Lychee Extract Reduces Fat
November 25, 2009
So I guess Martini’s aren’t bad for you after all! A rare extract found in lychees may reduce abdominal fat according to Japanese researchers. For those that don’t know, lychees are the white fruit that comes in a standard Martini. Human volunteers taking a daily supplement of the commercially available lychee extract “Oligonol” lost approximately 3 centimetres in their waist size, as well as a 6 per cent reduction in subcutaneous fat and a 15 per cent reduction in abdominal fat!
“We revealed that Oligonol reduced BMI and subcutaneous and visceral fat volumes, and improved insulin resistance,” report researchers. “In particular, remarkable reduction of visceral fat areas was observed,” they noted.
Study details
Test subjects received a daily Oligonol dose of 50 milligrams, while the other received placebo. After 10 weeks of study, in addition to the improvements in waist circumference, an abdominal fat, improvements in insulin resistance were recorded in the Oligonol group, compared to placebo.
How Does It Work?
Scientists are unsure of the complete mechanism but what’s very interesting to me is that Oligonol increased blood levels of “Adiponectin” which is a hormone that regulates a number of metabolic processes. It seems that this hormone may become elevated by taking Oliginol.
Availability
I’m not aware of the ingredient being added to any top named diet pills (yet) but supplement companies can get the raw ingredient from the Maypro Group in the US. Maypro claims the ingredient is unique because it makes use of a patented technology that boosts polyphenol bioavailability and in turn enhances anti-oxidant performance.
SOURCE: Nutraingredients
Green Tea Reduces Abdominal Fat
November 7, 2009
Yes, the ladies love guys with abs don’t kid yourself! Well help may be on the way. Researchers have now demonstrated that Green Tea extracts can reduce abdominal fat! In this study, 107 test subjects where supplemented with either green tea extract (625 mg catechins + 39 mg caffeine) or a placebo for 12 weeks. During this time, they controlled their diet and exercised and in the end, there was no difference between groups in relation to changes in fat mass. However, fat loss in the abdominals was 3.3% lower in the green tea group! This helps support another study done at the University of Birmingham which showed that green tea increased fat burning by almost 20%, increased the proportion of fat burned for energy and improved insulin function! Previous research also showed that green tea helps fight brain damage, and displays anti-aging properties.
Guidelines For Buying A Green Tea Supplement
- Make sure you buy your green tea supplement from a quality company and believe it or not, there have been well known supplement companies selling diet pills without the dose of EGCG needed to burn fat! If you’re unsure, email or call the supplement company and ask for a lab assay on their product. If they fail to provide this, take your business elsewhere!
- Look for one that gives you at least 90 mg of the main active ingredient, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) per serving. This is the exact amount of used in the initial studies but some research shows that larger dosages may be even more effective.
- There’s a new “super green tea” being released to supplement companies by a raw material supplier called “Blue California” which boasts a 95% EGCG content! This is the most concentrated form of green tea extract ever developed and should start popping up in diet pills in early 2010.
SOURCE: Nutrisciences
Capsaicin and Green Tea Reduce Hunger
August 11, 2009
A combination of capsaicin and green tea could promote the feeling of fullness and sustain satiety according to a new study. Researchers from Denmark and the Netherlands report sweet pepper may also reduce energy intake during positive energy balance.
“We conclude that thermogenic food ingredients have energy intake reducing effects when used in combinations, and in positive energy balance,” wrote the researchers, led by Professor Margriet Westerterp-Plantenga from Maastricht University. “These results suggest that bioactive ingredients (capsaicin, green tea, CH-19) may be helpful in reducing energy intake to prevent body weight gain and may support body weight loss by relatively sustaining satiety and suppressing hunger,” they added.
CH-19 Sweet Pepper
This special pepper is non-pungent and is starting to crop up in some of the newer fat burners as an attractive alternative to capsaicin. CH-19 sweet pepper is an efficient suppressor of energy intake making it of interest to investigate if a combination of CH-19 sweet pepper and green tea leads to a synergistic effect on energy intake. A relatively new fat burner that’s selling well in Canada that has CH-19 in it, along with a whack of caffeine and geranium oil extract is called Ripped Freak. Cool name for a product and packaging that’s hard to miss on the shelf!
