Multi-component supplement may boost weight loss, says new human study
Daily intake of the Prograde Metabolism branded supplement from Ultimate Wellness Systems, Inc. for eight weeks was also associated with increases in energy levels when administered in conjunction with a weight loss program, according to findings published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
The supplement contains a number of branded ingredients, including Razberi-K raspberry ketone (Integrity), Capsimax capsaicin (OmniActive), Bioperine pepper extract (Sabinsa), and Advantra Z bitter orange extract (Nutratech). The study was funded by Ultimate Wellness Systems.
“In recent years, there have been numerous natural products being marketed and sold that claim to contain the right combination of vitamins, herbs and foods that can help with weight loss,” explained the researchers, led by Hector Lopez Jr., MD, from The Center for Applied Health Sciences in Ohio.
“However, very few of these products undergo finished product-specific research demonstrating their efficacy and safety.
“In the current study, as an adjunct to an 8-week diet and weight loss program, [Prograde metabolism] administration augmented beneficial changes in body composition and anthropometric variables (hip and waist girth) in overweight men and women, and led to additional benefits on energy levels and food cravings.”
Study details
Lopez and his co-workers conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, double-blind study with 71 obese but otherwise healthy people. Participants were assigned to eight weeks of a calorie-restricted diet, and exercise training, with or without the Prograde Metabolism supplement.
Results from the 45 people who completed the study indicated that the supplement was associated with statistically significant decreases in body weight (-2.0%), fat mass (-7.8%), waist girth (-2.0%), and hip girth (-1.7%).
In addition, the multi-component supplement was also associated with significant increases in lean mass (+3.4%) and energy levels (+29.3%).
Beneficial changes in the placebo group were recorded for body fat, said the researchers, but these were less than the supplement group.
Dr Lopez and his co-workers also noted that the supplement was well-tolerated, and “no changes in systemic hemodynamics, clinical blood chemistries, adverse events, or dietary intake were noted”.
“The combination of ingredients with potentially complementary and interactive mechanisms of action may account for the favorable changes observed in many of the clinical endpoints in the [supplement] group,” they stated.
“Further studies are required to clarify the mechanisms by which [the multi-component supplement] exerts its weight loss effects and its possible role in regulating adipokine concentrations,” they concluded.
Source: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
10:22 doi:10.1186/1550-2783-10-22
“Eight weeks of supplementation with a multi-ingredient weight loss product [containing Advantra Z] enhances body composition, reduces hip and waist girth, and increases energy levels in overweight men and women”
Authors: H.L. Lopez, T.N. Ziegenfuss, J.E. Hofheins, S.M. Habowski, S.M. Arent, J.P. Weir, A.A. Ferrando
