Weight Loss Supplements Research Articles

Food Supplements for Weight Loss: Risk Assessment of Selected Impurities.

Nowadays, food supplements are widely consumed, often without any medical supervision. In this study, 25 food supplements for weight loss, randomly purchased from five different suppliers in the European Union, were analysed by Wavelength Dispersive X ray Fluorescence spectrometry (WDXRF). The aim of this study was the risk assessment of trace elements and the mixture of elements present in food supplements for weight loss. The obtained Hazard Index (0.11) showed no potential risk of non-carcinogenic effects to human health. However, since humans are frequently exposed by different routes and/or sources to toxic metals, the additional consumption of these products may cause potential toxicological risks that cannot be ignored. In one analysed food supplement (FS), the simultaneous presence of Pb and Mn in high concentrations was detected. In two, FS chromium concentrations were above the reference daily dose. Unconformities were detected between the labelled and the detected values, which emphasises the misinformation of labels. This highlights the need for a deeper surveillance of food supplements.

Influence of Diet-Induced Obesity on the Bioavailability and Metabolism of Raspberry Ketone (4-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-Butanone) in Mice.

Raspberry ketone (RK) is the primary aroma compound in red raspberries and a dietary supplement for weight loss. This work aims to 1) compare RK bioavailability in male versus female, normal-weight versus obese mice; 2) characterize RK metabolic pathways. Study 1: C57BL/6J male and female mice fed a low-fat diet (LFD; 10% fat) receive a single oral gavage dose of RK (200mg kg-1 ). Blood, brain, and white adipose tissue (WAT) are collected over 12 h. Study 2:Male mice are fed a LFD or high-fat diet (45% fat) for 8 weeks before RK dosing. Samples collected are analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS for RK and its metabolites. RK is rapidly absorbed (Tmax ≈ 15min), and bioconverted into diverse metabolites in mice. Total bioavailability (AUC0-12 h ) is slightly lower in females than males (566vs 675nmol mL-1 min-1 ). Total bioavailability in obese mice is almost doubled that of control mice (1197vs 679nmol mL-1 min-1 ), while peaking times and elimination half-lives are delayed. Higher levels of RK and major metabolites are found in WAT of the obese than normal-weight animals. RK is highly bioavailable, rapidly metabolized, and exhibits significantly different pharmacokinetic behaviors between obese and control mice. Lipid-rich tissues, especially WAT, can be a direct target of RK.

Effects of isolated or combined exposure to sibutramine and rosuvastatin on reproductive parameters of adult male rats.

Many obese patients are exposed to hypolipidemic and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) drugs. Statins are one of the most marketed drugs in the world to treat dyslipidemia, while sibutramine, a SNRI drug, is prescribed in some countries to treat obesity and is detected as an additive in many adulterated weight loss supplements marketed worldwide. Previous studies reported adverse effects of isolated exposure to these drugs on male rat reproductive parameters. In the present work, we further investigated male reproductive toxicity of these drugs, administered in isolation or combination in adult rats for a longer period of treatment. Adult male rats (90 days) were treated (gavage) for 70 days with saline and dimethyl sulfoxide (control), sibutramine (10 mg/kg), rosuvastatin (5 mg/kg), or rosuvastatin combined with sibutramine. Sibutramine alone or with rosuvastatin, promoted a reduction in food intake and body weight gain, weight of the epididymis, ventral prostate and seminal vesicle; as well as decreased sperm reserves and transit time through the epididymis; androgen depletion; and increased index of cytoplasmic droplet. The rosuvastatin-treated group showed reduced frequency of ejaculation. Exposure to this drug alone or combined with sibutramine impaired epididymal morphology. Co-exposed rats had altered epididymal morphometry, and seminal vesicle and testis weights. The rats also showed decreased fertility after natural mating and a trend toward a delay in ejaculation, suggesting a small synergistic effect of these drugs. Given the greater reproductive efficiency of rodents, the results obtained in the present study raise concern regarding possible fertility impairment in men taking statins and SNRI drugs.

