Stool pills are capsules made up of dehydrated stools and microorganisms present in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy people and which are being studied to be used to fight infection by the bacterium Clostridium difficile and obesity.
The pills are encapsulated by a gel in order to prevent them from being absorbed before reaching the gastrointestinal tract and have the function of restoring the intestinal microbiota, stimulating the fight against infection and regulating the metabolism.
The use of stool pills for obesity is still under study, however it is believed that some intestinal bacteria stimulate the accumulation of fat. Therefore, when using the stool pill composed of microorganisms from the healthy gastrointestinal tract, these bacteria would be eliminated and there would be weight loss.
What is it for
Like stool transplantation, stool pills can be used to treat Clostridium difficile infection, since it is able to restore the intestinal microbiota and stimulate the fight against infection, and to treat obesity.
The effect of the stool pills in the treatment against obesity is still studied, however a recent study showed that patients who used the pill showed a decrease in the production of bile acids and changes in the microbiological composition of the stools, becoming similar to the composition of the stools used. in the manufacture of the pill.
How the Stool Pill Works
The stool pills are made up of bacteria found in the stools of healthy people and aim to restore the intestinal microbiota to promote the fight against infections and help in the treatment of obesity, for example. The use of fecal pills is believed to promote the elimination of bacteria present in the intestine that stimulate the body to store fat, helping to fight obesity.
In studies carried out, obese people take the pill in order to reestablish the microbiota and regulate metabolism, return to their normal routine and are followed up to check their weight loss at 3, 6 and 12 months. However, further studies are needed to prove the effect of pills on obesity.
In the case of treatment against infection by Clostridium difficile , the pills have an efficiency equal to or greater than transplantation of feces, in addition to the use being considered safe and not being invasive. In one study, infection was fought in 70% of cases with the use of a pill and when a second pill was taken, 94% of cases were fought. Despite this, stool pills are not yet approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). Understand how the stool transplant is done.
