New drug target in obesity: Fat cells make lots of melanin

As millions of Americans gear up for the Thanksgiving holiday, a new research report published online in The FASEB Journal may provide some relief for those leery of having a second helping. In the report, researchers describe a discovery that may allow some obese people avoid common obesity-related metabolic problems without actually losing weight: they make a common antioxidant, melanin, in excess. Even more promising is that some of the antioxidant drugs that can mimic the melanin effect are FDA-approved and available. This availability would greatly speed the development of new treatments, should they prove effective in clinical trials.

The...

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