What is Body Shape?
Hoodia is a succulent plant that
looks like a cactus. It is native to the
Kalahari
Desert in the southern tip of Africa,
principally in the nations of South Africa
and Namibia. The San people, native to the
Kalahari Desert, have used
hoodia for millennia to suppress appetite
for food and water and to increase
energy.
A number of studies have been conducted at a
South African government
agency, the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR) to identify
the extracts from Hoodia species as
possessing appetite-suppressing
properties. Van Heerden F.R. et al isolated
two pregnane glycosides by
fractionation of the dried stems of Hoodia
species on the basis of
spectroscopic studies and conversion to
known compounds.
One of the compound, with structure as
3beta-[beta-D-thevetopyranosyl-(1--
>4)-beta-D- cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-cymaropyranosyloxy]-12betatigloyloxy-
14beta-hydroxypregn-5-en-20-one, was tested
for its appetite
suppressant properties in rats by oral
gavage. The results showed that all
doses resulted in a decrease of food
consumption over an eight-day period
and a body mass decrease when compared to
the control sample.
In a comparative study against a
fenfluramine (an anti-obesity medication)
control sample, this compound from Hoodia
resulted in a reduction in food
intake over the study period, with a
concomitant overall decrease in body
weight while fenfluramine resulted in a
small decrease in food intake, but an
increase in body weight over the same period
of time.
This finding shows that pregnane glycosides
from Hoodia species may
possess appetite-suppressing properties
which are beneficial for individuals
wishing to have a control of their food
intake as well as their body mass.
Brindleberry, also called garcinia
and Malabar tamarind, is a little
pumpkinshaped
fruit that has been used as a condiment in
dishes such as curry. It
contains Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA), which has
a chemical structure similar to
that of citric acid, the primary acid in
citrus fruits.
The effect of short-term administration of
HCA on adipose tissue and body
weight was studied in obese women in
Thailand. Fifty obese women with a
body mass index over 25 kg/m2 were randomly
allocated into two groups, with
25 in each group. Group 1 received HCA,
while Group 2 received placebo. All
subjects were recommended a similar diet
with 1000 Kcal/day. The trial lasted
for 2 months.
Group 1 lost significantly more weight and
at a greater rate than Group 2
throughout the study. The decrease in their
body weight was due to a loss of
fat storage as evidenced by a significant
decrease in the triceps skin fold
thickness. This study suggested that HCA was
an effective aid for weight
management on a short-term basis.
Citrus aurantium (CA), commonly known
as bitter orange and seville orange,
is used similarly in a wide variety of
traditions. The peel of the fruit is used
for
stomachaches and high blood pressure. In
Traditional Chinese Medicine, the
peel of the immature fruit is used for
indigestion, abdominal pain, constipation,
and dysenteric diarrhoea. CA continues to be
widely used for insomnia and
indigestion in many parts of the world.
In Canada, a study was carried out to
determine whether adrenergic amines
extracted from CA induce an increase in
metabolic rate and enhance the
thermic response to the meal. In 30 healthy
weight-stable subjects, body
composition was determined by bio-impedance
analysis followed by resting
energy expenditure for 20 minutes. The
thermic effect of food (TEF) is the
increment in energy expenditure above
resting metabolic rate due to the cost
of processing food for storage and use. TEF
of a 1.7-MJ, 30-gram protein
meal was determined intermittently for 300
minutes by indirect calorimetry. In
a subset of 22 subjects, the TEFs of CA
alone and when added to the same
meal were determined.
The thermic response to CA alone was higher
in men than in women. When
added to the meal, CA increased TEF in women
and to values similar to men.
The result demonstrated that CA increased
TEF in men and women, alone
and when added to a meal. This also
indicates that CA may raise the
metabolic rate, which aids in burning the
calories and weight control.
Guarana has been used by the
indigenous people of the Amazon rain forest
as a beverage and a medicine. It was used
for diarrhoea, decreasing fatigue,
reducing hunger, and aiding arthritis. It
also has a history of use for those with
hangovers from alcohol abuse and headaches
related to menstruation. The
primary active constituent in guarana is
caffeine with its well-known effects
that include stimulating the central nervous
system, increasing metabolic rate,
and having a mild diuretic effect.
