Body Composition And Hormonal Adaptations Associated With Forskolin Consumption In Overweight And Obese Males

Abstract

PURPOSE The current investigation examined forskolin's effect on body composition, testosterone, metabolic rate, and blood pressure in overweight and obese (BMI ≥ 26 kg/m2) males. METHODS Thirty subjects (forskolin; n=15, and placebo; n=15) were investigated in a randomized, double blind, and placebo-controlled study for a period of 12 weeks. RESULTS Forskolin was shown to elicit favorable changes in body composition by significantly decreasing body fat % (BF%) and fat mass (FM) as determined from dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) when compared to the placebo group (−4.14 ± 4.47 % vs. − 0.96 ± 1.66 % for BF% and −4.52 ± 5.74 kg vs. − 0.51 ± 1.91 kg for FM, p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, forskolin administration resulted in a change in bone mass (BM) for the 12-week trial when compared to the placebo group (+ 0.27 ± 0.31 kg vs. + 0.20 ± 0.53 kg, p ≤ 0.05). There was a trend toward a significant increase for LBM in the forskolin group when compared to the placebo group (+ 3.71 ± 4.07 kg forskolin vs. + 1.57 ± 2.56 kg respectively, p = 0.097). Serum free testosterone levels were significantly increased in the forskolin group compared to the placebo group (0.46 ± 0.86 pg/ml vs. −0.51 ± 1.04 pg/ml respectively, p ≤ 0.05). The actual change in serum total testosterone concentration was not significantly different between groups (0.69 ± 1.26 ng/ml forskolin vs. −0.11 ± 0.95 ng/ml), but it increased 16.77 ± 33.77 % in the forskolin group compared to a decrease of 1.08 ± 18.35 % in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS Oral ingestion of forskolin (250 mg of 10% forskolin extract twice a day) for a 12-week period was shown to favorably alter body composition by decreasing BF% and FM while concurrently increasing BM and serum free testosterone levels in overweight and obese males. The results indicate that forskolin is a possible therapeutic agent for the management and treatment of obesity.