This may be the reason why you can’t lose weight

We’ve heard it all; do this and you’ll lose weight, eat this and you’ll burn fat. But, what if the reason behind your inability to drop those last 10, 15, or 30 pounds was something more than simply diet and exercise?

Researchers at the University of Cambridge and Taho University in Japan recently released a study suggesting a certain protein found in the body may be suppressing the fat-burning process in some individuals.

“Our discovery may help explain why overweight individuals find it incredibly hard to lose weight,” says Andrew Whittle, joint first author of the study. “Their stored fat is actively fighting against their efforts to burn it off at the molecular level.”

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The protein has been identified as sLR11.

By looking at mice that had the gene responsible for producing sLR11 and those without, they found that those lacking sLR11 responded much better to diet and exercise and were able to burn calories much faster. This is because sLR11 binds to specific receptors in fat cells inhibiting the burn-off.

“In effect, sLR11 acts as a signal to increase the efficiency of fat to store energy and prevents excessive energy loss through unrestricted thermogenesis,“ the study explains.

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With this study, researchers hope to change the way they look at treating obesity and other metabolic diseases. The findings could also be useful for those with conditions like anorexia.

“This research could stimulate the development of new drugs that either help reduce obesity, by blocking the action of this protein, or control weight loss by mimicking its action,” said Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

At the very least, it may offer some peace of mind to anyone who’s currently battling weight loss.