I Got Dibs on Ghrelinstat

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm gazing into my crystal ball and predicting that supplement companies looking to profit off of the next weight loss fad will come out with what I call Ghrelinstat:

From MSNBC: A hormone that makes people eat more works by causing food to look tastier.

This natural molecule, named ghrelin, actually improves perception and memory when it comes to food.

"When you go to the supermarket hungry, every food looks better," said researcher Alain Dagher, a neurologist at McGill University in Montreal. "Now, we've found that it is ghrelin that acts on the brain to make food more appealing."

In fact, big pharama is already on the case:

Therapies that disrupt these effects of ghrelin could help fight obesity, the researchers conjectured. However, such treatments might come with unwanted side effects on mood, since they would target the brain's pleasure centers, Dagher said.

"Many drug companies are currently developing ghrelin-blocking drugs as obesity treatments," Dagher said. "However, we show that ghrelin acts on brain areas involved in emotion and motivation. A drug that suppresses this brain system runs the risk of causing depressed mood. There is a risk of side effects."

Side effects, shnide effects. Drug companies don't give a rip about side effects. Look at Alli. It prevents the body from absorbing about a quarter of the fat you eat. Side effects? Just some slight anal seepage lovingly called "treatment effects."

All that matters is how much money can be made by capitalizing off of people's willingness to do nothing and still lose weight. The FDA will force drug companies to slowly bring a product to market, however supplement companies are not under such regulations. I'll wager that somebody is already writing marketing copy for their potential new supplement: It's Not Your Fault You're Fat! Speaking of, I'd better get over to the copyright office and register the name Ghrelinstat.

(Pssst. Want to lose weight fast the right way? Try this.)