Yes, it’s a pretty silly question when you first ask it, but researchers are thinking that marmots may hold a key to reversing the obesity epidemic. In fact, they believe that these cute furry creatures may be able to teach us a lot about appetite, metabolism and fat storage.
Yellow-bellied marmots slowly release a molecule called AICAR that tells the brain to increase appetite and food intake. During hibernation, the molecule is not released so that marmots don’t ever feel hungry, even if food is in front of them.
Obviously, humans don’t need to hibernate, but for people who seem to always be hungry, this could be the key to losing weight through smaller portion. Read more of the fascinating marmot weight-loss research!