Alternative Therapies

Dieters may be happy that there’s a new nasal spray in the offing that could help resist the appetizing aromas of pizzas, cinnamon buns, fried chicken etc. It aims to fight obesity by blocking the sense of smell and taste.

But the spray has still a long way to go before hitting the market. Compellis Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Massachusetts said that it will begin human trials of the spray next year, that is designed to fight obesity by blocking the senses of smell and taste.

Christopher Adams, the company’s founder and chief executive said, “The pleasurable effect of eating is all stimulated by smell and taste.  If you have some kind of reduced sense of smell or taste, you tend to eat less”.

An estimated 65 percent of adult Americans are overweight or obese, and are at a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and other diseases. The nasal spray, known as CP404, is among the latest devices and treatments under development in the fight against obesity.

If human trials are successful, the spray might hit the market in 2010 and we think that’s pretty long, what do you say. It would retail at $500 to $1,000. But the Obesity Action Coalition, a Tampa, cautioned that any such spray should be accompanied by other treatments and a change in lifestyle to be effective.

James Zervios, a spokesman for the coalition said, “There are a lot of reasons why obesity exists, and it’s not always a case of food. People still need to eat. Every time they get hungry I don’t think they could just use the spray. People need to be taught what are the better foods to eat, what’s high on protein, what’s low on fat”. And we totally agree with that …