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Fat-blocking microbeads made with green tea, vitamin E and seaweed could offer a new way to lose weight and a potential alternative to popular GLP-1 drugs and bariatric surgery, according to exploratory new research.
While human trials are still needed, scientists in China found that rats fed a high-fat diet lost about 17% of their body weight when given the edible microbeads. The rats also saw reduced fat tissue, alleviated liver damage and lower blood fat levels compared to animals that did not receive the beads.
“Our work provides a basis for novel dietary strategies to combat obesity,” the Sichuan University researchers wrote in the study, published in the journal Cell Biomaterials.
Wu presented the team’s results at the ACS fall digital meeting in August.
“A seaweed-derived coating protects the beads from stomach acid.”
The beads are made from green tea polyphenols – antioxidants in tea leaves – combined with vitamin E to bind to fat droplets in the gut and block their absorption. A seaweed-derived coating protects the beads from stomach acid.
The nearly flavorless beads could be integrated into everyday foods, according to the ACS, and even formed into tapioca-like balls for desserts or bubble teas.
During the 30-day experiment, rats on a diet comprised of 60% fat – far higher than the 35% to 40% typically seen in human diets – excreted more fat after eating the microbeads, but without side effects or blood sugar fluctuations.
Compared to orlistat, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved fat-blocking drug, the beads produced similar levels of fat excretion but avoided the gastrointestinal issues observed in the study.
Orlistat can cause digestive problems because unabsorbed fat passes into and lingers in the colon. The experimental microbeads, meanwhile, appeared to curb fat and weight gain without disrupting blood sugar, digestion or energy levels.
The scientists also noted that semaglutide – the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, which are FDA-approved – lowered blood sugar in rats but caused fluctuations that could trigger hunger and lethargy, raising concerns about side effects in the animal study.
“Further research is necessary to evaluate their long-term safety, efficacy and potential for clinical translation.”
“While our study presents a proof of concept for obesity treatment using PmFL microbeads, it is exploratory and does not reach the preclinical stage,” the scientists wrote in the paper.
Fox News Digital reached out to the study’s authors for more information.
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