Washington: A hormone injection can help obese patients lose weight, suggests a study.
The study was published in the journal 'Diabetes Care'. Researchers wanted to see if infusing patients with the GOP hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), oxyntomodulin and peptide, to mimic the high levels seen after bariatric surgery, could aid weight loss and reduce high glucose levels.
Fifteen patients were given the GOP treatment for four weeks using a pump that slowly injects the GOP mixture under the skin for 12 hours a day, beginning one hour before breakfast and disconnecting after their last meal of the day. Patients also received dietetic advice on healthy eating and weight loss from a dietician.
"Obesity and type 2 diabetes can lead to very serious and potentially life-threatening conditions such as cancer, stroke and heart disease. There is a real need to find new medicines so we can improve and save the lives of many patients," said Tricia Tan, lead author of the study.
Twenty-six obese patients with prediabetes and those with diabetes were recruited for the study from July 2016 to October 2018.