Anti-Obesity Vaccine Shows Positive Results

Researchers at the University of Porto in Portugal have developed a vaccine that fights obesity by suppressing the hormone ghrelin, which is an appetite stimulant.

“An anti-ghrelin vaccine may become an alternate treatment for obesity, to be used in combination with diet and exercise,” said lead investigator Dr. Mariana Monteiro. In other words, this vaccine may someday be a viable alternative to weight loss surgery.

The vaccine, which was developed through the observation of its effects on lab rats, showed a decrease in food consumption and an increase in calorie burning in mice that received the treatment. The suppression of ghrelin, a hormone found in the gut, can lessen appetite while boosting metabolism, promoting weight loss. Weight loss surgery, such as gastric bypass surgery, also suppresses ghrelin. This can, in part, explain the successful weight loss that most patients experience after having obesity surgery.

Lab mice that were given the vaccine also showed decreased levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY), which is responsible for increasing the appetite signals in the central nervous system...