Research

Energy balance

SANA (a nitroalkene derivative of salicylate) promotes weight loss and improves glucose management in humans through creatine-dependent thermogenesis, independent of UCP1 and AMPK.

SANA is an experimental drug that appears to trigger weight loss by increasing energy expenditure through creatine-dependent thermogenesis, rather than by suppressing appetite or increasing physical activity. In early human trials, doses of 200-400mg daily led to weight loss and improved glucose control within two weeks with a good safety profile. It works independently of the traditional UCP1 pathway, offering a potential alternative for those who do not respond to other mechanisms. Consult a physician for clinical trials or future availability.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
SANA shows good safety and tolerability, and demonstrates beneficial effects on body weight and glucose management within 2 weeks of treatment. Overall, SANA appears to be a first-in-class activator of creatine-dependent energy expenditure and thermogenesis...
Karina Cal et al. · Nature Metabolism · 2025

Why this rating

Evidence includes robust preclinical data (mice) and early-phase human trials (Phase 1A/B), but lacks large-scale long-term efficacy data.

Source

A nitroalkene derivative of salicylate, SANA, induces creatine-dependent thermogenesis and promotes weight loss

Karina Cal et al. · Nature Metabolism · 2025

DOI 10.1038/s42255-025-01311-z

clinical_trialCited 9×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →