Weight Loss Supplements Research Articles

The development of liver cirrhosis in a patient taking long-term weight loss supplements

Dietary supplements are often self-administered by patients for weight loss. However, the hepatotoxicity of such supplements remains underestimated. Liver damage is diverse: from asymptomatic reversible course to lethal fulminant hepatitis. In the case of a long unrecognized course and prolonged use of dietary supplements, irreversible structural and functional damage to the organ occurs. We present a retrospective analysis of the case histories of a patient with liver cirrhosis, who has a long history of using dietary supplements of Thai and Chinese origin, hellebore extract, during 5 years of follow-up. Despite the discontinuation of weight loss drugs, regular complex therapy, the patient has a steady progressive course of the disease. Obese patients with an increased risk of liver damage require a dynamic assessment of liver function, not only when prescribing drugs, but also when using various dietary supplements.

Colorimetric paper-based device for rapid screening of orlistat in weight loss supplements

The colorimetric paper-based device using lipase inhibition assay was developed for rapid and visual detection of orlistat in weight loss supplements. The paper device with five circular detection zones was simply fabricated from filter paper No 1 using a low-cost paper craft puncher with a design of a flower-like shape. The enzymatic reaction on the detection zone employed a small volume of a substrate, a-naphthyl acetate, a sample, and a lipase enzyme. After incubation, the Fast Blue B solution was used as a chromogenic reagent. The decrease in purple color can be observed by the naked eye, in the presence of orlistat. Under optimized conditions, the paper device showed satisfactory sensitivity and selectivity. The device was applied for rapid screening of orlistat in weight loss supplements and the results agreed with those obtained from TLC analysis.

S3547 Fulminant Liver Failure Associated With Use of Dietary Weight Loss Supplement

S3547 Fulminant Liver Failure Associated With Use of Dietary Weight Loss Supplement

Notes from the Field: Online Weight Loss Supplements Labeled as Tejocote (Crataegus mexicana) Root, Substituted with Yellow Oleander (Cascabela thevetia) - United States, 2022.

Notes from the Field: Online Weight Loss Supplements Labeled as Tejocote (Crataegus mexicana) Root, Substituted with Yellow Oleander (Cascabela thevetia) - United States, 2022.

A Study on Female Consumers’ Perceptions of the Health Value of Visual Elements of Weight Loss Health Product Packaging

The obesity epidemic has evolved into a significant problem globally and poses a serious threat to the health of society. Despite increasing international research on obesity food packaging, the health value of visual elements in weight loss supplement packaging varies according to regional cultures and consumer groups. The scope of this study is the health perceptions of obese urban Chinese women regarding the design of visual elements of weight loss health product packaging. This study constructed a visual element index system for weight loss health product packaging in order to design a related questionnaire. The research team administered the online questionnaire to 305 obese women (aged 18–45+) in urban China from 22 June to 2 July 2022. The factors influencing the perceived health value of weight loss supplement packaging in the female obese group were examined using SPSS 26.0. A t-test analysis was conducted to derive the difference in the correlation between purchase status and brand identity. Linear regression analysis showed that age groups differed in package color and package shape, respectively. The study concluded that, first, there were differences in the perceptions of weight loss health product packaging among respondents with different purchase statuses; second, the older the respondents were, the more they perceived white packaging as having health value (p < 0.05); third, the health marker’s shape had little or no statistical significance on the individuals (p > 0.05); fourth, respondents who were older were more likely to think a cylindrical design has a benefit for their health than a square box shape (p < 0.05) and an anthropomorphic shape was more likely to produce a healthy weight loss effect than cylindrical packaging (p < 0.05); and younger people thought that an anthropomorphic shape was more likely to make them recognize the health effect than square box-shaped packaging (p < 0.05).

Evaluation of weight loss supplements toxicity in rifampicin pretreated HepG2 cells

Evaluation of weight loss supplements toxicity in rifampicin pretreated HepG2 cells

1102 A Rare Case of Parenchymal Liver Injury Presenting Initially as an Obstructive Jaundice

Abstract Parenchymal liver damage is secondary to a sudden insult on hepatocytes, most commonly due to hepatitis or secondary to drug injury. A 43-year-old gentleman with a pre-existing diagnosis of fatty liver disease, presented with obstructive jaundice. He had a bilirubin of 159 and ultrasound imaging showed gallstones in his gallbladder with a dilated common bile duct (CBD) of 6.7mm. An MRCP showed a dilated CBD with an intraluminal filling defect. He was discharged home when clinically well and referred for an outpatient ERCP. This did not happen for three weeks and at this point, no cause of obstruction was identified, but a plastic biliary stent was inserted. Despite this, his liver function worsened, and he was readmitted with a bilirubin of 421. Following discussion within a multidisciplinary team he underwent a further CT scan and ERCP with stent replacement, these showed no evidence of obstruction. All acute hepatic and virology screens were negative. His bilirubin continued to uptrend hitting 644 and he became coagulopathic with an elevated INR of 2.7. The patient admitted to taking weight loss supplements including a “fat burner” powder regularly for the last two months, in keeping with the duration of his worsening liver dysfunction. He underwent a liver biopsy; the results of which are pending and is currently being treated supportively. This case presented an interesting diagnostic challenge and there remains ongoing uncertainty. The current working diagnosis is that of an obstructive jaundice which has exacerbated an underlying parenchymal liver injury secondary to supplement use.

