Plant-Based Microbeads Show Promise for Safe Weight Loss

Researchers have developed edible microbeads made from green tea polyphenols, vitamin E, and seaweed that bind dietary fat in the gut, offering a potentially safer alternative to weight-loss drugs or surgery. Unlike current treatments such as orlistat, which blocks fat-digesting enzymes but can cause serious side effects, these microbeads act locally in the intestine to trap fat without systemic risks.

The beads are formed through chemical bonds between green tea compounds and vitamin E, creating fat-binding cores that are then coated with a protective seaweed polymer. This coating shields them from stomach acid, allowing them to expand in the intestine and capture partially digested fats.

In rat studies, animals fed a high-fat diet plus microbeads lost 17% of body weight in 30 days, showed reduced fat tissue, and experienced less liver damage. Importantly, the treatment avoided gastrointestinal side effects linked to orlistat. A human clinical trial has now begun in collaboration with West China Hospital.

24-08-2025