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Tirzepatide Reduces Food Intake and Appetite, and Affects Brain Functioning, more than a Placebo and Liraglutide
Researchers found that tirzepatide, a medication primarily used for treating type 2 diabetes and weight loss, reduced body weight, food intake and many measures of appetite more than placebo and liraglutide. These results were recently published in Nature Medicine in the study titled “Tirzepatide on ingestive behavior in adults with overweight or obesity: a randomized 6-week phase 1 trial.”
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Reduction in Amino Acid Cysteine Triggers Weight Loss
Consuming fewer calories is largely accepted as a way to improve health and lose weight, but a recently published study in Nature Metabolism points to a specific sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine as a key component in weight loss. In the study “Cysteine depletion triggers adipose tissue thermogenesis and weight loss,” researchers discovered that when study participants restricted their calorie intake, it resulted in reduced levels of cysteine in white fat.
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Bill Signing Event Held at Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry hosted a bill signing event at Pennington Biomedical Research Center on Friday, June 27, joined by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The event drew approximately 200 attendees, including legislators and community members, with supporters standing on stage alongside the Governor, Secretary, and bill sponsor Senator Patrick McMath.
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New GLP-1 Therapies Enhance Quality of Weight Loss by Improving Muscle Preservation
Findings from two groundbreaking studies highlight potential pharmacological and biosensor solutions for muscle mass preservation in patients undergoing obesity treatment therapy. Results from the BELIEVE study of bimagrumab and semaglutide combination therapy and a study of a novel continuous protein sensor for sarcopenia management were featured as a late-breaking symposium and late-breaking poster, respectively, at the 85th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) in Chicago.
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Pennington Biomedical Researchers to Present at the ADA’s 2025 Scientific Sessions in Chicago
Researchers from Pennington Biomedical Research Center are scheduled to present their latest findings in diabetes research and treatment at the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) flagship conference, the 85th annual Scientific Sessions taking place June 20 – 23 in Chicago.
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Louisiana Obesity Society Conference Returns Aug. 8 and 9 in New Orleans
The Louisiana Obesity Society (LOS) and the Louisiana Chapter of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (LA-ASMBS) announce the return of the Louisiana Obesity Conference Aug. 8 and 9, in New Orleans. The third annual, two-day conference will be held at the Loews New Orleans Hotel and will feature opportunities for networking, continuing education courses, vendor showcases and much more. Keynote speakers will include Donna Ryan, MD, professor emerita at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and Erik Wilson, MD, medical director of bariatric surgery at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center.
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Pennington Biomedical’s Greaux Healthy Initiative for Louisiana Addresses Childhood Obesity
Pennington Biomedical Research Center publicly introduced its Greaux Healthy initiative, a public service initiative designed to help improve Louisiana kids’ health at every age, during the weekly Red Stick Farmer’s Market on Thursday. Developed in partnership with the State of Louisiana, Greaux Healthy implements 35 years of Pennington Biomedical research and discoveries to inform tools, resources and programing for children, parents, healthcare providers and educators throughout the state.
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In Preparing Patients for Metabolic Surgery, a Combination of Weight Loss Drugs May Be Better than GLP-1s or Traditional Dieting Alone
For patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 70 or higher, metabolic surgery is a highly effective treatment for this form of extreme obesity. In preparing for this minimally invasive surgery and to increase perioperative safety, it is important for patients to lose weight, especially those with a high BMI. While traditional strategies for perioperative weight loss include dieting and exercise, GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) have been increasingly used in recent years. Prior studies have shown that achieving 5% weight loss prior to metabolic surgery may be associated with reduced postoperative complications, but this is often difficult to achieve with diet alone.
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Pennington Biomedical Q&A: Dr. Timothy Allerton
Timothy Allerton, PhD, is an assistant professor of vascular metabolism at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. He is a licensed clinical exercise physiologist. During his postdoctoral fellowship, also at Pennington Biomedical, Dr. Allerton developed a strong interest in the link between vascular function and metabolism. In May, several research data posters, presentations, and publications were evaluated by Pennington Biomedical faculty, with Dr. Allerton’s publication “Exercise Therapy Rescues Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction and Exercise Intolerance in Cardiometabolic HFpEF” selected as the Publication of the Year among those produced by peers and colleagues.
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Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s June Small Shifts Focus: Adding More Fruits and Vegetables to Diets
Pennington Biomedical Research Center announces the June Small Shifts campaign focus is adding more fruits and vegetables to diets. This month’s shift encourages individuals and families to make simple, sustainable changes that can lead to lasting improvements in overall health and wellness.