42. The dangers of herbal weight loss supplements: A case report of drug-induced liver injury secondary to GARCINIA CAMBOGIA ingestion and literature review

42. The dangers of herbal weight loss supplements: A case report of drug-induced liver injury secondary to GARCINIA CAMBOGIA ingestion and literature review

Weight loss supplement causing acute heart block in a child

A 16-year-old male was admitted to the paediatric ICU with acute onset of vomiting, somnolence, and chest pain, and electrocardiogram showing 2nd degree heart block after ingesting an Aleurites moluccana (Candlenut) seed as a herbal weight loss supplement. Electrocardiogram showed progressively worsening heart block with down-sloping of the ST segments, resembling digoxin toxicity. After 2 days of ICU observation, his symptoms began to improve and eventually resolved. The side effects of herbal supplements are often unknown but by analysing cases such as these, physicians can develop a better understanding of these substances to help guide management.

Toxicity Analysis on Weight-Loss Supplement using Allium Test and Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR)

Recently, consumptions of weight-loss supplement to reduce and maintain body weight had tremendously increased among local people. The effect of this supplement on dividing cells particularly on chromosome and DNA should be addressed due to lack of information by manufacturers regarding the ingredients. This study was carried out to observe any toxicity effects of two commercial weight-loss supplements through Allium test and simple sequence repeat (SSR). Toxicity analysis was investigated through observation on mitotic cells of Allium cepa which includes mitotic index and chromosomes analyses at 24 and 48 hours of treatments. The genotoxic effects of brand X at 24 hours was identified by SSR based on different sizes of band (230 bp) compared to control (200 bp). At 48 hours, positive genotoxic effects were observed through chromosomes and DNA analyses. Meanwhile, brand Y showed genotoxic effect at 24 hours as suggested by both studies. Prolonged treatment at 48 hours proved the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of brand Y as supported by Allium test and SSR. This preliminary finding is beneficial for future study on toxicity effects of weight-loss supplements which will help to increase public awareness on the risks of consumption without consultation of nutritionist or physician.

Adulteration of Slimming Products and its Detection Methods

Obesity is a chronic disease associated with serious health problem such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Due to the growing trend of returning to nature and the fear of adverse reactions from conventional medicines, people are increasingly resorting to the use of herbal preparations. Adulterated herbal weight loss products with containing undeclared synthetic drugs are common and responsible for many serious health damages. Because of long-term use and natural origin these preparations give a sense of security. But herbal weight loss formulations also possess undesirable effects and, among other dangers, present a risk connected with deliberate addition of synthetic compounds, deliberate or unintentional replacement of the plant species or simply a risk of mislabeling. The most undeclared ingredients, which were illegally added include sibutramine, phenolphthalein, bumetanide, and phenytoin in the herbal called products, weight reducing and fat loss supplements. Caffeine, pseudoephedrine, theobromine and amfepramone were also found in the supplements. In the world of Internet ordering, these are the dangers that everyone should be aware of. In this article, we reviewed the safety issues related to adulterated or mislabeled herbal products. Adulterated synthetic substances were detected in the herbal weight loss products. Health care professionals should make people aware of the risks of taking herbal weight-loss supplements.

Are There Adverse Events after the Use of Sexual Enhancement Nutrition Supplements? A Nationwide Online Survey from Japan.

Dozens of safety alerts for sexual enhancement and weight loss dietary supplements have been launched from the government not only in Japan but also overseas. However, adverse events have been reported only for the use of weight loss supplements, and the prevalence of use and adverse events in sexual enhancement supplements is not known in Japan. To address this issue, we assessed the situation of sexual enhancement supplement use through a nationwide online survey. The prevalence of sexual enhancement supplement use among males was 23.0%. Use of these supplements was higher among younger people than among older people (p < 0.001). In total, 17.6% of users had experienced adverse events, but 58.3% of them did not consult about the events with anybody because of the temporality of their symptoms and their sense of shame. In addition, eight supplement products were found to be possible adulterated supplements in this survey. It is necessary to inform the public about the risk of sexual enhancement supplement use and also prepare a place for consultation on media channels that younger people are more familiar with, in order to monitor adverse events while also preserving their privacy.

