“‘The freeze-dried poop method’ might not sound like a weight-loss strategy that would catch on, but–as some researchers are now testing–it may be an effective way to slim down.
In a randomized, controlled clinical trial starting this year, researchers will test out such a fecal formula for the treatment of obesity. They’ll also try to glean critical details about the human microbiome and its role in our health and metabolism.”
I find this whole microbiome thing incredibly interesting. I first heard about fecal transplants just over a year ago in a New Yorker article, and this study is going to see if feces with a richer microbiome can make a difference in weight.
I’ve long wondered about the obesity epidemic. It’s not just about people eating more or exercising less. When I was a teenager in the 1970s, we consumed massive amounts of pizza and Coke, and obesity was a rarity. In my high school, among about 4,000 students, there were only a handful of obese kids.
I think something external has changed us. Maybe it’s plastics, maybe it’s chemicals, maybe it’s high-fructose corn syrup, but there’s a lot of evidence that our gut bacteria may have changed, and that this bacteria may be one of the main regulators of weight.
Source: Freeze-dried poop pills being tested for obesity treatment | Ars Technica