Dulloo A.G. et al from University of London
investigated the influence of
caffeine consumption on thermogenesis and
daily energy expenditure (EE) in
lean and post-obese human volunteers.
Single-dose oral administration of
100 mg caffeine increased the resting
metabolic rate of both lean and postobese
human volunteers over 150 minutes. It also
improved the defective
diet-induced thermogenesis observed in the
post-obese subjects.
Measurements of EE in a room respirometer
indicated that repeated caffeine
administration at 2-hour intervals over a
12-hour day period increased the EE
of both subject groups during that period.
The net effect was a significant
increase in daily EE in the lean volunteers
and post-obese subjects. Caffeine
at commonly consumed doses can have a
significant influence on energy
balance and may promote thermogenesis in the
treatment of obesity.
A Japanese study was conducted to clarify
whether there were any
differences in basal metabolic rate (BMR)
and thermogenic response to
caffeine in individual obese women, and if
so, whether such differences
affected weight loss. The basal and resting
metabolic rates at 30 minutes after
a caffeine-loading test were measured in 136
obese women and 10 lean agematched
controls. The obese subjects were then asked
to follow a combined
low calorie diet and exercise regimen.
The results showed that the BMR and the
thermogenic responses to caffeine
varied widely in obese subjects. After two
months of caffeine treatment, the
body weight and percentage body fat in obese
women were significantly
reduced. There were significant correlations
between the BMR and body
weight loss, between BMR/lean body mass and
body weight loss and
between the thermogenic response to caffeine
and body weight loss.
These two studies suggest that caffeine may
be beneficial for increasing the
energy expenditure, promoting thermogenesis,
and reducing body weight.
Gymnema has been used in Traditional
Indian Medicine as a treatment of
type 1 and type 2 diabetes for over 2,000
years. The leaves were also used
for stomach ailments, constipation, water
retention, and liver disease.
Luo H. et al found out that gymnemate
extracted from Gymnema sylvestre,
inhibited oleic acid absorption. They
carried out another study to search for an
obesity control method without rebound. The
effect of gymnemate on obesity
was investigated in Otsuka Long-Evans
Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat, a
genetic multifactor syndrome model, which
exhibited progressive overweight,
hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia.
The OLETF rats were divided into three
groups. The first group was supplied
with gymnemate and water for 2 weeks from
26-28 weeks, and following it
general diet and water for 3 weeks to
observe if it rebound. The second group
was OLETF-control and the third group was
the counterpart Long-Evans
Tokushima Otsuka rats as normal-control.
With gymnemate treatment, the food and water
intake were decreased about
a third and two thirds, along with body
weight reduced during the first and
second weeks respectively. In the end of
experiment, which was 3 weeks
after gymnemate withdrawal, the body weight
was decreased to no significant difference
with normal-control. The total cholesterol
was decreased about a
third; moreover LDL+VLDL cholesterol
decreased about half. The proportion
of HDL cholesterol to the total cholesterol
was increased. The serum
triglyceride was decreased to a quarter of
OLETF control. The level of serum
cholesterol and triglyceride was no
significant difference in gymnemate group
with normal group.
This study showed that supplementation with
gymnemate promoted weight
loss by its ability to reduce hyperlipidemia,
which was no withdrawal rebound.
This was an important discovery as
supplementation with gymnemate could
be a novel valuable tool for weight
management, especially in multifactor
syndrome.
Green tea has been used both as a
social and a medicinal beverage. Unlike
black and oolong tea, it is not fermented
and thus the active constituents
remain unaltered in the tea. Traditional
Chinese Medicine has recommended
green tea for headaches, body aches and
pains, digestion, depression,
immune enhancement, detoxification, as an
energiser and to prolong life.
By virtue of its high content of caffeine
and catechin polyphenols, green tea
extract was studied to determine whether it
could increase 24-hour energy
expenditure (EE) and fat oxidation in
humans. 24-hour EE, the respiratory
quotient (RQ), and the urinary excretion of
nitrogen and catecholamines were
measured in a respiratory chamber in 10
healthy men. On 3 separate
occasions, subjects were randomly assigned
to one of the three treatments,
green tea extract, caffeine and placebo,
which they ingested at breakfast,
lunch and dinner.
