SLU-PP-332 is a lab-made drug that switches on the whole family of estrogen-related receptors (ERRs; a pan-agonist (a compound that switches a receptor on)). Its strongest effect is at ERRα (EC50 = 98 nM), with activity at ERRβ and ERRγ (EC50s = 230 and 430 nM respectively). EC50 is the amount needed for half of the maximum effect, so a lower number means stronger. ERRs are orphan nuclear receptors (receptors inside the cell nucleus whose natural trigger is not known). They control the genes for mitochondrial (the power plants inside your cells) biogenesis (building new mitochondria, the cell's energy makers; the PGC-1α pathway), oxidative phosphorylation (how cells make energy using oxygen), fatty acid β-oxidation (burning fat for fuel), and the tricarboxylic acid (Krebs) cycle (a series of steps cells use to extract energy from food). Once ERRs are switched on, SLU-PP-332 makes cells produce more of DNA damage-inducible transcript 4 (Ddit4) and increases type IIa oxidative skeletal muscle fiber content (muscle fibers that use oxygen to make steady energy). The compound enhances mitochondrial respiration (energy production) in skeletal myoblasts (young muscle cells) and increases whole-body energy use without affecting appetite or food intake. ERRα activation specifically drives the genetic program that switches on during an aerobic exercise session, and studies confirm that ERRα is critical for the exercise-enhancing effects. The compound shows metabolic benefits including better glucose homeostasis (steady blood sugar), higher insulin sensitivity (how well your body responds to insulin), and less body fat (adiposity) in models of diet-induced and genetic obesity.