Irregular External Gastric Stimulation is Associated with Suppression of Serum Ghrelin Levels and Prolonged Decrease in Weight: A Novel Method for Sustaining Weight Loss

Abstract

Introduction: Weight regain is a major obstacle for most dietary procedures. Gastric stimulation has been shown to affect hormone levels. Aim: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of irregular external gastric stimulation on longterm weight reduction. Methods: External gastric stimulation was performed by holding a rotator device on the abdomen of mice for 5 minutes in a regular or irregular manner. Mice were assessed for body weight and serum ghrelin levels. Results: External gastric stimulation was associated with a significant decrease in serum ghrelin levels. Irregular external gastric stimulation was associated with a prolonged effect on body weight reduction compared with regular stimulation. By the end of week 5, the body weight of untreated control mice had increased compared with a slight weight increase in mice treated with regular stimulation, while there was a significant continued decrease in the body weight of mice treated with irregular stimulation. Conclusions: Irregular gastric stimulation is associated with a prolonged effect on weight loss and provides a method for overcoming the brain-gut axis accommodation of weight loss.