Could Viagra be the New Diet Pill?

Viagra, the magic pill known for bedroom assistance, could potentially be a way to burn excess fat, according to a recent article in the New York Times.

Researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany report that the drug known as sildenafil was given to laboratory mice and helped convert their unwanted white fat cells to energy-burning beige fat cells. Dr. Alexander Pfeifer, director of the university’s Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, fed sildenafil to the mice for seven days and found that the notorious fat cells associated with human woes such as the spare tire were converted to the “beneficial type of fat cells at a higher rate than usual.”

Although, while he states the results are “very promising,” don’t go mixing Viagra with your breakfast smoothie just yet. While some have claimed that the drug can prevent obesity-related complications, the reason is still unknown. ‘Til then, the realistic, old fashioned way of dieting will have to do.

H/T + PicThx NYT