Ibrutinib, Fludarabine, Cyclophosphamide, and Obinutuzumab (iFCG) for First-Line Treatment of IGHV-Mutated CLL and without Del(17p)/Mutated TP53

Ibrutinib, Fludarabine, Cyclophosphamide, and Obinutuzumab (iFCG) for First-Line Treatment of IGHV-Mutated CLL and without Del(17p)/Mutated TP53

Acute p-synephrine ingestion increases whole-body fat oxidation during 1-h of cycling at Fatmax

p-Synephrine, the principal alkaloid of bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), is widely used in dietary supplements for weight loss due to its purported effect of increasing fat oxidation. However, there is a paucity of scientific information about its effectiveness in enhancing fat oxidation during exercise. The aim of this investigation was to determine the effect of an acute dose of p-synephrine on substrate oxidation during prolonged and constant intensity exercise. In a double-blind and randomized experiment, 14 healthy subjects performed two acute experimental trials after ingesting either p-synephrine (3mgkg-1) or a placebo (cellulose). Energy expenditure and fat oxidation rates were continuously measured by indirect calorimetry during 1h of continuous cycling at Fatmax, the intensity that induces maximal fat oxidation rate. In comparison to the placebo, energy expenditure during 1h of cycling remained unchanged with p-synephrine (698 ± 129 vs. 686 ± 123kcal, P = 0.08). However, p-synephrine increased whole-body fat oxidation (33.6 ± 10.4 vs. 37.3 ± 9.8g, P < 0.01) while also reducing carbohydrate oxidation (99.5 ± 30.4 vs. 85.0 ± 28.4g, P < 0.01). However, the magnitude of the shift on substrate oxidation induced by p-synephrine was small. Acute ingestion of p-synephrine augments fat oxidation during prolonged and constant-intensity exercise.

2429 Acute Severe Cholestatic Hepatitis Secondary to Emerge Weight Loss Supplement

INTRODUCTION: Herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) are an important cause of liver injury. EmergeR weight loss supplement is advertised as a product which burns fat and stimulates weight loss. We report a case of acute severe cholestatic hepatitis after consumption of EmergeR in a 32 year-old man. This case highlights a previously unreported and important association between this supplement and hepatotoxicity and the importance of obtaining a through medication history including HDS. CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: A 32-year-old male presented to hepatology clinic for evaluation of jaundice and elevated liver tests. He was well until 1 week ago when he developed flu-like symptoms, fatigue, jaundice, pruritus, dark urine and pale stools. He denied other symptoms, recent travel, reported rare alcohol use and did not take any other medications. However, he started a new weight loss supplement, EmergeR 3 weeks ago and had normal liver tests prior (Table 1). Exam was remarkable for a BMI of 35 and scleral icterus. Liver tests were elevated with AST 987 IU/L, ALT 2305 IU/L, total bilirubin 7.2 mg/dl and INR 1.1 (Table 1). Testing for other viral causes was negative. Abdominal ultrasound showed hepatic steatosis. The patient was advised to stop EmergeR immediately and undergo liver tests and INR weekly. 4 weeks later (7 weeks after starting EmergeR), patient was asymptomatic with resolution of prior symptoms. DISCUSSION: Despite the widespread use and potential severe side effects associated with weight loss supplements, HDS do not require FDA approval prior to marketing.3 This emphasizes the need for physicians to report potential side effects associated with weight loss products as continued use without awareness or proper monitoring can lead to severe liver injury. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of acute cholestatic hepatitis from EmergeR use. The temporal relationship of acute liver injury with the use of Emerge, improvement after withdrawal and absence of other possible causes strongly suggested that liver injury was secondary to this supplement. As EmergeR contains a variety of ingredients which may also be contaminated by an unknown toxic botanical or synthetic chemical, it remains unclear which component of EmergeR caused liver injury.4 As patients may exhibit subtle symptoms such as fatigue and nausea at the time of presentation, a high index of suspicion is required for diagnosis of HDS induced liver injury along with a through HDS use history.

