GLP-1 weight loss drug use among kids surges
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Scientists discover how you can turn on your body's natural Ozempic to lose weight without the nasty side effects
Your body's gut bacteria has its very own Ozempic-like system, a study suggests, and scientists believe manipulating it could ramp up weight loss without the drug's nasty side effects. Researchers from Duke University in North Carolina have discovered specialized bacteria and cells in the colon that can send signals to the brain to control how much you eat and curb appetite, similarly to how weight-loss drugs work. In the animal study, the scientists found that while eating, a gut bacteria known as flagella releases flagellin protein that then produces a hormone called PYY. When the body feels full or has reached food satisfaction, the PYY hormone alerts the colon's neurobiotic sense, a direct communication channel between the gut and nervous system, to let the brain know to stop eating in real time and prevent a person from consuming excessive calories. The scientists found that when this bacterial sensing system breaks down, people tend to eat more food and gain significantly more weight than people with a fully functioning system, which can lead to obesity. As a result, they concluded that this unique system naturally mimics the appetite-suppressing effects of GLP-1 drugs in the body and can help control weight gain. They also believe that manipulating the bacterial system and enhancing the natural communication, through certain diets or by taking prebiotics and probiotics, could help with weight loss. Senior author Diego Bohórquez, an associate professor of medicine and neurobiology at the university, said: 'Looking ahead, I think this work will be especially helpful for the broader scientific community to explain how our behavior is influenced by microbes.' He continued: 'We were curious whether the body could sense microbial patterns in real time and not just as an immune or inflammatory response, but as a neural response that guides behavior in real time.' The study, which was published in Nature, tested the gut mechanism on two groups of mice: one which had the receptors for the PYY hormone in their gut, known as TLR5, and another that did not. Both groups of mice fasted overnight and were given a small dose of flagellin directly into the colon the next day. The mice with TLR5 receptors in their gut ate less the next day, while those without consumed larger meals and gained more weight. The increased food consumption was seen in both male and female mice. While the results are yet to be replicated in humans, the scientists concluded that the flagellin could trigger cells in the gut to send an appetite-suppressing signal to the brain. According to the researchers, the key player in the system is flagellin. When excessive amounts of food are consumed, the gut bacteria releases high amounts of flagellin in the colon, which in turn sends more urgent signals to the brain to stop eating. The scientists noted that without the TLR5 receptors and the gut's 'We've had enough' signal, the person continues to eat without realizing they are full. The results indicated that the presence of TLR5 receptors in the gut's cells and the production of the PYY hormone act as the body's natural 'stop eating' signal. The study authors wrote: 'It's similar to how we use our other senses – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch – to interpret our world. But this one operates from an unexpected place: The gut.' Based on these results, the scientists hope to further understand how the gut detects microbes and can influence everything from eating habits to mood. Popular weight-loss drugs such as semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) target brain chemistry and suppressing appetite, but they can also lead to long-term side effects and damage to vital organs such as the liver, kidneys and thyroid. However, the discovery of the gut's 'sixth sense' of food consumption, as well as the possibility to increase the presence of flagella through diet changes or supplements, can help people naturally lose weight without suffering the extreme side effects of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.
Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Daily Record
The £1-a-day appetite-suppressing supplement that's seen shoppers 'lost a stone' and 'stay healthy'
The powder is said to be natural and sustainable. When it comes to weight loss, there's a lot of noise out there about fast ways to shed extra pounds and go on fitness journeys. From weight loss injections to fad diets, it can be overwhelming to find a long-term, sustainable option that actually works. Wellness brand Feel may have a solution for people. It's said to believe in the power of simplicity when it comes to health, and the products are backed by scientific research and free from nasty additives. Now, shoppers can grab 30 sachets of the brand's Pro Metabolic powder for £49.95 - when subscribed - down from its one-time price of £64.94 on its website. This powder is said to be a natural alternative to appetite-suppressing injections that avoids the growing concerns around synthetic treatments. It also has a science-backed formula and a blend designed to curb cravings and support weight management without disrupting the body's balance. To understand how it works, the brand explains that it is designed to stimulate the body's GLP-1 secretion which is a powerful hormone released by L-cells in the gut when you eat - helping people to manage appetite, curb cravings and also support metabolic health. By stimulating GLP-1 production, Feel Pro Metabolic helps users feel satisfied with smaller portions and stay full for longer. The powder is available from Feel £49.95 Feel Buy here Product Description The ingredients - which include Kombucha Black Tea, which enhances gut microbiota and GLP-1 secretion, Leaf Powder, Soy Peptide, Bifidobacterium breve, which was found to improve fat metabolism and insulin sensitivity (12-week RCT), and Rockit Apple - are designed to adjust the body's hunger mechanisms, and each one has been validated via in vitro and in vivo studies to ensure efficacy in re-calibrating the body gradually to a less hungry and less snacking version in 90 days. The product is also vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free and non-GMO. It contains no artificial sweeteners, colours or flavourings. To use it, shoppers simply need to take one sachet per day, blended into 300-400ml of water and stirred. Elsewhere on the market, shoppers could try the Artah Metabolic Fix, Food Supplement, 60 Capsules for £32 from Boots, which includes Berberine, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Inositol and Chromium, and two capsules should be taken in the morning with food. Another option is the Metabolic Xtra with Svetol Green Coffee Extract for £40.94 when subscribed, and is said to be a nutrient support for everyday balance. Customers have shared their positive reviews on the Pro Metabolic from Feel. One shopoer said: "Lost over a stone, helped with appetite control, very happy! Will reorder again on my third box." Another wrote: "Fills me up, I'm snacking less and lost 3lbs already. Blends well, tastes great too!" "Definitely noticed less bloating and I've lost almost a stone!" said another shopper. Some others did share opposing reviews, however, as one buyer wrote: "I can feel the effects however I often get headaches when I have it. So this time I won't be carrying on the subscription." Another said: "Been on pro metabolic for two months and no change yet. Been told I have to wait for three months. Worried I'm wasting my money."
