A Potential Cure for Obesity – New Particles Stop the Absorption of Fat and Carbs
The new therapy will likely be gentler and have fewer unintended effects than the current anti-obesity drug Orlistat.
Sand presents a doable treatment for weight problems.
Engineered sand particles could be the subsequent anti-obesity therapy, in response to a new examine from the University of South Australia, which reveals that porous silica can forestall fat and carbohydrates from being absorbed in the body.
The engineered silica particles are created from purified sand and have a high floor space, permitting them to soak up monumental portions of digestive enzymes, fat, and sugars in the gastrointestinal tract.
The analysis, which was supported by the Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation, is the first to verify how porous silica particles would possibly hinder digestive processes and cease fats and sugar absorption.
The novel silica-based therapy, which was created in collaboration with Glantreo Limited, will likely be gentler on the abdomen and have fewer adverse unintended effects than Orlistat, the mainstream anti-obesity drug.
Engineered particles of purified sand could possibly be the subsequent anti-obesity remedy. Credit: David Stanley
Dr. Paul Joyce of the University of South Australia, who led the examine, believes the discovery would possibly enhance the health of billions of folks affected by weight problems.
“Obesity is a global issue that affects more than 1.9 billion people worldwide,” Dr. Joyce says.
“Despite this, there is a current lack of effective therapies that are free from adverse effects – such as diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain – which often deters people from starting treatment. Porous silica has received increasing attention for its anti-obesity potential, with human trials showing it is a safe therapy. However, exactly how it works has eluded researchers – until now. Our research shows how porous silica promotes an anti-obesity effect by functioning locally in the gut to restrict fat and carbohydrate digestion and absorption. Importantly, the gentle mechanism is expected to deliver clinically effective outcomes for weight loss, without adverse effects.”
Obesity is a danger issue for a range of ailments and continual circumstances, together with heart problems, kind 2 diabetes, and most cancers, and it’s linked with a larger likelihood of dying. In Australia, two-thirds of adults and one out of each 4 youngsters are obese or overweight.
The in-vitro examine examined a number of silica samples underneath simulated circumstances that mimicked the gastrointestinal surroundings throughout the digestion of a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal. It discovered that porous silica particles with pore widths between 6–10 nm are superb for triggering an inhibitory response to each fat and sugars.
“This research has identified defined parameters for porous silica to enact anti-obesity effects,” Dr. Joyce says. “The next steps are to validate these findings with animal models of obesity so that we can determine any variations for optimal anti-obesity conditions. Obesity is a completely preventable disease. This is a massive step to tackle one of the world’s most preventable health conditions.”
Reference: “The Anti-Obesity Effect of Porous Silica Is Dependent on Pore Nanostructure, Particle Size, and Surface Chemistry in an In Vitro Digestion Model” by JingYi Chen, John P. Hanrahan, Joe McGrath, Melissa A. Courtney, Clive A. Prestidge and Paul Joyce, 29 August 2022, Pharmaceutics.
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14091813
The examine was funded by The Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation.