2442 Garcinia Cambogia, Weight Loss at What Price?

INTRODUCTION: As obesity levels in the United States continue to rise, more Americans are turning to the use of weight loss supplements. The perception of herbal supplements as an “all-natural” alternative has led to an increase in their use as well as a false sense of security in their safety profile. Garcinia cambogia (GC) is one such weight loss supplement. GC has been a topic of controversy, being scrutinized in multiple case studies as a potential cause of herb induced liver injury (HILI), a subset of drug induced liver injury (DILI). We present a case of DILI secondary to the ingestion of GC in the setting of alcohol and quetiapine use. CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: A 46-year-old female with past medical history significant for bipolar disorder and depression presented to the emergency department with complaints of acute right upper quadrant abdominal pain and distention for two days. Initial blood tests showed transaminitis, hyperbilirubinemia, and coagulopathy. The abdomen was mildly tender to deep palpation within the right upper quadrant; no jaundice or scleral icterus was noted. Imaging showed evidence of fatty infiltration of the liver. The patient denied prior history of liver disease, however she admitted to increased daily alcohol consumption over the last several months and long-term high-dose quetiapine use. An exhaustive work-up for alternative etiologies of liver disease was negative. The patient's liver injury was deemed to be drug-induced, secondary to the synergistic effects of GC in the setting of high-dose quetiapine ingestion and alcohol use. Supportive care was continued with improvement in the liver enzymes and bilirubin, and patient was discharged home with a decreased dose of quetiapine and instructions to follow up with psychiatry. One-week follow up labs showed continued down trending of liver enzymes and bilirubin. DISCUSSION: We present this case to emphasize the importance of considering the compounding effects of multiple hepatotoxic substances when mitigating a patient's risks for long-term liver damage. Our case highlights how multiple hepatotoxic insults can create a synergistic effect great enough to push the liver beyond its detoxification limits. Additionally, it demonstrates the importance of healthcare providers acting as diligent investigators of a patient’s home medications, supplements and lifestyle habits. Heightened sense of vigilance is necessary in order to prevent liver injury and its subsequent complications.

Evaluation of Fucoxanthin Content in Popular Weight Loss Supplements: The Case for Stricter Regulation of Dietary Supplements

Misbranded and counterfeit dietary supplements have been an issue on which the US Food and Drug Administration has been vigilantly regulating. The ubiquity of online-shoppable weight-loss supplements and their unrestricted consumption by people with obesity are serious matters of concern. Fucoxanthin, a brown-seaweed-extracted carotenoid has exhibited anti-obesity property in some clinical trials through its ability to over express uncoupling protein (UCP1) in the white adipose tissue, which leads to fat burning. However, since the clinical trials apply pure fucoxanthin instead of fucoxanthin-bearing dietary supplements, a critical analysis is warranted to quantify fucoxanthin in brown seaweeds to validate their rationale in weight loss mechanism. This study examined ten randomly chosen online-sourced brands of fucoxanthin-containing dietary supplements and analyse the content using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) equipped with UV-Vis and photodiode array detector. Our exploration revealed that, of these 10 products, 3 (30%) did not have any detectable quantity of fucoxanthin, 5 (50%) contained only trace amount of it, ranging from 0.001-0.01 mg per capsule, and only 2 (20%) products contained 0.4 mg or 2 mg of fucoxanthin, meeting their label claim. This worrying finding may be interpreted that the existing ease-of-access and pervasive nature of online-sourced dietary supplements require more stringent regulatory screening.

