Investigators determined that injections of the natural hormone
oxyntomodulin resulted in significant weight loss in a 4-week
study. The body releases this hormone after meals to make people
feel less hungry. Researchers randomly injected oxyntomodulin or
placebo before meals to 26 obese and overweight patients 3 times
a day, 30 minutes prior to mealtime for 4 weeks. Participants
maintained their normal diet and physical activity during that
time. In the oxyntomodulin group, body weight decreased by 5 lb
versus 1 lb in the placebo group. The group receiving the
hormone injections showed changes in the levels of fat-related
hormones leptin and adiponectin, which indicated a decrease in
fat. The oxyntomodulin group ate less, but their perception of
their meals did not change. Researchers concluded that this
natural hormone "may provide a more specific treatment for
obesity" than other treatments. Ms. Farley is a freelance
medical writer based in Wakefield, RI.