减肥新招：注射二氧化碳

The first randomized, controlled trial testing carbon dioxide gas injections (carboxytherapy) to reduce belly fat found the new technique eliminates fat around the stomach. However, the changes were modest and did not result in long-term fat reduction, according to the Northwestern Medicine study.

这是第一个检测二氧化碳气体注射(羧酸疗法)是否能减少腹部脂肪的随机对照试验。他们发现，这项新技术可以消除胃部周围的脂肪。然而根据美国西北大学医学院的研究，这种改变是有限度的，它并不能维持此状态很久。

"Carboxytherapy could potentially be a new and effective means of fat reduction," said lead author Dr. Murad Alam, vice chair of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician. "It still needs to be optimized, though, so it's long lasting."The paper was published this week in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Murad Alam博士是美国西北大学费恩伯格医学院皮肤病学副主任，他说：“羧酸疗法有可能成为一种新的、有效的减肥法，但是还需要改进，这样它的效果就得以维持了。”这篇论文已发表在本周的《美国皮肤病学会杂志》上。

The new technique's benefits are that it is a "safe, inexpensive gas, and injecting it into fat pockets may be preferred by patients who like natural treatments," Alam said. "Non-invasive fat reduction has become increasingly sought-after by patients."

这项新技术的好处在于，它是一种“安全、廉价的气体。将其注入到脂肪中，可能是喜欢自然疗法的病人的首选。” “非侵入性减少脂肪已经受到越来越多病人的欢迎。”

Benefits of a non-invasive approach are diminished downtime, avoidance of scarring and perceived safety.

非侵入性方法的好处是减少了手术的间隔时间，避免留疤，安全性也很高。

Current technologies routinely used for non-invasive fat reduction include cryolipolysis, high intensity ultrasound, radiofrequency, chemical adipocytolysis and laser-assisted fat reduction.Carboxytherapy has been performed primarily outside the U.S., with a few clinical studies suggesting it may provide a lasting improvement in abdominal contours. The way carboxytherapy works is not well understood. It is believed that injection of carbon dioxide causes changes in the microcirculation, and damages fat cells.

时下非侵入性减脂的技术主要包括低温息肉、高强度超声、射频、化学脂肪分解和激光辅助。羧酸疗法主要是在美国以外的地方进行的。一些临床研究表明，它可以持久改善腹部轮廓。 虽然目前对羧酸疗法的作用机理还不是很了解，但人们认为，注入二氧化碳会引起微循环的变化，进而损伤脂肪细胞。

No randomized controlled trials for carboxytherapy efficacy and benefit over time have been previously conducted. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of carboxytherapy for fat reduction in a randomized, controlled trial, and to determine if any observed benefits persisted for six months.

在此次实验之前，还没有人研究过羧酸疗法的后续作用。而这项研究，是在随机对照试验中评估羧酸疗法减少脂肪的有效性，并想确定，效果究竟能否维持长达六个月。

The Northwestern study consisted of 16 adults who were not overweight (body mass of 22 to 29) and were randomized to get weekly carbon dioxide gas injection to one side of their abdomens and a sham treatment on the other side once a week for five weeks. A high-resolution ultrasound detected a reduction in superficial fat after five weeks but not at 28 weeks. The patients' body weight did not change over the course of the study.

西北大学的研究共有16名成年人参与，就体重而言，他们并没有超重(BMI在22~29属于超重)。实验随机注射二氧化碳在他们腹部的某一侧，另一侧做类似处理但并不注射二氧化碳。每周一次，持续五周。据高分辨率的超声波的反馈，5周后发现表面脂肪减少，但在28周时此现象就消失了。 此外，参与者体重在研究过程中没有发生变化。

That the difference was not maintained at six months suggests the treatment stimulated a temporary metabolic process that reduced the size of fat cells without inducing cell death, Alam said."If carboxytherapy can provide prolonged benefits, it offers patients yet another noninvasive option for fat reduction," Alam said. "But we don't feel it's ready for prime time."

Alam表示，结果没有维持六个月。这表明这种治疗刺激了某种暂时代谢，而这种代谢可以减小脂肪细胞的体积，而不会导致细胞死亡。“如果羧酸疗法能一劳永逸，那么它无疑为病人提供了另一种无创减肥的选择。但我们觉得目前还不是这个时候。”