Toxicological screening and DNA sequencing detects contamination and adulteration in regulated herbal medicines and supplements for diet, weight loss and cardiovascular health

Use of herbal medicines and supplements by consumers to prevent or treat disease, particularly chronic conditions continues to grow, leading to increased awareness of the minimal regulation standards in many countries. Fraudulent, adulterated and contaminated herbal and traditional medicines and dietary supplements are a risk to consumer health, with adverse effects and events including overdose, drug-herb interactions and hospitalisation. The scope of the risk has been difficult to determine, prompting calls for new approaches, such as the combination of DNA metabarcoding and mass spectrometry used in this study. Here we show that nearly 50% of products tested had contamination issues, in terms of DNA, chemical composition or both. Two samples were clear cases of pharmaceutical adulteration, including a combination of paracetamol and chlorpheniramine in one product and trace amounts of buclizine, a drug no longer in use in Australia, in another. Other issues include the undeclared presence of stimulants such as caffeine, synephrine or ephedrine. DNA data highlighted potential allergy concerns (nuts, wheat), presence of potential toxins (Neem oil) and animal ingredients (reindeer, frog, shrew), and possible substitution of bird cartilage in place of shark. Only 21% of the tested products were able to have at least one ingredient corroborated by DNA sequencing. This study demonstrates that, despite current monitoring approaches, contaminated and adulterated products are still reaching the consumer. We suggest that a better solution is stronger pre-market evaluation, using techniques such as that outlined in this study.

SUN-PO194: Are the Users of Weight Loss Supplements at Higher Risk of Having a Positive Screen for Eating Disorders?

SUN-PO194: Are the Users of Weight Loss Supplements at Higher Risk of Having a Positive Screen for Eating Disorders?

SUN-PO276: Factors, Beliefs and Behaviors Related to the Use of Weight Loss Supplements

SUN-PO276: Factors, Beliefs and Behaviors Related to the Use of Weight Loss Supplements

Properties and characteristics of novel formaldehyde-free wood adhesives prepared from Irvingia gabonensis and Irvingia wombolu seed kernel extracts

There is renewed interest in the domestication of Irvingia tree species due to the potential use of various parts of the tree as raw materials for a wide range of applications such as biodiesel production, cosmetics, perfumes, soap, weight-loss supplement etc. The current study investigates the properties of extracts from the seed kernels of two Irvingia species – Irvingia gabonensis (IG) and Irvingia wombolu (IW) as natural wood adhesives. Three extraction methods using various solvent/solute media were compared in terms of yield, composition and mechanical properties. Statistically, the analysis revealed significant differences between the different extraction methods. The adhesion properties of the extracts were tested on wood veneers according to the American Society for Testing and Materials standard (ASTM D – 906-64). The shear strength of the extracts ranged from 0.55 to 1.5 MPa and 0.86–1.7 MPa for IG and IW, respectively. The initial decomposition temperature of all Irvingia Kernel extract ranges from 138.3 to 149.11 °C for IG and 129.5–145.3 °C for IW. As a result, the hot melt temperature for the adhesive experiments was set around 150 °C. The results indicate that Irvingia kernel extract is a more promising source of non-formaldehyde based adhesives in wood composite production.

Testing the effectiveness of anti-theft wraps across product types in retail environments: a randomized controlled trial

