Grapefruit and helichrysum boost weight loss in overweight people

Researchers from Spain and Austria have found that both extracts of grapefruit and helichrysum can aid in weight management. In their study, which was published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, they examined the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of grapefruit and helichrysum extracts in overweight insulin-resistant rats.

• People who are overweight or obese are more likely to have insulin resistance.
• Many studies have assessed the potential use of flavonoids for managing obesity because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
• For the current study, researchers studied 38 rats that were randomly divided into two groups: a control group and a high-fat sucrose group.
• For 22 days, rats in the high-fat sucrose group were fed with as much water and food as they desired.
• Then, they went back to a standard diet and were reassigned into three groups.
• One group was not supplemented with anything, while the remaining groups were supplemented with two grams per kilogram body weight (g/kg BW) of helichrysum extract and one g/kg BW of grapefruit extract for five weeks.
• Results showed that rats supplemented with both extracts gained less body weight during the five-week period of treatment, and exhibited lower levels of serum insulin and liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS).
• Insulin resistance was also improved in both groups.
• Researchers also saw reductions in tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene expression in body fat tissue and intestinal mucosa, and toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) expression in the intestinal mucosa.
• Overall, both extracts helped to reduce weight gain, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin resistance, improved inflammation markers, and decreased the high-fat sucrose diet-induced oxidative stress in insulin-resistant rats.

These findings suggest that grapefruit and helichrysum extracts may be used as complement hypocaloric diets in weight loss treatment.

To read more studies on natural ways to combat obesity, visit FightObesity.news.

Journal Reference:

de la Garza AL, Etxeberria U, Haslberger A, Aumueller E, Martínez JA, Milagro FI. HELICHRYSUM AND GRAPEFRUIT EXTRACTS BOOST WEIGHT LOSS IN OVERWEIGHT RATS REDUCING INFLAMMATION. Journal of Medicinal Food. August 2015; 18(8). DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2014.0088