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villi passivating diet pill or gene modification causes slimness

Villi are little half millimeter nutrient absorbing projections at the intestines. A drug that causes these to pulsate less, or otherwide passivates them reduces calorie absorption, thus is a slimming drug
 
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Wikipedia says of villi "Villi increase the internal surface area of the intestinal walls making available a greater surface area for absorption. An increased absorptive area is useful because digested nutrients (including monosaccharide and amino acids) pass into the semipermeable villi through diffusion"

I think a drug could be developed to passivate villi, even just causing them to move around less (different than peristalsis). That would cause less absorption of food, which encourages slimness at current eating levels. Noting that wikipedia mentions monosaccharides, it is possible this would reduce the amount of insulin releasing sugar as well, which contributes to longevity. for lack of a better chemical, possibly enteric coated novacaine (or similar) at small doses might work.

there is a better genetic engineering approach. I think I read that the lining of the GI tract refreshes itself every 7 days, so genetically engineering the GI tract surface could have brief harmless duration.

This creates a genetic engineering based technology that could beneficially effect 2/3 or more of the people on earth, while also improving their perception of their appearance, so it is a way to make people actually like genetic engineering while making them live longer, with billions of lucrative applications possible.

beanangel, Sep 28 2016

wikipedia describes GI tract villi https://en.wikipedi...i/Intestinal_villus
[beanangel, Sep 28 2016]

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       // billions of lucrative applications //   

       Tell us more. And remember, we asked before [MB] or any of his family.
8th of 7, Sep 28 2016
  

       This is a sound idea, apart from the bollocks parts (paras. 2-4).   

       To begin with, villi are not "at" the intestines. They are "in" the intestines, in much the same way that tea is in, rather than merely at, a teacup. The difference between "at" and "in" is subtle, but you'll get it. The English language is subtle; howevertheless, it can be used precisely.   

       To middle with, what this idea boils down to is "villi are important in absorbing nutrients" (wkte) to which is appended "a drug of some sort or some sort of GM magic, would therefore reduce nutrient uptake".   

       To excrete with, having large amounts of non- absorbed nutrients flowing through your bowels will not be good. Sliminess, as well as slimness, will ensue.
MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 28 2016
  

       Shut up. We asked first. Who cares about the sliminess ? It's the // lucrative applications // we're interested in. Olestra, trans fats, d-isomer sugars ... just show us the money.   

       "Anal leakage" ? Not our probem.
8th of 7, Sep 28 2016
  

       [mb] actually, and supportively, visiting a website that said "Understanding the genome is not enough It's time to do something about it." Got me thinking, "well, what is a happy mass application of genetic engineering, that will provide genetic engineering with new popular support, that saves lives, and is nifty"   

       From a genomics perspective i think the gentically engineered version could have selectivity like ignore protein, give sugars the nonabsoptive treatment. The niftiness is that sugars release insulin, and insulin has been linked to aging, so there is a possibility this is also a longevity drug.   

       The money part: 1 billion people, 365 capsules a year, or gene therapy, weekly -> many hundreds of billions of dollars to big pharma.
beanangel, Sep 28 2016
  

       //Understanding the genome is not enough// That was said by a wise man who I trust utterly. However, it is necessary to understand the genome _first_.   

       Yes, my expectation is that genetic engineering will become the new cosmetic surgery (as well as cancer therapy, HIV treatment, Alzheimer's preventative, cystic fibrosis cure) within 20 years. However, just blitzing your villi is not a wise move - not wise at all. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and your idea is very dangerous.   

       It is far better and probably far, far safer to use the knowledge we are currently getting from first- generation (observational) genomics to identify genetic variants that favour slimth over obesity, and then offer those variants to the obese.   

       (Off topic: we also need to get over this idea that the germline is sacrosanct; it's like saying "you can have all this stuff, but you're not allowed to give it to your kids."   

       The genome is a huge book - now that we've finished reading it, we need to start acting on it.
MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 28 2016
  

       If you've finished reading, is it OK if we tear out some of the pages and use them as kindling for the Wicker Man we've built ?
8th of 7, Sep 28 2016
  

       By all means. Please start with one of the X's. It's clear that one is sufficient for most purposes.
MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 28 2016
  
      
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