The treatment with green tea extract
resulted in a significant increase in 24-
hour EE and a significant decrease in
24-hour RQ without any change in
urinary nitrogen relative to placebo.
24-hour urinary norepinephrine excretion
was higher during treatment with green tea
extract than with the placebo.
Treatment with caffeine had no effect on EE
and RQ, as well as on urinary
nitrogen or catecholamines.
This trial suggests that green tea has
thermogenic properties and promotes
fat oxidation beyond that explained by its
caffeine content per se. The green
tea extract may play a role in the control
of body composition via sympathetic
activation of thermogenesis, fat oxidation,
or both.
Ginger is highly valued as a spice
especially with its warming properties. It
acts as an antioxidant and has antibAscorbic
Acidacterial, anti-inflammatory,
anti-clotting,
anti-ulcer and pain-killing properties.
Ginger helps to increase acid secretion
in the stomach, improve liver function,
lower cholesterol, relieve spasms in the
gut, as well as having beneficial effects on
the heart. It is used to help with
nausea and vomiting, to improve digestion
and inflammatory conditions such
as arthritis.
In Netherlands, the metabolic effects of
spices, teas and caffeine were
reviewed. The consumption of spiced foods or
herbal drinks leads to greater
thermogenesis and in some cases to greater
satiety. In this regard, ginger is
one of these functional ingredients that
have the potential to produce
significant effects on metabolic targets
such as satiety, thermogenesis, and fat
oxidation. The thermogenic ingredients may
be considered as functional
agents that could help in preventing a
positive energy balance and obesity.
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) is a
water-soluble vitamin that has a number of
biological functions. Acting as an
antioxidant, one of vitamin C’s important
functions is to protect LDL cholesterol from
oxidative damage. Vitamin C is
needed to make collagen, a protein that
forms the basis of connective tissues
such as bones, teeth and cartilage and
strengthens many parts of the body,
including muscles and blood vessels. It
plays important roles in wound healing
and acts as a natural antihistamine. It also
aids in the formation of liver bile,
and helps to fight viruses and to detoxify
alcohol and other substances.
Vitamin C is essential for maintaining
healthy immune and nervous systems.
Naylor G.J. carried out a double blind
placebo controlled trial to investigate
the effect of ascorbic acid in obesity. A
total of 41 severely obese subjects
participated in the study, but only 38
subjects completed the 6-week trial. 19
subjects received ascorbic acid daily, while
19 subjects received placebo.
There was a small weight loss during the
trial in both groups. But the weight
loss was significantly greater in the
ascorbic acid treated group compared to
the placebo group. Hence ascorbic acid may
have a beneficial effect on
weight loss.
Carnitine is considered a
"conditionally essential" nutrient as it is
made in the
body from the amino acids, lysine and
methionine, and is needed to release
energy from fat. It transports fatty acids
into mitochondria, the powerhouses of
cells, where they are metabolised to release
energy for body functions.
Carnitine thus increases the use of fat as
an energy source.
An Italian, placebo-controlled, randomised,
double-blind, two-phase study was
aimed to evaluate the effects of
supplementation of carnitine on body
composition, lipid profile and fatigue in
elderly subjects with rapid muscle
fatigue. A total of eighty-four
elCayenne,derly subjects with onset of
fatigue following
slight physical activity were recruited to
the study. Before the 30-day
treatment phase, subjects were randomly
assigned to receive either carnitine
or placebo. Efficacy measures included
changes in total fat mass, total
muscle mass, serum triglyceride, total
cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDLcholesterol,
apolipoprotein (apo)A1, and apoB levels. The
Wessely and
Powell scale was used to evaluate physical
and mental fatigue. The subjects
were assessed at the beginning and end of
the study period.
At the end of the study, compared with
placebo, the carnitine group showed
significant improvements in total fat mass,
total muscle mass, total
cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides,
apoA1, and apoB. Wessely and
Powell scores of physical and mental fatigue
decreased significantly in carnitine group
compared with the placebo group. It was
concluded that
administration of carnitine to healthy
elderly subjects resulted in a reduction of
total fat mass, an increase of total muscle
mass, and appeared to exert a
favourable effect on fatigue and serum
lipids.