Conjugated linoleic acid and L-carnitine combination effects on obesity-related miRNAs in diet-induced obese rats

ObjectivesObesity is a major global health issue, resulting in significant costs and increased mortality rates. Finding effective treatments for obesity is therefore essential. This study investigated the combined effects of L-Carnitine (LC) and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) on weight loss and adipose tissue microRNA levels. Subjects /methodsForty male Wistar rats weighing 150–200 g and about 8 weeks old were fed either a normal fat diet (NFD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks. Afterwards, the HFD group was randomly divided into four subgroups: control, LC (200 mg kg−1), CLA (500 mg kg−1), and both (n = 8 in each group). The study lasted for an additional 4 weeks. The animals' weights were recorded regularly, and after 12 weeks, miRNAs were extracted from epididymal adipose tissue and analysed using real-time PCR. The miRNA expression levels of miR-27a and miR-143 were compared between groups using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and one-way ANOVA tests in SPSS software. ResultsAt the end of the first 8 weeks, the HFD group weighed significantly more than the NFD group. LC significantly decreased weight gain (4.2%) compared to the control group, whereas CLA alone (3.5%) or in combination with LC (3.1%) did not significantly slow weight gain. Real-time PCR results showed that the HFD group had higher miR-143 levels and lower miR-27a levels compared to the NFD group. LC and CLA increased miR-27a expression after 4 weeks, but their combination decreased miR-27a expression. CLA alone reduced miR-143 expression, whereas LC had almost no effect. Their combination also reduced miR-143 expression. ConclusionCLA and LC, which are considered weight loss supplements, can potentially regulate metabolism and cellular pathways. However, their combination did not show a synergistic effect on weight loss, possibly due to the reduction in miR-27a expression. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of combined fat burners on obesity treatment.

Determination of aristolochic acid using a piezoelectric immunosensor based on magnetic carbon nanocomposites

A technique for the determination of aristolochic acid (AA) in food products using a piezoelectric immunosensor is presented. Magnetic carbon nanocomposites (MCNC) were used as the recognition layer of the sensor, on the surface of which protein conjugates of AA were immobilized. Abstract-Methods for the synthesis of Fe3O4 magnetic nuclei and their attachment to the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been studied. Using IR spectrometry, it was found that the formation of the recognition layer of the sensor occurs due to the formation of covalent bonds between the amino groups of AA conjugates and carboxyl groups of CNTs. The concentrations of protein conjugates based on ovalbumin (OVA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) (0.3 and 0.2 mg/ml) and the degree of antibody dilution (0.25) were determined, which provide optimal characteristics of the piezoelectric immunosensor. The metrological characteristics of the method for determining AA have been established. The range of determined concentrations of AA and the limit of detection when using a piezoelectric immunosensor with a recognition layer based on MUNA/AA-OVA and MUNA/AA-BSA are (ng/ml): 50 – 400 and 10; 100 – 300 and 50, respectively. The sensor has been tested in the determination of AA in samples of Chinese herbal tea and dietary supplements for weight loss. No acid was found in tea, and in dietary supplements, the acid content is 3.2 μg/g.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Dietary Supplements among Allied Health Sciences Undergraduates of Sri Lanka

According to research conducted in foreign coun-tries among undergraduates, there is a huge con-sumption of dietary supplements without proper consultation, and many have encountered adverse effects. However, there have been no satisfactory research studies done on dietary supplement usage among Allied Health Sciences undergraduates in Sri Lanka. The objective of the study was to de-scribe knowledge, attitudes, and practices of die-tary supplement usage among Allied Health Sci-ences undergraduates in Sri Lanka. In this descrip-tive cross-sectional study, a sample taken from a population of 2000 undergraduates of five Allied Health Sciences faculties in Sri Lanka were as-sessed using a structured, self-administered ques-tionnaire during the period from March 2021 to June 2022. Stratified random sampling was used to select participants from each department using population proportion and finalized by using sim-ple random sampling with 354 respondents as the sample size. According to the results obtained, the overall prevalence of dietary supplement usage was 63.8%. Of the individuals who used dietary supplements, 97.3% were female and 2.7% were male. The most common reason for using dietary supplements (91.2%) was to compensate for the lack of nutrients in the diet. Multivitamins and min-erals were the most frequently reported supple-ments (86.7%), followed by fish oil (84.5%), beauty ingredients added supplements (77.4%), weight loss supplements (75.2%), and pro-tein/amino acids (70.4%). Among undergraduates, there was widespread use of internet-driven, self-prescribed dietary supplements intake (95.1%). A significant number of undergraduates took dietary advice from their family members (79.2%). Only 67.3% asked for medical advice from physicians, pharmacists, and dietitians. In conclusion, preva-lence of dietary supplement consumption among participants is high (63.8%) but most of were not confident enough to recommend supplements to others (75.7%). Furthermore, side effects among consumers were minimum (4.9%) and most of them obtained the desired benefit. This study can be used to provide background knowledge for fu-ture researchers.

