Pomegranate leaf extract shows promise as appetite suppressant in animal experiments

Monday, March 19, 2007 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
Tags: pomegranate, pomegranate leaf, appetite suppressants

(ConsumerWellness.org) In an experiment on mice, pomegranate leaf extract was found to reduce fat absorption and suppress appetite in obese mice, according to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity. The extract did not affect the appetites of non-obese mice.

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What you need to know - Conventional View

• Researchers induced obesity and high-fat blood levels in mice, then supplemented their high-fat diet with 400 or 800 milligrams of pomegranate leaf extract per kilogram of body weight once a day for five weeks.

• After five weeks, body weight significantly decreased, and the mice showed significant improvement in risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol.

• Researchers also fed two groups of mice, obese and non-obese, a mix of 800 milligrams pomegranate leaf extract per kilogram of body weight and 0.5 ml of fat, then tested their blood once an hour for six hours.

• In this second test, pomegranate leaf extract was found to reduce intestinal fat absorption without affecting blood triglyceride levels.

• One-fourth of U.S. adults are estimated to be obese. The U.S. market in weight-management supplements is estimated to be $3.93 billion yearly.

• Quote: "PLE showed a significant difference in decreasing the appetite of obese mice fed a high-fat diet, but showed no effect in mice fed a normal diet." - Study authors F Lei, X.N. Zhang, W. Wang, D.M. Xing, W.D. Xie, H. Su and L.J. Du

What you need to know - Alternative View

Statements and opinions by Mike Adams, executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center

• Desert plants offer a number of natural treatments for blood sugar, diabetes and obesity. Prickly pear cactus fruit, for example, contains medicinal compounds that help stabilize blood sugar. The meat of the cactus, sometimes called nopal, also helps stabilize blood sugar and may reduce the need for diabetes medications in many people.

Resources you need to know

• More about the health benefits of pomegranates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomegranate)

Bottom line

• Pomegranate leaf extract was found in a research study to suppress appetite in obese mice.