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The Art of the Snackle Box
Let’s be honest—nothing brightens up a long drive quite like the promise of a tasty treat: a delicious, indulgent spark of excitement to break up the monotony of long hours spent on the road. But in the chaos of pre-departure vacation planning, snack-packing often gets left off the to-do list, only to be replaced by a gas station stop or drive-thru run on the way. Oftentimes, this means bags of chips or candy, greasy fast food and sugary drinks—which, while convenient, might make the journey less enjoyable, and healthful, in the long run.
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Pennington Biomedical Leads the Way in Redefining Obesity Diagnosis Beyond BMI
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, a leader in obesity research and treatment, recently played a pivotal role in reshaping how clinical obesity is understood. Three of its researchers served on the prestigious Lancet Commission on Clinical Obesity, a global initiative comprising 56 experts worldwide.
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Pennington Biomedical Researchers to Present at NUTRITION 2025 Conference in Orlando
Researchers from Pennington Biomedical Research Center are scheduled to present their research findings at NUTRITION 2025, the annual flagship meeting for the American Society of Nutrition, or ASN, taking place in Orlando, Florida, May 31 – June 3.
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Dr. Jacob Mey Discusses Using Your Unique Biology and Goals to Determine YOUR Best Meal Plan
What if your diet was as unique to you as your own biology, environment, socio-economic factors, individual preferences, and goals? Pennington Biomedical Assistant Professor Jacob Mey, PhD, RD posed this exact question to those gathered at the most recent Scientific Dinner hosted by Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation.
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Pennington Biomedical Welcomes Dr. Stefan Pasiakos as Director of the Center for Human Performance Optimization
Pennington Biomedical Research Center is pleased to announce that Stefan Pasiakos, PhD, has joined the faculty as Professor and Director of Human Performance Optimization. In this role, Dr. Pasiakos will lead groundbreaking research aimed at enhancing human performance and physiology across diverse environments – from the battlefield to deep space.
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Pennington Biomedical Highlights How Cellular Quality Control Contribute to Insulin Resistance Related to Type 2 Diabetes
Researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center have revealed critical insights into how impaired mitochondrial dynamics and quality control mechanisms in skeletal muscle influence insulin sensitivity in patients with Type 2 Diabetes, or T2D. The study, titled "Deubiquitinating Enzymes Regulate Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Quality Control and Insulin Sensitivity in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes," was recently published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle.
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Dr. Adithya Hari Joins Pennington Biomedical as Physician/Nuclear Oncologist, Adds to Center’s Strategic Expansion of Cancer Metabolism Program
Pennington Biomedical Research Center is pleased to announce the arrival of Dr. Adithya Hari, MD, as Assistant Professor and Physician/Nuclear Oncologist in the Division of Clinical Science, effective April 21. Dr. Hari’s recruitment represents a strategic expansion of Pennington Biomedical’s research capacity in cancer metabolism and nuclear medicine and was a collaborative effort involving Pennington Biomedical partners Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Louisiana Cancer Research Center, and LSU Health New Orleans.
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Long-Term Benefits of Lifestyle and Metformin Interventions in Reducing Type 2 Diabetes Over 21 Years in the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program Study
The U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program, or DPP, reported on April 28 the 21-year follow-up of this randomized clinical trial showing that the original intensive lifestyle intervention reduced the development of diabetes by 24% and metformin reduced diabetes development by 17%. The DPP had previously showed that after the first 3 years of study, the intensive lifestyle, aimed at moderate weight loss and increased physical activity, and the medication metformin reduced the onset of type 2 diabetes by 58% and 31%, respectively, compared with a placebo medicine. All participants were adults at high risk of developing diabetes.
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United States Sees Disproportionate Increase in Body Mass Index Rates of More Than 60
In the past 20 years, the average rate of obesity among adults in the United States has risen by approximately 30 percent, but the rate of those with the most severe forms of obesity, or those with a body mass index, or BMI, of more than 60 kg/m2, increased by 210 percent. In a recently published research letter in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet: Diabetes & Endocrinology, researchers from Pennington Biomedical analyzed national health data from 2001 through 2023, and discovered the alarming increase in the numbers of patients with the most severe forms of obesity.
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Pennington Biomedical Research Center Investigates Tirzepatide's Role in Weight Loss and Metabolic Health
Researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center conducted a first-of-its-kind study to provide insights into the mechanisms of action of tirzepatide – a drug known as Zepbound™ – on weight loss with respect to energy expenditure, fat oxidation and calorie intake. The study, “Tirzepatide did not impact metabolic adaptation in people with obesity, but increased fat oxidation,” published in Cell Metabolism, showed that tirzepatide decreased participants’ calorie intake at lunch/dinner by reducing appetite while increasing fat oxidation, thus helping participants to lose weight. However, the drug did not decrease the slowing down of their metabolic rate usually observed with weight loss.
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