Stimulation of Thermogenesis via Beta-Adrenergic and Thyroid Hormone Receptors Agonists in Obesity Treatment – Possible Reasons for Therapy Resistance

The imbalance between energy intake and expenditure accompanied by the collapse of mechanisms protecting against the excessive accumulation of energy reserves are considered to be the main causes of obesity [1]. Accordingly, available treatments of obesity are aimed at decreasing calorie intake and/or increasing energy expenditure. However, long-term effects of various non-invasive methods including diets and pharmacotherapy with drugs reducing intestinal ingestion are unsatisfactory. Therefore, bariatric surgery, albeit expensive and potentially harmful, seems to be most effective [2]. Such situation has led to a renewed interest in developing therapeutic approaches which would reduce obesity by increasing energy expenditure. In this minireview the potential role of thermogenesis impairment in development of human obesity as well as possible limitations in the application of thermogenic compounds, namely agonists of the adrenergic receptors beta and thyroid hormone receptors, in obesity treatment are discussed.