Exercise Of The Future Might Come In Pill Form

Okay, let's not all go quitting our gyms at once, but it appears we may be closer than we think to tossing out traditional exercise. Instead, calorie burning of the future may come from a single pill. Two newly released studies investigated the possibility of workout medication, and they found that injections of an unspecified compound spurred weight loss and improved cholesterol levels in mice. In fact, even on a high-fat diet, those mice continued to lose weight, and had a higher endurance than other mice.

Now, scientists are setting their sights on a drug that may allow people to reap those same benefits — especially those who are disabled or unable to exercise. Of course, the day that we can fight fat with a magic pill is still a long way off. And, doctors are weary of the other effects that stopping exercise may have on us — would we still be able to replicate the stress relief and endorphin production? In the meantime, though, this news will do little to stop us from daydreaming about trading the treadmill for a relaxing day at the spa. (The New York Times)