# The Future of Weight Loss? New Vibrating Pill Developed by MIT Reduces Food Intake by 40%
MIT engineers have created a pill that vibrates in the stomach, mimicking a feeling of fullness by activating stretch receptors, ultimately reducing food intake by about 40%. This non-invasive method, potentially beneficial for weight management, is being seen as an affordable alternative to current obesity treatments. When consumed before a meal, this device could create a sense of satiety, tricking the brain into thinking that it’s time to stop eating.
This innovation takes advantage of the body’s natural process of signaling fullness, using vibrations to stimulate stretch receptors in the stomach. In animal studies, this approach not only prompted the release of satiety-signaling hormones but also led to a 40% decrease in food intake. If deemed safe for human use through further research, this technology could offer a minimally invasive solution for obesity treatment, according to the researchers.
The current prototype of the capsule is designed to vibrate in the stomach for about 30 minutes, after which it passes through the digestive tract within four or five days. The team is exploring the potential for future versions to remain in the stomach for longer periods and be activated wirelessly. So far, in animal studies, the pill has not led to any negative impacts.
This vibrating pill offers a promising alternative to existing obesity treatments, which can be invasive or costly. Furthermore, it could be particularly beneficial for populations with limited access to expensive medical interventions. The researchers now plan to focus on scaling up the manufacturing of these capsules to enable human clinical trials and to investigate the device’s safety, ideal timing for consumption, and frequency of administration.
