New Weight Loss Trick: Zapping Your Brain to Curb Cravings

South Korean researchers have reportedly come up with an innovative weight-loss method—using electrical stimulation in the brain to reduce food cravings.

Knewz.com has learned that this “futuristic” method could be an alternative to weight-loss pills and invasive surgeries .

More precisely, the researchers believe that by using electrical stimulation, it is possible to train the brain to resist food cravings and “make more mindful food choices,” it has been reported.

Dr. Ki-young Shin of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), who is leading the research, was quoted as saying:

“Although the technology is not yet complete and needs further research and verification, if this electrostimulation treatment equipment with far fewer side effects than existing obesity treatments is commercialized and can be used at home instead of in hospitals , it will provide an easy and simple method for daily appetite suppression management.”

While the idea of electricity “zapping” someone’s brain might seem scary, the team of researchers has stressed that the currents used are “extremely mild.”

The researchers assured that the process would not even be noticeably felt by the individuals using it—making it a potential alternative for invasive surgeries and weight loss pills that often come with significant side effects.

Essentially, the brain stimulation method gives one an added boost to the “willpower” required to make the conscious choice of healthier food options.

Named transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), the method aims to “influence the neural circuits responsible for appetite control” by passing “gentle electrical currents” to targeted areas of the brain through the scalp.

According to reports, the research focuses on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the human brain.

“This region, located near the front of your head, plays a crucial role in executive functions like decision-making and impulse control. By stimulating this area, the researchers hoped to enhance its ability to regulate eating behaviors,” it has been reported.

“The exact mechanisms are still being studied, but scientists theorize that the electrical stimulation may enhance the brain’s natural ability to resist cravings and make more mindful food choices. It’s like giving your willpower a little boost from the outside,” reports have further mentioned.

The research found that the individuals who underwent the tRNS treatment “reported significant reductions in appetite, willingness to eat, and feelings of hunger.”

Furthermore, the research also found the treatment to be effective in “emotional eating” habits, such as stress eating.

“Notably, the treatment also appeared to help with emotional eating tendencies. While long-term weight loss wasn’t measured in this short study [spanning two weeks], participants consistently reported feeling less hungry,” it was reported.

Research lead Dr. Shin commented on the effectiveness of the treatment in curbing emotional eating tendencies, saying :

“Especially when people are under stress or difficulty, many people eat food due to emotional hunger, and if digital healthcare technology that combines electrostimulation treatment and exercise therapy is introduced, it will enhance weight loss effects and help individuals manage their health more effectively.”

It is worth noting that the treatment would not be completely effective unless it is paired with healthy lifestyle habits like regular exercise and an improved diet.

The tRNS research was conducted in association with the Seoul National University Hospital.