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Exercise in a pill?

ENV-308 mimics a recently discovered molecule called N-lactoyl-phenylalanine, or Lac-Phe for short. Our bodies seem to produce Lac-Phe in higher amounts during intense exercise as well as after eating. Studies have indicated that it helps suppress appetite, and obese mice treated with Lac-Phe have been shown to lose weight as a result. That’s made scientists curious about its potential as an obesity drug.

Naturally occurring Lac-Phe only lasts for a short time in the body, however. ENV-308 is intended to stick around long enough to be taken as a once-a-day pill. According to the company, it was discovered via Enveda’s proprietary AI model PRISM.

In this first human trial of ENV-308, 88 healthy adults were given varying doses of the drug. Phase I trials are mainly intended to gauge the safety of an experimental drug or vaccine, and ENV-308 seemed to pass this initial test with flying colors. No serious adverse events were reported among the volunteers, nor did anyone stop taking the drug. Notably, it also had an “exceptional gastrointestinal safety profile,” the company stated.

The trial may have additionally shown some early signs of Lac-Phe working as hoped. People with obesity are known to often have elevated levels of leptin, a hormone that helps signal fullness while eating. It is hypothesized that this is because people’s bodies stop responding to leptin as well as they should.

In studies of obese animals, ENV-308 has rapidly lowered leptin levels, suggesting it can reverse this dysfunctional response. During the trial, researchers found lower circulating levels of leptin in the human volunteers, as well.

The future of ENV-308

This research is in its early days, and should the company’s development of ENV-308 continue to prove successful, it can’t fully replace the need for exercise. Even assuming Lac-Phe is as helpful as we think it might be, it’s only one of many positive changes that exercise produces.

Still, finding new ways to treat obesity or other metabolic conditions remains important. Some people are unable to tolerate the GI side effects common to GLP-1s, while others might prefer the convenience of a daily pill over a weekly injection (though some GLP-1s are also now available as a pill). Muscle loss isn’t a major concern for most GLP-1 users, but some people are more vulnerable to it, like older adults, and they could benefit from an obesity treatment that can better preserve muscle.

Enveda plans to continue testing ENV-308 in a larger Phase II trial for weight loss maintenance, and it’s evaluating the drug for other conditions that might benefit from its exercise-like effects, such as migraines and inflammatory bowel disease.

Ideally, ENV-308 will show that it is possible to safely mimic or even amplify at least some of the best aspects of exercise. I’m not giving up my running routine anytime soon, mind you, but I’ll definitely be hoping that ENV-308 is only the first of many drugs that can do so.

Electrolyte powders, dissolvable tablets, and trendy ready-to-drink waters have graduated from the pockets of athletes to one of wellness’s buzziest categories.

And it’s a crowded market, worth an estimated $39 billion globally in 2025 and forecast to double within the next decade. Much of the growth has been fueled by wellness trends and influencer-fronted hype cycles, like Prime Hydration, created by YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI, which the company claimed pushed past $1 billion in sales in a single year. In other internet corners, dozens of celebrity and podcaster-adjacent brands are all promising a means of optimizing your way to hydration.

These products are marketed as daily essentials for everyone—from office workers to gym regulars—promising to combat brain fog, improve skin, banish fatigue, and aid recovery. Here’s everything you need to know about the electrolyte obsession, and when these products are actually worth buying.

What Are Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are essential minerals, among them sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride, that carry an electrical charge once dissolved in fluid. That charge is what lets the body do much of its basic work, such as helping muscles and nerves work correctly. They work to ensure fluid stays balanced inside and outside every cell, as a serious imbalance can cause headaches, muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue, and weakness. In more serious cases, severe electrolyte imbalances can interfere with heart function and require medical treatment.

Who Needs Electrolytes?

For most healthy adults, the body has been regulating electrolyte levels perfectly well long before trendy, flavored hydration sticks landed on supermarket shelves. In fact, if you eat a reasonably balanced diet and drink water when you’re thirsty, there’s a good chance you’re already getting everything you need.

The sachet earns its place in roughly three situations. Studies from the American College of Sports Medicine suggest that water alone is sufficient for exercise lasting less than an hour, but electrolytes become increasingly useful during longer sessions of prolonged, sweat-heavy exercise, particularly in high temperatures or humidity. They’re also useful for illness involving heavy fluid loss, which is why oral rehydration salts are a recognized medical treatment rather than a wellness trend. And you should also consider them during long stretches of fasting, when the food that usually supplies these minerals is absent.

Are There Natural Electrolytes?

There are many sources of electrolytes in everyday foods. If you’re eating a reasonably varied diet (fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, nuts, seeds), your electrolyte stores are continually being topped up without the need for specialist drinks or powders.

Research by the Beverage Hydration Index shows that milk-based drinks can maintain hydration for longer than plain water. The combination of protein, natural electrolytes and small amounts of fat slows the rate at which fluid leaves the stomach, helping the body retain hydration for longer. Coconut water too can replenish potassium.

The Nutrition Source from Harvard’s School of Public Health notes that, essentially, “any beverage containing electrolyte minerals may be labeled an electrolyte drink. Some are very costly yet only contain a small amount of these nutrients, while others may contain a high amount of only one nutrient such as potassium or sodium.”

Can You Have Too Many Electrolytes?

For healthy adults, an occasional electrolyte drink is unlikely to cause harm. Daily consumption, however, can sometimes be counterproductive.

Many electrolyte products contain significant amounts of sodium, despite the fact that most populations already consume considerably more salt than recommended. The World Health Organization estimates the global average of sodium intake a day is more than double its recommended limit and roughly 1.89 million deaths a year can be linked to excess intake. Regularly adding extra sodium may not be ideal for anyone managing high blood pressure or cardiovascular risk. Some formulations also contain substantial amounts of added sugar, making them nutritionally closer to soft drinks than health products.

Anyone recovering from illness or sweating through an August shift outdoors has a fair case for supplementing. For everyone else, the best approach to hydration remains an unremarkable one. Electrolytes themselves are nonnegotiable. Electrolyte products are mostly just a lifestyle purchase.

This story originally appeared on WIRED Middle East.

Tag: exercise

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