digestion. Amongst other things we don't know about yet.
I also really wonder if all those nutjobs who want to 'punish' the French for not going along with W's war will continue their boycott if it means staying fat. Heh.
