Gas Injections Could Reduce Fat, Researchers Reveal

The same gas that makes soda fizz could help you lose weight, according to new research. Italian scientists have found that injections of carbon dioxide may help shrink fatty tissue.

In a recent study at the University of Siena in Italy, 48 women with excessive fat on the thighs, knees and abdomen were injected with the gas. On average, they lost 2 cm from their thighs, 1 cm from each knee and 3 cm from their stomachs. The results were promising enough to lead scientists to believe that carbon dioxide could be a solution to reducing fatty tissue in overweight people.

The procedure, known as carboxytherapy, involves injecting carbon dioxide just under the skin with a fine needle. While the thought of putting a gas into the body can raise questions about its safety, researchers point out that carbon dioxide is a natural, non-toxic gas which is already produced by our cells.

Lasting just a few minutes, the treatment is believed to work because the gas diffuses into the surrounding tissues, causing blood vessels to dilate. Wider vessels mean a stronger blood supply, a stronger blood supply means more oxygen and nutrients, and more oxygen means more carbon dioxide. It's this carbon dioxide that kills fat cells.

Nick Finer of University College London, former chairman of the UK Association for the Study of Obesity, told the Daily Mail that while the therapy may reduce waist size, it was not a permanent fix and it's unlikely to lower other health risks associated with being overweight.

"These injections are tackling the fat under the skin, but it is stored fat in the abdomen that raises the risk of diabetes, heart disease and so on," Finer stated. "Having said that, if this can give patients the psychological boost they need to adopt a healthier lifestyle, then it can only be a good thing."

Intrigued about the power of carbon dioxide? Take a look at what else it can do.