Green Tea For Fat Burning
March 25, 2009
Beverage giant Coke was recently slapped with a $650,000 dollar fine for claiming that their Enviga drink causes weight loss. This news shook the supplement industry up quite a bit because companies have just assumed that if their product had green tea in it, they could claim that it caused weight loss. Not true. Let me explain…
Original Green Tea Research
Much of the original green tea research (which is sited in many diet pill ads) shows that it can increase calorie burning when you consume it. However, the researchers never measured whether or not people actually lost weight from this! From the government’s perspective, this does NOT automatically mean that simply because you drink green tea, you will lose weight. Coke found this out the hard way!
Green Tea Increases Fat Burning
But a recent study done at the University of Birmingham may help strengthen claims used by diet pill companies. The study showed that green tea increased fat burning by almost 20%, increased the proportion of fat burned for energy and improved insulin function! Previous research also showed that green tea helps fight brain damage, and displays anti-aging properties. Make sure you get your green tea supplement from a quality company that gives you at least 90 mg of the main active ingredient, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) per serving. This is the amount used in the initial studies but some research shows that larger dosages may be even more effective.
Study Reference: Venables MC, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008, 87(£):778-84
Article Source: Tropicana Fitness
Osmotin: Fat Loss Fungus
March 24, 2009
Plants contain various defense mechanisms which protect them from environmental onslaught. While as humans we have our own inborn defense mechanisms, plants also have theirs. A common protein in plants that protects against fungal infections has been found to mimic a human hormone called “Adiponectin” that’s linked to weight loss. Adiponectin regulates blood sugar uptake and prevents development of diabetes and heart disease. People with diabetes and people that are obese tend to have low levels of adiponectin. According to Purdue University, the plant protein called “osmotin” activates the receptors in humans in the same manner adiponectin does. Scientists theorize that osmotin supplementation may help raise adiponectin levels resulting in weight loss and the reduction in risk of diabetes or heart disease.
STUDY REFERENCE: Molecular Cell, Jan 2005
SOURCE: Muscular Development
Meltdown Now Clinically Proven
March 19, 2009
Dietary supplements targeting fat loss and increased thermogenesis are flooding the market within the sport nutrition/weight loss sector, but do they work? While some isolated ingredients have been reported to be effective when used at high dosages, in particular in animal test subjects and/or via intravenous delivery, but little objective evidence is available when it comes to the effectiveness of a finished product taken by humans in oral form.
Meltdown Clinical Study Results
VPX has really stepped it up lately and funded a series clinical trials on their products which is a move that should be applauded. They are one of only a handful of companies doing such. A recent study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2009 reports that Meltdown increased the fat-burning hormone norepinephrine, increased fat breakdown and metabolic rate. This is great news for those looking for a fat burner with science backing it.
Meltdown RTD
VPX has also launched Meltdown in a portable RTD and mini “shots” which will be a huge success in the marketplace I’m sure. I received their new Watermelon flavor and the taste was unbelievable. According to the Nutrition Business Journal, the two areas growing most in the supplement industry are convenience and taste. Based on the Meltdown RTDs I tried, VPX has both of these variable nailed down.
SOURCE: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Chili Peppers Help Fat Loss
March 17, 2009
Capsaicin is a nutrient found in chilli peppers and is what gives them their hot burning effect when you eat them. Many studies have suggested that capsaicin can increase the metabolic rate and cause weight and fat loss. A recent study gave subjects a dose of capsinoids (active components of Capsaicin) to determine whether they are safe and effective. When all of the results were in, the researchers found that the group taking the capsinoids burned more fat than those not taking them! What’s also interesting is that the weight lost seemed to favor the abdominal area over other areas of the body! The final results on fat burning were not quite massive but nevertheless, this kind of result certainly justifies more research on these novel forms of capsinoids.
