What is stomach botox for weight loss?
Introduction
Market of weight loss…
Stomach (gastric) botox for weight loss? You ask. Nowadays a lot of people are dealing with overweight/obesity and the consequences. As it may sound easy for some, for a lot of people it is a challenge to lose all the fat-gains. Therefore, the market of weight loss is broad and is expanding all the time. All kinds of diets are trending or are proved to be worthless or super worthy. There is no boundary anymore in the options to choose from.
Stomach botox, is it crap?
One of the newest options in the field of surgery to lose weight is BOTOX in the STOMACH. Stomach is called gastric in medicine, so perhaps you can find even more when you search for gastric botox just by google’ing it. Is stomach botox worth trying or even thinking about it? Or is it just crap? I’ll do my best to explain how botox in the stomach works, and the pro’s and con’s so you can choose yourself.
First things first, what is stomach botox?
The information about botulinum toxin (a.k.a. botox) itself you can find in another blog on my website. You can also find the differences between the brands of botulinum toxin. Now, if i can assume you now know what botulinum toxin is then we can dive deeper into the topic. What is stomach botox?
Stomach botox...
Gastric (stomach) botox is a procedure that involves injecting botulinum toxin into the stomach in the fundus region in order to reduce the production of stomach acid. This is performed with the aid of endoscopy, while under mild sedation. The toxin blocks the signals to the striated muscles and thus reducing the contraction of the stomach. Therefore, the digestion becomes slower, which prolonges the saturation period. The treatment itself takes somewhere between 15-20 minutes, excluding the preparations.
It is an effective treatment for people who suffer from chronic heartburn, ulcers, and GERD.
Gastric Botox injections are relatively safe and cause no serious side effects. They are also completely reversible with no permanent damage to the stomach lining or other organs. The injection will last for six months and it can be repeated as needed by your doctor.
How much stomach botox is injected for weight loss?
Depending on the brand used and depending on the patient, somewhere between 500-1000 units of botulinum toxin is injected (IE). You can compare this with approx. 25 units of BOTOX or 62-65 units of Dysport for the frown or the forehead.
Who are the candidates for stomach botox?
Stomach or Gastric botox is recommended to patients with a BMI between 27 and 35, who want to lose weight. These patients already tried different weight loss diets and exercises without significant results. Moreover, overweight or obese patients with diabetes type 2 might want to try this option.
Where can you find a specialist for stomach botox?
A gastro-enterologist is the medical specialist to go to when you want this procedure. In the Netherlands, gastro-enterologist is called MDL (maag-darm-lever) arts. This procedure gained much popularity in Turkey. A great chance that it might be also performed in your own country. Research the clinic or the hospital before you decide to go.
What are the pros and cons?
Pros...
- There is no invasive surgery needed.
- There are no permanent side effects or complications. All side effects or complications are temporary.
- There is no downtime after this procedure. You can immediately go back to your daily routine after the procedure.
- The effect already starts after 72 hours.
- You can choose for this treatment, even if you are slightly overweight (>25-27 BMI)
Cons...
- You need to fast to empty your stomach before the procedure.
- Gastritis or gastric ulcers should be treated first, before undergoing this procedure.
- BMI >40 patients are contra-indicated for this treatment. Research shows the ineffectiveness of botulinum toxin for this group.
- The effect is only for 4-6 months. Hereafter, you should re-do the procedure again for its effect.
Does Stomach botox work?
In any case you should change to a healthy lifestyle with a good amount of exercise and eating healthy food. The food intake should be balanced. The amount of calories you eat, should not exceed the calories you burn.
Even when you choose for stomach botox, you should keep the healthy lifestyle. Only then you will see the fat melting over time. Even then, one study showed that stomach botox doesn’t help everyone (Ozan Sen, et al.), while a meta-analysis and systemic review of randomized controlled trials show significantly decreased absolute weight after the treatment (Yi-An-Yen, et al.)
As with every procedure, stomach botox can have side effects, eventhough the risks are much lower compared to surgery. Therefore, try to lose weight first with the help of a good/healthy diet and regular exercise. If this does not work, consult your doctor and your dietitian.
Conclusion
Botulinum toxin for the stomach is a great way to lose weight. It has much less risks compared to surgery. Before opting for this treatment, try to lose weight by choosing for healthy food and regular exercise. Remember: You have only ONE body in your WHOLE life. Take care of it. It deserves the best.
References
- Gloy, V. L., Briel, M., Bhatt, D. L., Kashyap, S. R., Schauer, P. R., Mingrone, G., Bucher, H. C., & Nordmann, A. J. (2013, October 22). Bariatric surgery versus non-surgical treatment for obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. The BMJ. Retrieved December 25, 2022, from https://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5934.long
- Şen O, Türkçapar AG. Gastric Botulinum Toxin-A Application for Weight Loss Therapy. Turk J Gastroenterol. 2021 Jan;32(1):66-69. doi: 10.5152/tjg.2020.20076. PMID: 33893767; PMCID: PMC8975509.
- Yen YA, Wang CC, Sung WW, Fang KC, Huang SM, Lin CC, Tsai MC, Yang TW. Intragastric injection of botulinum toxin A for weight loss: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022 Jun;37(6):983-992. doi: 10.1111/jgh.15847. Epub 2022 Apr 22. PMID: 35383416.
