Question

2. Online, a friend of yours has found a company that sells a pill that inhibits PGC1-alpha activity. This company states that this pill can help losing fat. As you took the metabolism course this year, your friend is asking for your advice. What do you suggest to him? First explain the role of PGC1-alpha and then justify why you think it is a good idea, or a bad idea to buy this pill. (3 mark

Answer 1

PGC-1α helps in the generation of Brown Adipocyte formation by inducing UCP-1, mitochondria biogenesis, and lipolysis of stored fat in the adipocyte. PGC-1α is a key transcription factor that regulates the BAT lineage-specific gene expression. BAT burns out stored fat by inducing the mitochondrial activity.

so, PGC-1α inhibition does not play any role in losing fat. for that reason, I recommend not to use this drug, that ultimately does not affect stored fat