Anti-obesity vaccine shot offers false promise of staying slim even on a junk food diet

New vaccinations against obesity that could allow obese patients to eat as much junk food as they like and still lose weight are in development. As reported in the Journal Of Animal Science and Biotechnology, a research team led by Dr. Keith Haffer, of US firm Braasch Biotech, and Mariana Monteiro from the University of Porto in Portugal have both developed new shots which could revolutionize the treatment of obese people

One shot works by tricking the immune system into creating antibodies against the hormone, ghrelin, which is produced in the gut and increases appetite. The other works in a similar way, creating antibodies against a hormone called somatostatin. This hormone is created by the brain and digestive system and causes the metabolism to slow by interacting with other hormones. By creating antibodies against this hormone the metabolism speeds up, allowing the patient to eat more calories and still lose weight. It was reported that levels of other hormones remain unchanged for both treatments.
The somatostatin treatment is only in the early stages of development, but tests on mice showed a 10 percent reduction in weight after just one shot. A further “booster” shot after three weeks helped to keep their weight in check. Dr. Haffer said “this study demonstrates the possibility of treating obesity with vaccination. Although further studies are necessary to discover the long-term implications of these vaccines, treatment of human obesity with vaccination could provide physicians with a drug and a surgery-free option against the weight epidemic.”