Cayenne, sometimes referred as chilli
or hot pepper, has been used as an
essential ingredient in cooking and as
medicine for centuries. It is considered
helpful for various conditions of the
gastrointestinal tract, including cramping
pains, stomachaches and gas. Cayenne
ingestion has been found to have a
positive effect on the circulatory system,
as well as the cholesterol level.
Two Canadian studies were conducted to
investigate the effects of cayenne
on feeding behaviour and energy intake. In
the first study, the effects of
dietary cayenne added to meals on subsequent
energy and macronutrient
intakes were examined in thirteen Japanese
female subjects. The subjects
who ate high-carbohydrate breakfasts and
high-carbohydrate breakfasts with
cayenne significantly reduced the desire to
eat and hunger after breakfast.
The addition of cayenne to the breakfast
significantly decreased protein and
fat intakes at lunchtime.
In the second study, the effects of a
cayenne appetizer on subsequent energy
and macronutrient intakes were examined in
ten Caucasian male subjects.
After ingesting a standardized breakfast,
the subjects took either a mixed diet
with appetizer or a mixed diet with cayenne
appetizer at lunchtime. The
addition of cayenne to the appetizer
significantly reduced the cumulative ad
libitum energy and carbohydrate intakes
during the rest of the lunch and in the
snack served several hours later.
The results from these two studies indicate
that the ingestion of cayenne
decreases appetite and subsequent protein
and fat intakes in Japanese
females and energy intake in Caucasian
males. These findings suggest that
cayenne may help to reduce appetite and
energy intake.
5-HTP (5-Hydroxytrytophan) is
naturally found in the seeds of Griffonia
simplicifolia, a West African medicinal
plant. The human body manufactures
5-HTP from L-tryptophan, a natural amino
acid found in most dietary proteins.
5-HTP is used by the human body to make
serotonin, which is an important
neurotransmitter for normal nerve and brain
function. Serotonin appears to
play significant roles in sleep, emotional
moods, pain control, inflammation,
intestinal peristalsis and other body
functions.
Previous observations have shown that oral
administration 5-HTP causes
anorexia, decreased food intake, and weight
loss in obese subjects. A doubleblinded
study was conducted to confirm these data
over a longer period of
observation and to verify whether 5-HTP
could improve adherence to dietary
restriction. A total of 20 obese patients
were randomly assigned to receive
either 5-HTP or placebo for two consecutive
6-week periods. No diet was
prescribed during the first period, a
5040-kJ/d diet was recommended for the
second.
Significant weight loss was observed in
5-HTP-treated patients during both
periods. A reduction in carbohydrate intake
and a consistent presence of early
satiety were also found. These findings
together with the good tolerance
observed suggest that 5-HTP may be safely
used to treat obesity.
Piperine is a pungent alkaloid
present in the black pepper. It has been
used
shown to enhance the bioavailability of
various structurally and therapeutically
diverse drugs or solutes. An Indian study
was conducted to investigate the
permeability characteristics of piperine on
oral absorption. The result suggests
that piperine is absorbed very fast across
the intestinal barrier. It may act as
an apolar molecule and form apolar complex
with drugs and solutes. It may
modulate membrane dynamics due to its easy
partitioning thus helping in
efficient permeability across the barriers.
It is important to include piperine in the
formulation of Body Shape as it aids
with the permeability across intestinal
barriers of the herbs and nutrients in
Body Shape. This in turn enhances the
bioavailability of these beneficial
nutrients.
In summary, Body Shape is a comprehensive
formulation containing various
herbs and nutrients that are useful for
weight management and control of fat
metabolism. It is particularly helpful for
those who wish to suppress their
appetites and increase their energy levels.
Body Shape is an ideal
supplement that supports a healthy
lifestyle.
Cautions:
Avoid taking if pregnant or lactating. Seek
professional health advice if taking
medication, suffering a medical condition (ie.
eating disorder) or a child before
supplementing. This product contains
caffeine, which may cause insomnia
and anxiety in some individuals.
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Dulloo A.G., Duret C., Rohrer D., Girardier
L., Mensi N., Fathi M., Chantre P.,
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extract rich in catechin polyphenols and
caffeine in increasing 24-h energy
expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Am
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GNC Healthnotes: www.gnc.com
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