(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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bottom lineWhat 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.
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