WTF: Poop Pills Might Be the Solution to Weight Loss
With health trends, sometimes it seems like the weirder, the better (we’re looking at you, tequila), but the latest one has to take the cake — and whatever else you ate. Starting in March, about 20 willing participants will take “poo pills” for six weeks while researchers monitor their health and weight loss activity.
Although this might seem unbelievable, it’s actually something researchers have been studying for years. Fecal transplanting, where a small amount of waste from a healthy person is introduced into an unhealthy person, has been effectively used against severe infection. This procedure, however, involves two not-so-delicate ways of insertion, so the ease of an oral capsule might make access to the benefits a bit more appealing.
Lead researcher Elaine W. Yu and her team have been studying the effects of supremely healthy gut bacteria in mice, and the results have people showing interest in these surprisingly odorless capsules. This upcoming trial will be to determine if the gut bacteria of a thin person can alter that of an obese person enough to improve their metabolism and overall health. With more than a third of Americans classified as obese, the results of this trial could be a serious game changer. Thankfully, the material is freeze dried and protected by a capsule for that down-the-hatch moment, but it’s still kinda gross. Apparently it’s not just any old poo — who knew you could have top of the line? To ensure the best possible outcome, a rigorous screening process has to be done on all potential… um, “product,” so maybe this is the perfect opportunity to remind the public that everyone poops, and yours could be making you $13,000 a year.
Would you try a poo pill? Let us know @BritandCo.
(Photos via Getty)
