A “TRANSFORMATIVE and cheap” new vibrating pill could help you lose weight without quitting junk food, scientists say.
The new stomach tablet, developed by American engineers, is thought to be the easiest way to treat obesity.
SWNSThe new pill is said to help with obesity[/caption]
Sending signals to the brain, it supposedly tells you that you’re full and therefore stops you wanting to eat more.
The pill uses the body’s own system and could replace invasive surgery, exercise or dieting to combat obesity.
Researchers found in animals that were given the pill, 20 minutes before eating, that it reduced their food intake by 40 per cent.
Assistant Professor Shriya Srinivasan, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said: “For somebody who wants to lose weight or control their appetite, it could be taken before each meal.
“This could be really interesting in that it would provide an option that could minimise the side effects that we see with the other pharmacological treatments out there.
“I wondered if we could activate stretch receptors in the stomach by vibrating them and having them perceive that the entire stomach has been expanded, to create an illusory sense of distension that could modulate hormones and eating patterns.”
The capsule, around the size of a multivitamin, also helps hunger-promoting hormones in your body decrease.
When the pill, which is powered by a small silver oxide battery, reaches the stomach, the gelatinous outer coating is dissolved.
This completes the electronic circuit that activates the vibrating motor.
Associate professor Giovanni Traverso said: “The behavioural change is profound, and that’s using the endogenous system rather than any exogenous therapeutic.
“We have the potential to overcome some of the challenges and costs associated with delivery of biologic drugs by modulating the enteric nervous system.”
The current version of the pill is designed to vibrate for about 30 minutes.
In the animal studies, the pills passed through the digestive tract within four or five days.
It is also said to be cost-effective compared to other treatments for obesity.
Professor Srinivasan added: “For a lot of populations, some of the more effective therapies for obesity are very costly.
“At scale, our device could be manufactured at a pretty cost-effective price point.
“I’d love to see how this would transform care and therapy for people in global health settings who may not have access to some of the more sophisticated or expensive options that are available today.”