Scientists at the Augusta University School of Medicine in Georgia, USA, have published recent research stating that a vibrating capsule “appears to double the ability of adults struggling with chronic debilitating constipation to defecate more normally”. They have called it Vibrant.
According to a report published on the website of Digital Trendsthe capsule excites the muscular walls, which leads to a gradual contraction of the colon that creates a movement similar to peristalsis, removing the material inside and allowing defecation.
Peristalsis is the contraction and relaxation of the muscular walls in a tube, allowing movement of edible items through the feeding tube and digested material through the intestine.
FDA approved
The Vibrant capsule was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year, and is marketed as an alternative to laxative therapies.
The pill only needs a few seconds to activate inside a container. Once it does the job, the capsule passes out of the body with the stool, somewhat easier than regular laxatives.
published in the magazine Gastroenterology, the latest research involved more than 300 adults at nearly 90 centers across the country. The capsule, which is made of latex-free plastic, produces two vibration sessions each day, each vibration session lasting two hours in the colon, where three seconds of gentle agitation is followed by 16 seconds of rest.
During clinical trials, the team compared the efficiency of the vibrating capsule with that of a non-vibrating capsule and found that the vibrating capsule allowed a “two- to three-fold increase in the number of complete spontaneous bowel movements per week” in patients with constipation.
Not only did it improve stool frequency, but it also improved stool integrity, and even helped with straining and stool consistency issues.
The only side effect reported during the last trial was that about 11% of the participants reported feeling mild vibration sensations in the gut, but continued to use it.
One of the biggest advantages of the FDA-approved vibrating capsule is that it is a drug-free solution, which means there is no risk of chemical reaction or rejection by the body. Clinical tests suggest that Vibrant is “effective for severe, moderate and mild patients.”