Implants for treating obesity

Scientists have toiled for years with various pills and chemical formulations, striving to unlock the secret to managing the body’s appetite regulation system and fat-burning abilities. To date, that “magic pill” does not exist. In Switzerland, however, researchers have taken a new approach, attempting to devise an implant – not a pill – that will make controlling hunger and cravings as easy as flipping a switch, reports Fox News.

The World Health Organization reports that obesity rates have soared across the globe, and more than half the total population is overweight. Statistics like these make discovering a cure for obesity a top priority for global leaders.

Professor Martin Fussenegger and his team in the department of biosystems science and engineering in Basel, Switzerland have designed a weight loss implant made from human gene components that monitors the level of circulating fats in the blood and sends a “messenger substance” that alerts your brain when you are full and satisfied. 

The researchers implanted the device into human cells and placed it into tiny capsules which were implanted into obese mice. The mice were fed a high fat diet and observed. The researchers discovered that the implants effectively registered the excess levels of fat in the bloodstream, the mice stopped eating and weight loss ensued. When fat levels reached normal, healthy levels, the device ceased production of the satiety signal, and the mice resumed normal eating habits.

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