Purified sand might contain porous particles of silica that could play a role in weight loss.
Past Clinical trialsAlthough promising results have been achieved, the mechanism of weight loss behind this treatment is still poorly understood.
Researchers have tested various sizes and shapes of silica in a simulation of the human stomach after a heavy meal to determine the key variables.
The results back up the idea that porous silicona can be “They can hinder the digestion process“These symptoms usually occur when enzymes break down fats, cholesterol, starches, or sugars in the stomach or intestines.
It is believed that the nanoparticle size may determine the degree of digestion inhibition.
Although the authors admit that their model is too simplistic to accurately mimic the complexity of human digestion, the ethics surrounding human clinical trials means that gut simulations and animal models can be closer than researchers might think.
This new model accounts for both carbohydrate and fat digestion, which is not possible with other human gut models. The authors also examined the extent to which organic matter could be absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract.
Porous silica could also trigger weight loss. However, these new findings give more information and a better place to begin.
Researchers are expected to increase their productivity in 2014 Find itWhen mice were fed nanoparticles (MSPs), they gained significantly less weight than those on high-fat diets. The percentage of total body fat was also decreased. However, this effect was largely due to the size of the silica particles. In the end, larger particles proved to be more effective.
Follow-up studiesThese results were confirmed by experiments on mice. The size and shape of the porous silica particles in small intestines of mice seemed to be determinants of their ability to digest it.
2020 is the year that the first Clinical dataMSPs were shown to be effective in reducing blood glucose and blood cholesterol in obese individuals.
The treatment was also painless and didn’t cause any bowel changes or discomfort. This is a rare benefit compared to current weight loss medications. Orlistat.
This research expands upon these promising results by comparing a variety of porous silica samples with different widths, absorption pots, shapes, sizes and surface chemistries.
These samples were then each given to a human gastrointestinal simulation that showed a fed state following high-carbohydrate, low-fat meals. The model allowed for half an hr of gastric digest and an hour for intestinal digestion and absorption.
Fat digestion was monitored using titrating the fatty acids from what was absorbed. Starch digestion was monitored through measuring the amount of sugars absorbed.
The ideal silica samples, according to the authors were silica microparticles having pore widths between 6-10 nanometers. These sizes appeared to best inhibit the enzymes tested.
The pores do not just trap enzymes. Researchers believe it’s much more complex than that.
For example, pores that were large enough to inhibit starch digestion were too big to trap fat-digesting enzymes.
The porous sand particles seemed to absorb nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract, before they could be absorbed into the bloodstream.
This could be another way that the particles can counter the intake of calories.
The particles that have larger surface areas and smaller pores are unable to affect digestive enzymes were able to absorb the most organic matter in models.
These results will need to be replicated using animal models. The proposed mechanism may then be validated in human clinical trials.
The study was published in Pharmaceutics.