SOURCE: Tropicana Fitness
Clinically Proven MRP
March 2, 2009
Oklahoma University has tested the Meal Replacement Powder called “Full Strength” which is developed by one of the true supplement experts of the last 20 years. The expert I’m referring to is a man names Shawn Phillips.
Who Is Shawn Phillips?
Shawn Phillips (pictured on the left with the killer physique) was always known in the supplement industry as the older brother of famed fitness icon Bill Phillips, but what many don’t know is that he was also one of the people that helped out with the launch of MET-Rx, and Myoplex which spawned the whole MRP category. Over the years, Shawn has moved into many different areas in the health and fitness industry but one thing has held constant and that’s his desire to deliver real results to people looking to build muscle, lose fat and gain strength.
What’s Inside Full Strength?
From looking at the Full Strength formula, I’d say that Shawn has put together a solid formula. Each serving contains 300 calories of which, includes 40 grams a combination of whey isolate, whey concentrate and milk protein, 25 g of carbs (which includes 6 g of fiber), EFAs and all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
Full Strength Is Clinically Proven
As readers of SupplementGenius.com know, more than 95% of all the supplements lining store shelves have not been put through any university testing. So when a company comes along that steps up to the plate and funds a clinical, I have to applaud them on their efforts. The Oklahoma University study showed Full Strength increased energy levels, lowered cholesterol levels and greatly improved weight loss and fat loss all while adding lean muscle. Test subjects were told to eat “whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.” The only nutrition intervention was to add one to two Full Strength nutrition shakes each day. Adding the MRP shake the diet yielded some of the most significant findings Jeffery Stout, PhD, the lead researcher designing and overseeing the study, has seen in over 20 years of research.
According to Dr. Stout, “the results suggest that sedentary adult men and women adhering to the American College of Sports Medicine exercise guidelines with an ad libitum diet and Full Strength for 10 weeks can significantly reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors and improve all factors measured for physical fitness and health.”
Participants consumed one Full Strength nutrition shake for the first 2 weeks and two Full Strength shakes for remainder of the 10 week study. Just like the rest of their diet, the Full Strength shakes were enjoyed whenever the participants wanted them. Click HERE to read the study.
SOURCE: Full Strength
Choline
December 18, 2008
Choline is called a “lipotropic” which means it is involved in the burning of fat. In the body, this molecule combines with fatty acids and phosphoric acid to form Lecithin - a natural fat emulsifier. Choline also helps regulate liver and gall bladder functioning and aids in the prevention of gallstones. Choline has been shown to be beneficial in reducing total cholesterol levels for some athletes. It may also improve the health of a damaged liver and kidneys. Choline deficiency is associated with fatty deposits in the liver, resulting in ulcers, heart trouble, and kidney stones. But supplementing choline to lose fat does not make any sense unless you’re deficient in this nutrient. 
Food Sources
If you’re eating eggs, peanut butter, potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, bananas, milk, oats, barley, corn, or oranges you’re not likely deficient. If you’re training hard, you shouldn’t need more than 550 milligrams of Choline daily. But if you’re taking the drug “Methotrexate” which treats cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, you may be deficient right now. This drug has a profound ability to increase the risk of choline deficiency.
Chromium Picolinate
December 12, 2008
Minerals are vital to health and muscle building but by their very nature are hard to assimilate in the body. They need “transport service” from other substances known as chelators, and one of the most effective chelating agents is called “Picolinic Acid”. Mineral picolinic acid compounds greatly enhance the effectiveness of essential minerals. Many years back, a report linking the use of Chromium Picolinate to muscle growth gained tons of press. This report claimed that a group of students were given either a placebo or chromium picolinate, and were told to take this everyday for 40 days. During the course of the study, the students maintained 
their normal dietary and activity habits while lifting weight three hours a week. The lean mass of the students given Chromium Picolinate increased by 3.5 lbs. while that of the students given the placebo increased by less than 2 ounces! Although these findings were interesting, many experts suspect that they have some shortcomings that may have skewed the results. The largest supplier of Chromium Picolinate in the world is a manufacturer called “Nutrition 21“. This form of chromium is a great option for bodybuilders who are deficient in Chromium.