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No nausea or surgeries: A new study on effective obesity treatment
29.09.2023 10:10
Updated: 13.05.2024 21:23
In some cases, only gastric bypass surgery can help a person to lose a significant amount of weight, but it's not easy for most people.
Meanwhile, scientists seem to find an effective solution that mimics the effects of the surgery without the negative aspects.
Let's find out more about it!
A promising discovery
Researchers have developed compounds that mimic the benefits of gastric bypass surgery without the need for an operation.
These compounds, tested on lab animals, led to significant weight loss and improved blood glucose levels, and they didn't cause the nausea and vomiting associated with current weight-loss and diabetes drugs.
Current drugs for weight loss and diabetes primarily target one type of gut hormone receptor, often leading to side effects that many people can't tolerate.
To address this, scientists developed a compound called GEP44 that activates multiple receptors for different gut hormones.
How the tests were conducted
In tests on obese rats, GEP44 reduced food intake by up to 80%, resulting in a 12% weight loss in a 16-day study, surpassing an FDA-approved obesity drug.
Remarkably, GEP44 didn't induce nausea or vomiting in animals.
Moreover, the compound not only reduced food consumption but also increased energy expenditure, potentially by enhancing movement, heart rate, or body temperature.
Apart from weight loss, these compounds improved blood sugar levels by directing glucose to muscle tissue for energy and converting damaged pancreatic cells into insulin-producing cells.
Why it's important
The researchers plan to test these compounds in primates and study their effects on gene expression and brain rewiring.
The ability to separate weight reduction from nausea and vomiting could have broader implications, including improving the side effects of chemotherapy.