NBC News
9 hours ago
- NBC News
After Cleveland Clinic expanded to Florida, patients say surprise fees followed
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — When the Cleveland Clinic started acquiring hospitals and medical offices in this palm tree-lined region six years ago, many Floridians were excited. The Ohio nonprofit, ranked among the top hospitals in the world, pledged to bring expert care and an infusion of cash to the state's Treasure Coast, an area north of Boca Raton brimming with 55-and-up gated communities. But in the years after the Cleveland Clinic's blue and green signs popped up outside dozens of medical offices, patients began receiving unexpected bills: an additional $95 for a consultation with a neurosurgeon. An extra $112 to see a family medicine physician. And $174 more for a neurologist appointment that previously cost only a $50 co-pay. Baffled, the patients contacted their doctors' offices and insurers and learned that the new costs were 'facility fees' — charges that hospitals have traditionally billed for inpatient stays and emergency room visits but are now increasingly charging for routine appointments in their outpatient clinics. The fees, which are often not fully covered by insurance, are meant to support the higher level of care that these doctors' offices provide, according to hospitals. For blindsided patients, that can mean paying a hospital fee — even if they never set foot in a hospital. 'My heart dropped,' said Brandy Macaluso-Owens, 43, a social worker who lives in Port St. Lucie. She received a $174 facility fee after a visit in March with a Cleveland Clinic gastroenterologist. 'I probably met with the doctor maybe as little as 15 minutes.' The Cleveland Clinic defended facility fees in an email, saying they are an 'appropriate practice' that align 'with government regulations and industry guidelines.' 'These fees help support just some of the costs of maintaining outpatient facilities so that we can continue providing high-quality, compassionate care to all patients,' the Cleveland Clinic said. The Cleveland Clinic is far from the only hospital charging facility fees, which amount to billions of dollars annually for patients across the country. The fees have become pervasive in recent years as major health systems have snapped up doctors' offices, making it harder for patients to find independent practices: More than half of all physicians nationally are now employed by hospitals or health systems, up from just a quarter in 2012. For more on facility fees, watch NBC's 'Nightly News with Tom Llamas' at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT and 'Top Story' on NBC News NOW at 7 p.m. ET. At the same time, facility fees have become more noticeable because of a rise in high-deductible health insurance plans, which leave patients paying a larger share of their medical bills before their insurance kicks in. A study last year found that the average deductible for employer-sponsored coverage had risen about 47% in a decade. These factors are affecting many patients who are already teetering financially. About half of adults in the U.S. say they would be unable to pay an unexpected $500 medical bill or would have to go into debt to pay it, according to the health policy group KFF. Facility fees can run into the hundreds of dollars, and even small amounts can quickly add up. 'People are getting really high bills for simple, routine care,' said Christine Monahan, an assistant research professor at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University who has studied the issue. 'They don't expect to be paying high bills for this. And it's not realistic to expect people to be able to afford this.' Opposition to outpatient facility fees is a rare area of agreement between patient advocates and insurance companies, which argue that hospitals are unnecessarily inflating the cost of care. While efforts to restrict facility fees have drawn bipartisan support at the state and federal levels, the hospital industry has pushed back, arguing that the fees are necessary to help fund core services like 24/7 emergency departments, and that insurers should cover them. These national forces are all colliding in southeast Florida, where 11 patients told NBC News that the Cleveland Clinic had charged them unexpected facility fees in the past several years. For some, the fees were a mere annoyance, a sign of the escalating cost of health care. For others, the bills were a financial burden too big to shoulder. And some are refusing to pay them. Billie Paukune Boorman, a waitress, was recently charged a $174 facility fee for her 13-year-old daughter's ear, nose and throat appointment, along with over $200 in other unanticipated charges. 'I don't have that kind of money laying around,' she said. The Cleveland Clinic declined an interview request from NBC News and declined to comment on individual cases but said in its email that patients are charged facility fees in doctors' offices that are classified as hospital outpatient departments, which must meet stricter quality and safety standards than nonaccredited physician practices. The facility fees reflect 'the significant added costs to hospitals of complying with these standards,' the Cleveland Clinic added. The Cleveland Clinic told NBC News that it has sent more than 250,000 letters to its Florida patients informing them of the fees ahead of their appointments, and said it posts signs at its offices saying that they are hospital outpatient departments. Medicare patients receive an additional notice at check-in. The letters that the Cleveland Clinic sent say patients may see 'a change from how you were billed in the past' but do not explicitly note that patients may be charged more out of pocket. Many of the patients who spoke to NBC News did not recall receiving the letters. The health system did not answer questions about how it determines the price of a facility fee but said the costs 'vary depending on the facility and the type of medical services provided.' Several patients said they did not notice any differences in their care after the fees were implemented. Last year, Irene Rauch, 66, a semiretired human resources executive, was charged a $95 facility fee for an appointment with a neurosurgeon she said she had seen for the same type of appointment three months earlier for just a $15 co-pay. The added charge was not something she had budgeted for.
