What if constipation could soon be cured without medication? CNN has highlighted a new option to help those who suffer from chronic constipation. It is a capsule the size of a regular softgel, but instead of releasing medicine, it vibrates to stimulate the colon.
These capsules, called Vibrant, have been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration and are now available to doctors. How it works ? “There are little vibrations for three seconds on, three seconds off,” Cathy Collis, commercial director of Vibrant Gastro, was quoted by CNN as saying. This vibrating capsule should be taken every day at bedtime. It takes 14 hours to reach the large intestine. There, it stimulates nerve cells located in the gut that help trigger muscle contractions that help food pass through the gut. After being swallowed, the small device is active for about two hours, turns off for about six hours, and then activates again for another two hours. Once the work is finished, the person’s body pushes them out.
Encouraging results
The company got its clearance from the FDA after proving the capsules didn’t contain toxic materials and could withstand the force of a bite in case someone accidentally bites them. “The company also had to demonstrate that the capsules did not present certain riskssuch as causing infections, irritating tissue, interfering with other electronic devices, getting stuck or not working at all, details CNN.
A clinical trial was carried out with 349 people, of which 200 participants took the vibrating capsules every day for eight weeks and 149 who swallowed a placebo pill which did not emit any vibration. Result ? About 40% of the group taking the pills reported having at least one additional saddle per week compared to approximately 23% of the placebo group. They also reported softer stools and less bloating. And 23% reported two more stools. Regarding adverse effects, no serious adverse events were reported. Some patients have reported the onset of diarrhea.