Published:
26 Oct 2022 06:20 GMT
“Human trials have shown that it is a safe therapy,” said the study’s principal investigator, Paul Joyce.
New research from the University of South Australia shows that engineered particles of purified sand could be the next obesity therapy, as they are capable of prevent the absorption of fats and carbohydrates in the gastrointestinal tract, Explain a statement from the institution.
According to a study published in late August, synthetic sand-derived silica has received increasing attention for its anti-obesity potential, with oral administration leading to reductions in metabolic risk factors in both animal and human clinical studies.
Developed in collaboration with the Irish research center Glantreo Limited, the new treatment based on synthetic silica promises to be gentler on the stomach and have fewer side effects unpleasantness associated with the leading anti-obesity drug, Orlistat, Australian scientists stress.
The study’s principal investigator, Paul Joyce, says this finding could change the lives and health of at least 1.9 billion people struggling with obesity today, a number that has almost tripled since 1975, according to data of the World Health Organization.
Obesity is a global problem […] Despite this, there is currently a lack of effective therapies free of adverse effects such as diarrhoea, bloating and abdominal pain, which often deter people from starting treatment,” explained the scientist. “Human trials have been shown to be a safe therapy“, he added.
Furthermore, Joyce pointed out that to date researchers did not know exactly how this substance worked. Now, the team found that porous silica particles, with a pore width of between 6 and 10 nanometers, work locally in the intestine, triggering an inhibitory response to both fats and sugars.
“This research has identified the defined parameters for porous silica to have anti-obesity effects,” Joyce said, adding that obesity is “completely” preventable. “This is a big step in tackling one of the world’s most preventable diseases,” she said.
