Good Vibrations?
The unit shaking things up is a swallowable, vibrating pill.
The MIT researchers tested it out in animalssome lab pigsby monitoring hormone levels while the unit was vibrating.
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The pigs also gained weight more slowly during the times they were being treated with the pill.
But how does it work?
It all has to do with how the stomach and the brain talk.
When the pill vibrates, it stimulates the stretch receptors in the stomach.
It turns on when it makes contact with gastric fluid in the stomach.
If youre wonderingno, the pill doesnt stay put in your gut forever.
It would take about 30 hours for the pill to make its way through the digestive tract.
Is a Vibrating Pill Safe for Humans?
Right now, the vibrating pill has only been tested in pigs.
More research is needed to find out if its safe and would work well in people.
If the gadget is eventually approved for use, manufacturing and scale plans would be the next steps.
We are open to working with industrial partners to take this technology forward, said Srinivasan.
Are There Other Weight Loss Devices?
A capsule-based solution offers scalability and minimization of costs, making this accessible to global populations, said Srinivasan.
Medications are another route for weight loss, but they can also be hard to access.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adult obesity facts.
MIT.Engineers develop a vibrating, ingestible capsule that might help treat obesity.
2023;9(51):eadj3003.
doi:10.1126/sciadv.adj3003
Food & Drug Administration.Weight-loss and weight-management devices.