Anti-theft wire-wraps were tested on three high-theft product categories (cordless electric drills, weight loss supplements, and skincare products) in retail stores to estimate protective effects across product categories. This study sampled 56 retail locations, stratified into high, medium, and low-inventory loss (also referred to as shrink or shrinkage) stores. Treatment was assigned randomly within strata to retail locations. Each retail location contained anywhere from 9 to 11 different product lines, categorized into three general product categories. The unit of analysis used in this study was the individual product type nested within individual stores (product type per store) and retailer category. A nested mixed effects model design for repeated measures was used to identify the effects of the treatment on retail loss. Four models were fitted: one for overall retail loss, and one for retail loss for each of the three product categories (i.e., cordless electric drills, weight loss supplements, and skincare products). The interaction effects between treatment and time were only significant at p < .05 for cordless electric drills, but nonsignificant for the other product categories used in this study, and for overall retail loss. Our results demonstrate the effects of anti-theft wraps on in-store retail loss vary by product category. The tested treatment was conditionally efficacious. While experimental research designs have successfully tested the effectiveness of anti-theft technology in retail environments, these results may not always be generalizable across product types. Further research exploring variable anti-theft treatment effectiveness and mechanisms of action across asset types is necessary to more efficiently reduce theft events.

A Nationwide Survey of the Attitudes toward the Use of Dietary Supplements among Japanese High-School Students.

We previously studied the prevalence of dietary supplement use in Japanese high-school students by conducting a study on mothers. However, there is often a discrepancy between mothers’ understanding and children’s attitudes. Thus, we conducted an internet survey of high-school students to clarify their attitudes toward the use of dietary supplements. An invitation to the internet survey was e-mailed to registrants of a research company aged 15 to 18 years. A total of 1031 students (276 male, 755 female) answered the questionnaire on a first come, first served basis. The participants were classified according to the purchasers of their supplements: students who purchased supplements themselves were defined as active users, and others were defined as passive users. The prevalence of dietary supplement use was 30.8% in males and 26.7% in females. Among the users, 42.4% of males and 43.8% of females were active users. Males used supplements for health regardless of active or passive use. However, in females, more active users (40.9%) used supplements for weight loss than passive users (20.4%); the corresponding prevalence was 2.3% in our previous report on mothers’ understanding of their daughters. The most frequently used source of information for active users was the internet, whereas for passive users it was family. The frequency of adverse events was 9.4% in males and 14.4% in females, with gastrointestinal symptoms being the most commonly experienced events. Our results suggest that dietary education, including healthy eating and the appropriate use of dietary supplements, should be provided to high-school students.

Exploring the Viability of Exogenous Ketones as Weight Loss Supplements (P21-017-19)

Objectives70.7% of Americans over 20 years of age are overweight or obese. Currently, the main strategy for weight loss is caloric restriction. Ketone bodies have been shown to facilitate voluntary caloric restriction through altering the appetite stimulating hormone ghrelin. However, these non-toxic ketone bodies have not been evaluated as weight loss supplements. C57BL6J mice were used to determine the weight loss efficacy of exogenous ketones by adding synthetic (R/S 1,3-Butanediol Acetoacetate Diester and 1,3-Butanediol) and natural (Beta-hydroxybutyrate and Beta-hydroxybutyrate + Medium Chain Triglycerides) ketogenic agents to standard rodent chow ab-libitum. MethodsSix groups (R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester, 1,3-butanediol, beta-hydroxybutyrate, beta-hydroxybutyrate + medium chain triglycerides, caloric restriction, standard diet ad-libitum) were housed 2–5 animals per cage and monitored to ensure appropriate acclimation prior to intervention. Mice were treated for two weeks with ketogenic agents, adjusting % of agent daily to ensure 20% weight loss was achieved. ResultsAll ketogenic agents induced weight loss and voluntary caloric restriction. Weight loss for beta-hydroxybutyrate and beta-hydroxybutyrate + medium chain triglycerides was explained by caloric restriction alone. However, R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester induced weight loss at lower dosages which could not be explained by caloric restriction alone. ConclusionsTaken together, all ketogenic agents may assist in weight loss. However, R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester appears to be a more potent non-toxic ketogenic supplement that facilitates weight loss via both voluntary caloric restriction and caloric restriction-independent mechanisms. Future studies should explore caloric-restriction independent weight loss mechanisms of R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester. Funding SourcesDisruptive Nutrition.