Knowledge, practices and risk awareness regarding non-prescription weight loss supplements among university students in UAE

Knowledge, practices and risk awareness regarding non-prescription weight loss supplements among university students in UAE

Weight Loss Supplements.

Being overweight or obese can predispose people to chronic diseases and metabolic disorders such as cardiovascular illnesses, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer, which are costly public health problems and leading causes of mortality worldwide. Many people hope to solve this problem by using food supplements, as they can be self-prescribed, contain molecules of natural origin considered to be incapable of causing damage to health, and the only sacrifice they require is economic. The market offers supplements containing food plant-derived molecules (e.g., primary and secondary metabolites, vitamins, and fibers), microbes (probiotics), and microbial-derived fractions (postbiotics). They can control lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, reduce appetite (interacting with the central nervous system) and adipogenesis, influence intestinal microbiota activity, and increase energy expenditure. Unfortunately, the copious choice of products and different legislation on food supplements worldwide can confuse consumers. This review summarizes the activity and toxicity of dietary supplements for weight control to clarify their potentiality and adverse reactions. A lack of research regarding commercially available supplements has been noted. Supplements containing postbiotic moieties are of particular interest. They are easier to store and transport and are safe even for people with a deficient immune system.

P32-023-23 Characterization of Ingredients in Thermogenic and Weight Loss Supplements

P32-023-23 Characterization of Ingredients in Thermogenic and Weight Loss Supplements

A Scoping Review: Catechin-Rich Gambir as A Potential Functional for the Obesity Management

Obesity is a complex and severe problem whose prevalence has increased significantly in the last few decades, posing a significant risk to human health. Various weight loss strategies are currently used, and different weight loss supplements are widely available. However, the effectiveness of some of these food supplements is still unknown. Thus, alternative therapy with a pharmaconutrition macronutrient approach is needed. A scoping review is necessary to scope the current article, summarize the scientific data, and guide future investigation into the potential use of catechin-rich gambir for obesity management. Results: Four databases were searched systematically. The scoping review covered articles published after 2013. A total of 251 articles were collected, and five studies (2 experimental studies) met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis results show that catechin-rich gambir has the potential a function in obesity management therapy. This mechanism, through the anti-obesity effect of catechins, is related to the uptake and synthesis of adipose tissue in obese individuals. Conclusions: Available evidence recommends that the catechin content in gambir has the potential for pharmaconutrition therapy for obesity management.

Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss.

The Federal Drug Administration has approved, following rigorous testing, 6 pharmacologic agents and one drug in device form for the management of overweight and obesity. Myriad products that purport to act on physiological mechanisms leading to weight loss also pervade the market with minimal regulatory oversight. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of these products and their ingredients fail to establish any as meaningfully effective at the clinical level. Moreover, safety concerns prevail with adulteration, hypersensitivity reactions, and recognized adverse reactions. Lifestyle, pharmacologic, and bariatric surgical treatments are increasingly available, effective, and safe management tools for practitioners who should council patients, many of whom are susceptible to misinformation, on the lack effective and safe dietary supplements for weight loss.

Weak regulations threaten the safety of consumers from harmful weight-loss supplements globally: results from a pilot global policy scan.

To pilot a global policy scan assessing how governments worldwide regulate weight-loss supplements (WLS). Experts on WLS policies from thirty countries that varied by World Bank income classification, with five from each of the six WHO regions, completed an online survey on WLS regulation in their country. The survey covered six domains: legal frameworks; pre-market requirements; claims, labelling, and advertisements; product availability; adverse events reporting; and monitoring and enforcement. Percentages were calculated for presence or absence of a type of regulation. Experts were recruited through websites of regulatory bodies and professional LinkedIn networks and scientific article searches on Google Scholar. Thirty experts, one from each country (i.e. researchers, regulators, other experts in food and drug regulation). WLS regulations varied widely across countries, and a number of gaps were identified. One country (Nigeria) has a minimum legal age to purchase WLS. Thirteen countries reported independently evaluating the safety of a new WLS product sample. Two countries have limitations on where WLS can be sold. In eleven countries, reports on adverse events related to WLS are publicly available. In eighteen countries, safety of new WLS is to be established through scientific criteria. Penalties for WLS non-compliance with pre-market regulations exist in twelve countries and labelling requirements in sixteen countries. Results of this pilot study document wide variability in national WLS regulations globally, exposing many gaps in important components of consumer protection regulatory frameworks for WLS, which likely put consumer health at risk.

