This experiment is a crucial step in that direction, but unfortunately the functionalized cellulose they tested is one that isn't commonly used in food.
Nobody should take my viewpoint on this too seriously, because I don't know much about the field, but while I'm stating it, I'll mention that other industrial polysacccharides like xanthan gum, guar gum, and modified food starch seem like equally strong candidates; that other food additives like titanium dioxide nanoparticles and polysorbate 80 are also candidates; and that the obesity pandemic is almost certainly multifactorial rather than caused by any single cause. Coca-Cola barely contains anything sketchy (just sugar, phosphoric acid, and caramel color) but can reliably induce significant weight gain and loss.
> Acetylated cellulose suppresses mass through commensals consuming carbohydrates
... is far less intelligible than the original...
> Acetylated cellulose suppresses body mass gain through gut commensals consuming host-accessible carbohydrates
... which itself isn't a prize. At least the original title makes it (mostly) clear that we're talking about biology; the edited one starts with plant material and then veers into violating conservation of mass by communes. And why do both titles use the word "commensals" when "bacteria" would be accurate and much clearer?
Editors... we need editors...
epicureanideal•8mo ago
Any expected side effects, like cancer or something?
kragen•8mo ago
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose_acetate
Gravityloss•8mo ago
tuukkah•8mo ago
"Acetate facilitates carbohydrate fermentation", so bloating.
pogue•8mo ago
In regards to fibers that act in a similar way, it's been a long time since I looked at all the different fiber products that are sold on the market, but one I remember looking at years ago that purported to have properties like this was glucomannan. A quick search with results from a reliable site will tell you if it would be worth your trouble [2], but it's also about if the product is palatable to you and you're willing to use it regularly.
In that case, any kind of soluble fiber from ground up seeds or even cheap psyllium husk supplements could help achieve a similar result. Just be sure to follow the instructions and take the products with PLENTY of water as they form a gel in your GI tract. These kinds of products can take weeks-months of consistent usage to be effective and adding additional fiber to your diet is always a healthy option.
The American Heart Association & other groups recommend trying to achieve 25g to even 45g of fiber daily [3] which is a crazy high amount most people have a difficult time achieving as it is, so even striving to incorporate more fiber rich foods in your diet can be helpful, outside of trying to add any kind of supplement on top.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose
[2] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/glucomannan
[3] https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/eat-more-fiber-r...
kragen•8mo ago
It's not the case that every kind of fiber will achieve a similar result.
pogue•8mo ago
It's true not every fiber will act the same, but most all insoluble fibers would be expected to have very similar, if not superior effects for not just weight loss but overall (and at a much cheaper price, I suspect - if 'acetyl cellulose' is even something one can purchase on the open market).
But each fiber a person was thinking of consuming would need a bit of research, and even personal trial, to determine which is best for them. I add extra fiber to a breakfast smoothie I have daily in the form of 1 to ½ cups of ground up flax or hemp seeds and occasionally 1 tsp of oat fiber (about ~5g of fiber from ground oat kernels). I use it primarily just to stay regular, but the seeds have an additional benefit of essential fatty acids, and I'm sure it's all beneficial for my gut biome and so forth. A diabetic person who is measuring their glucose levels and have need to keep them stable would want to do more research in regards to that effect.
Regardless, I would argue, say, 5-10g per serving of insoluble fiber (possibly a lower amount per meal) should be expected to compete quite well with acetyl cellulose stuff mentioned in this study.
[1]
https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critica...
kragen•8mo ago