MIT engineers designed an ingestible capsule that vibrates within the stomach
Do you want to control your appetite and lose weight without invasive procedures? MIT engineers might have the solution for you. They have designed an ingestible capsule that vibrates within the stomach, activating the same stretch receptors that create a sense of fullness. This innovative pill could greatly reduce appetite and provide a minimally invasive way to treat obesity. Read more
A Promising Solution
When taken 20 minutes before eating, this vibrating capsule has proven to stimulate the release of hormones that signal satiety and reduce food intake by about 40%. The researchers believe that if further research confirms its safety, it could be taken before each meal to control appetite. Dr. Shriya Srinivasan, the lead author of the study, commented on the potential impact of this innovative technique: “This could be really interesting in that it would provide an option that could minimize the side effects that we see with the other pharmacological treatments out there.” Read more
Controlling Appetite
By artificially stretching the stomach’s mechanoreceptors through vibration, this treatment emulates the sensation of feeling full. This controls hunger by reducing the levels of ghrelin, a hunger-promoting hormone, and stimulating the production of satiety hormones like insulin, C-peptide, Pyy, and GLP-1. Shriya Srinivasan, the lead author of the study, was fascinated by the idea of influencing these mechanisms: “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.” Read More
