Fruit Extract to Help Lose Weight

Scientists discovered a fruit commonly eaten in west African nations had a deep impact on the waistlines of people in that part of the world. Further research has indicated far-reaching implications for improved heart health and diabetes. For those who are looking to shed a few pounds, the African mango could be a ground-breaking discovery.

Identification

The extract from a fruit well-known in west Africa, called Irvingia gabonensis (also known as the African mango), is being hailed as a weight-loss magic bullet. According to researchers at the University of Yaounde in Cameroon, the consumption of 150 milligrams of the extract 30 to 60 minutes before both lunch and dinner have marked improvements on body weight, body fat, cholesterol and leptin levels. In addition, neither a change in diet, nor an introduction of exercise was necessary to see an average weight loss of 28 pounds over a 10 week period. The study, led by Dr. Julius E. Oben, assigned 102 overweight volunteers randomly into two groups, one group using the extract and the other a placebo. The results in the group using the extract were positive for weight loss, while the results in the placebo group revealed no change.

Function

Dr. Oben and his colleagues determined that extracts from the seed of the African mango discourage the production of body fat by affecting specific genes and enzymes which moderate metabolism. One such enzyme is the hormone leptin, which inhibits the body's food consumption by decreasing the brain's hunger signals. The fruit's extract has exhibited increased leptin sensitivity, especially in the obese, who often produce so much leptin their brain cells become desensitized. The extract makes you feel less hungry, therefore leading you eat less.

Implications

Because conditions like kidney disease, diabetes and heart disease can be linked to obesity, the indications presented by the African mango have far reaching implications for the health of individuals around the world, making its potential an exciting prospect. More testing is expected to continue as a precursor to a product entering the market.