Scientists from the Nuova Villa Claudia Clinic have found that the combination of an ingestible gastric balloon and a weight loss medication can cause an average of 19% of body weight to be lost in about eight months. The study will be presented at the annual meeting of the European Obesity Congress in Dublin.
The study included 181 people, the average weight of the patients was 94.8 kg before the intervention. They were all given a balloon and also liraglutide, which controls insulin release in the pancreas. The introduction of the drug was started 1-4 months after the balloon was inserted. After 16 weeks, the participants lost an average of 14% of their original body weight. They also lost an average of 74% of their extra weight. After the balloon left the body, the patients switched to the Mediterranean diet, which they followed for at least six months.
Gastric balloons for weight loss are not new, but they are not popular because they require endoscopy, according to the study’s authors. The new swallowable balloon is simply swallowed, eliminating the need for a medical procedure. It fills with liquid within 20 minutes, which causes a decrease in stomach volume. After about 16 weeks, the balloon is expelled naturally.
The balloon causes weight loss by reducing the amount of food a person can eat. The researchers noted that taking the diabetes drug liraglutide (Saxenda) further increased satiety in study participants.
None of the treatments were associated with serious adverse events. The balloon was removed due to intolerance in four patients.
“I do not recommend balloons to my patients unless they have a short-term need, for example, if it is unsafe for them to have an organ transplant or have a knee or hip replacement. . The best options for long-term weight loss include bariatric surgery, new medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, and of course lifestyle changes including healthy eating, portion control and exercise,” said Dr.Jamie Kane of New York.