Can Chewing Gum Help You Lose Weight?
By Jessica Smith
Nicotine gum can be helpful for smokers trying to quit, so what if there was a way to formulate a gum that could help you quit overeating and lose weight faster? According to recent research reported by Science Daily, the idea of using a weight-loss 'gum' may not be that far-fetched.
Syracuse University scientist Robert Doyle and his research team were able to show that a hormone called 'PPY' (that helps you feel full after you eat) can be successfully released into your bloodstream orally. PPY is a natural appetite-suppressing hormone made by your body that is usually released after you eat or exercise. It appears to have a direct affect on your weight: research has proven that overweight individuals have lower concentrations of PPY in their system (both after fasting and eating). Science has also found that it aids in weight loss: PPY delivered intravenously successfully increased levels of PPY and reduced calorie intake in both obese and non-obese test subjects.
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What makes Doyle's study (originally published online in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Medicinal Chemistry) so notable is that his team found a way to successfully deliver the hormone to the bloodstream orally by using vitamin B-12 (when ingested alone the hormone is destroyed by the stomach or can't be absorbed fully in the intestines) as a method of delivery. Doyle's team hopes to formulate a "PPY-laced" gum or tablet that you would be able to take after a meal to reduce your appetite several hours later (before the next mealtime), helping you eat less overall.
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In the meantime, you can help improve the effectiveness of your body's natural fullness mechanisms by eating a balanced diet full of nutrient-dense, naturally low-calorie, high-fiber foods and exercising regularly. Consuming unprocessed, whole foods can help naturally reduce your appetite. And some research shows that combining a healthy diet and regular exercise-or exercising within an hour after eating-may help your body release more 'hunger hormones' (including PPY) on it's own.
What do you think? Would you buy (and use) a weight loss gum like this if it were available? Leave a comment and tell us your thoughts!
Source: Science Daily
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