Gastric bypass surgery is intended to help overweight patients lose weight, but what if you could gain the same effects in the form of a pill? Researchers have discovered that probiotic pills filled with friendly bacteria may have the same results as getting gastric bypass. The idea came after researchers analyzed that after gastric bypass surgery, bacteria found in the gut also changed and helped people stop craving unhealthy food.
Rats were also tested before and after the surgery and scientists learned that the bugs commonly found in fatter individuals' digestive tracts were no longer there, but discovered more of the bugs associated with leanness. This means that scientists may have found a solution that could potentially help those who are overweight as they combat weight loss.
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The study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, fascinated doctors who think they may have found a way to help overweight people lose weight that doesn't involve getting the surgery.
What scientists found was that the weight loss after gastric bypass wasn't simply from the surgery but because the bacteria found in the digestive tract start changing as well. The good bacteria appeared to build up in the system which helps speed up metabolism and in part aids weight loss.
This is where the idea of creating a pill packed with friendly bacteria to help overweight people lose weight came to be. However doctors remain hesitant about it as they continue to conduct more tests on their theory. The study's co-author, Dr. Peter Turnbaugh, explains although nothing is confirmed right now, it would help those who are overweight. He says:
"If we can, at a minimum, provide some alternative to gastric bypass surgery that produces similar effects, it would be a major advance."
While I think it's a great idea that doctors are trying to find ways to help overweight people lose weight, maybe encouraging them to focus on eating better is a smarter idea. Allowing people to be dependent on drugs certainly won't improve their eating habits if they are given such a solution. Adding probiotics into your diet has also been something encouraged for years through the consumption of yogurt, soft cheeses, or kefir milk, to name a few. So, it's probably healthier to start adding these foods into your diet as opposed to relying on a pill that might be out on the market.
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