How much more news about weight loss supplements can there be to share? More every year, it turns out, as researchers synthesize new plant-derived compounds and test methods to optimize them for effectiveness. Based on studies released in the past two years, here are three new supplements to add to the previous list of 7 Supplements for Weight Loss I shared last fall.
Hailed as a potential anti-aging wonder since Harvard’s David Sinclair published research in 2003 and 2006 showing it extended the lifespan of mice, resveratrol has since shown extremely mixed results. The extract from the skins of grapes and red wine has demonstrated potential to reduce some problems, such as cardiovascular disease, and shown a disappointing ineffectiveness for others.
But in the past few years, a number of research teams around the country have begun studying resveratrol for its effects on metabolism and glucose tolerance and its resulting potential to trigger weight loss. In a very small but high-quality (randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled) study published in the journal Cell Metabolism in November, 2011, Dutch researchers led by Sylvie Timmers found that obese men who took 150 mg of resveratrol daily had lower blood sugar, decreased liver fat, and lower blood pressure after just 30 days. While the men did not shed actual body mass in the short amount of time they were followed, these kinds of metabolic changes are associated with weight loss over time.
The year before, a French study published in BMC Physiology found that resveratrol had a significant effect on the body-mass of primates (mouse lemurs, to be specific). The researchers found that lemurs, which typically gain a great deal of weight as winter approaches, ate significantly less and gained less weight during a four-week period when their food was supplemented with resveratrol. The researchers noted that the lemurs’ body temperature and resting metabolic rate was affected by the resveratrol, suggesting that it functioned as a metabolism-booster.
Having zoomed to popularity on the broad shoulders of Dr. Oz, white kidney bean extract, scientific name Phaseolus vulgaris, has been hailed as a “fat-blocker” that prevents or slows the absorption of starches.
Most of the excitement over white kidney bean extract has come from studies by anti-aging guru Nicholas Perricone. One small but randomized/double-blinded/placebo-controlled study, published in 2007 in the International Journal of Medical Science, found that 445 mg a day of the supplement caused weight loss in people who were just moderately overweight, even as they ate a high-carb diet.
Another randomized/double-blinded/placebo-controlled study, also involving Perricone and published in the Journal of Applied Research showed that 92 percent of subjects taking white kidney bean extract for two months lost weight in two months vs. 62 percent in a control group.
1. Resveratrol: Metabolism Booster
Hailed as a potential anti-aging wonder since Harvard’s David Sinclair published research in 2003 and 2006 showing it extended the lifespan of mice, resveratrol has since shown extremely mixed results. The extract from the skins of grapes and red wine has demonstrated potential to reduce some problems, such as cardiovascular disease, and shown a disappointing ineffectiveness for others.
But in the past few years, a number of research teams around the country have begun studying resveratrol for its effects on metabolism and glucose tolerance and its resulting potential to trigger weight loss. In a very small but high-quality (randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled) study published in the journal Cell Metabolism in November, 2011, Dutch researchers led by Sylvie Timmers found that obese men who took 150 mg of resveratrol daily had lower blood sugar, decreased liver fat, and lower blood pressure after just 30 days. While the men did not shed actual body mass in the short amount of time they were followed, these kinds of metabolic changes are associated with weight loss over time.
The year before, a French study published in BMC Physiology found that resveratrol had a significant effect on the body-mass of primates (mouse lemurs, to be specific). The researchers found that lemurs, which typically gain a great deal of weight as winter approaches, ate significantly less and gained less weight during a four-week period when their food was supplemented with resveratrol. The researchers noted that the lemurs’ body temperature and resting metabolic rate was affected by the resveratrol, suggesting that it functioned as a metabolism-booster.
2. White Kidney Bean Extract: Starch Blocker
Having zoomed to popularity on the broad shoulders of Dr. Oz, white kidney bean extract, scientific name Phaseolus vulgaris, has been hailed as a “fat-blocker” that prevents or slows the absorption of starches.
Most of the excitement over white kidney bean extract has come from studies by anti-aging guru Nicholas Perricone. One small but randomized/double-blinded/placebo-controlled study, published in 2007 in the International Journal of Medical Science, found that 445 mg a day of the supplement caused weight loss in people who were just moderately overweight, even as they ate a high-carb diet.
Another randomized/double-blinded/placebo-controlled study, also involving Perricone and published in the Journal of Applied Research showed that 92 percent of subjects taking white kidney bean extract for two months lost weight in two months vs. 62 percent in a control group.
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