Vibrating Pill Could Provide Dieters with a Sense of Fullness

MIT researchers have created a vibrating capsule that can send signals to the brain to simulate the sensation of being full. On the 22nd of last month, the international academic journal, _Science Advances_, published that MIT researchers created an ingestible capsule called the ‘smart pill’ that may work to suppress appetite by creating an illusory sense of fullness.

The ‘smart pill’ has not yet been tested on humans, but in experiments on pigs, the results have been very promising.

In pigs who were given this pill 20 minutes before eating, the researchers found that this treatment not only stimulated the release of hormones that signal satiety but also reduced the animals’ food intake by about 40 percent.

The ‘smart pill’ stays and vibrates within the stomach for 20 minutes to suppress appetite. These vibrations activate the same stretch receptors responsible for sensing stomach distension, thereby tricking the brain into feeling full and reducing the amount of food consumed.

Source: Science Advances

The ‘smart pill’ is intended to treat diseases that cause persistent food cravings, such as obesity, polyphagia, and Prader-Willi syndrome, it was reported.

The developer explained the use of the pill, stating, “To induce a feeling of fullness before eating, the pill should be taken on an empty stomach 20 to 30 minutes before the expected meal time.”

After the effect is achieved, the pill is excreted from the body.

It is expected that if the pill becomes commercially available, it will be offered at a low cost of less than $1.

The researchers said, “This device has the potential to revolutionize treatment options for obese patients. However, in future research, the physiological effects of the device must be investigated before patients can use the device.”

By. Ei Jae Cho