MIT: Vibrocapsules to treat obesity

2023: Product Announcement

On December 22, 2023, American researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) reported the development of special ingested capsules that can help people get rid of excess weight. In addition, the articles can be used in the treatment of obesity.

When the stomach is filled with food, its stretching occurs, as a result of which special cells called mechanoreceptors send signals to the brain through the vagus nerve. This stimulates the production of insulin and various hormones that help digest food. At the same time, the level of ghrelin, a hormone that causes hunger, decreases. All this complex process leads to the fact that a person feels saturation. To artificially suppress hunger, various methods are used, including gastric bypass surgery and special cylinders that stretch the stomach. The new capsule is an alternative to these methods.

Obesity treatment capsule

The product vibrates inside the stomach, due to which the activation of stretching receptors occurs. As a result, an illusory feeling of satiety is created. Experiments have shown that taking such a capsule about 20 minutes before meals reduces the volume of food consumed by about a 40%.

After ingestion by gastric juice containing hydrochloric acid, the gelatin membrane that covers the capsule is destroyed. This closes the electrical circuit, which activates a tiny vibration motor acting on the mechanoreceptors. The tablet receives power from a small battery, the charge of which is enough for 30 minutes of work. The project participants are developing a version of the capsule that can remain in the stomach for a long time: in this case, it will be turned on and off via wireless communication.^[1]

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