Economic Value of Initial Implementation Activities for Proposed Ban on Sales of Over-The-Counter Diet Pills and Muscle-Building Supplements to Minors

Over-the-counter diet pills, weight-loss supplements, and muscle-building supplements often contain harmful ingredients and are associated with eating disorder diagnoses and other negative health outcomes. This study estimated the value of state initial implementation activities, for example, regulation development, to implement a ban on the sale of dangerous over-the-counter diet pills and muscle-building supplements to minors. We enumerated minimum, best, and maximum values for 22 inputs among 11 activities state employees may undertake if the legislation were signed into law. For employment costs, we estimated staff hours on the basis of data from 10 key informants and obtained salary ranges from a state government website. Data were collected and analyzed between September 2021 and January 2022. We calculated 95% CIs using 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations that varied inputs simultaneously and probabilistically. We conducted two sensitivity analyses using all minimum and all maximum salaries. The estimated value of state start-up activities was $47,536 (95% CI=$36,831-$57,381). Inputs with the largest impact on this estimate corresponded to combinations of the highest salary and greatest hours per task. The state's one-time opportunity cost to initiate this age-restriction policy would be minimal considering potential health gains. Sensitivity analyses did not change the conclusion, especially if the state produces subregulations linked to existing law rather than new regulations.

Population-level policy recommendations for the prevention of disordered weight control behaviors: A scoping review.

The aim of this scoping review was to identify recommendations and gaps in knowledge surrounding the prevention of disordered weight control behaviors (DWCBs) through policy. A search was conducted in several databases to identify English language articles that described an active policy, recommendation, guideline, or educational curriculum that could be implemented by governments or regulatory bodies to prevent DWCBs or related constructs (e.g., weight stigma, body dissatisfaction). Two researchers independently screened articles with oversight from a third researcher. Data were extracted from the final sample (n = 65) and analyzed qualitatively across all articles and within the domains of education, public policy, public health, industry regulation, and media. Only a single empirical evaluation of an implemented policy to reduce DWCBs was identified. Over one-third of articles proposed recommendations relating to industry regulation and media (n = 24, 36.9%), followed by education (n = 21, 32.3%), public policy (n = 19, 29.2%), and public health (n = 10, 15.4%). Recommendations included school-based changes to curricula, staff training, and anti-bullying policies; legislation to ban weight discrimination; policies informed by strategic science; collaboration with researchers from other fields; de-emphasizing weight in health communications; diversifying body sizes and limiting modified images in media; and restricting the sale of weight-loss supplements. The findings of this review highlight gaps in empirically evaluated policies to reduce DWCBs but also promising policy recommendations across several domains. Although some policy recommendations were supported by empirical evidence, others were primarily based on experts' knowledge, highlighting the need for greater research on population-level DWCBs prevention through policy. Our scoping review of the evidence on policies for the prevention of disordered weight control behaviors identified several recommendations across the domains of education, public policy, public health, and industry regulation and media. Although few empirical investigations of implemented policies have been conducted, expert recommendations for policies to prevent disordered weight control behaviors among populations are plentiful and warrant future consideration by researchers and policymakers alike.

Toxic Elemental Impurities in Herbal Weight Loss Supplements; A Study Using ICP-OES Microwave-Assisted Digestion

The tendency of using weight loss herbal preparations is continuously increasing, especially for the widespread consumption of junk food that is characterized by high calories. Weight loss herbal preparations are considered a type of food supplement product, and, as such, the regulations governing their quality control might be minimal. These products could be locally formulated in any country or internationally imported. Being non-controlled products, the herbal weight-loss products may contain high levels of elemental impurities that might exceed the permissible ranges. Moreover, these products contribute to the total daily intake (TDI) of such elements, which might represent concerns about their potential toxicological danger. In this research, the elemental contents in such products were investigated. The inductively coupled plasma with optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) was used to determine the levels of 15 elemental contents, namely, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Al, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, As, Co, Cr, Cd, Ni and Pb. The results showed that seven micro-elements, namely Cd, Co, Ni, Cr, Pb, Li and Cu, were either not detectable or at a concentration much lower than their tolerable limits. However, all studied macro-elements (Na, K, Ca and Mg), together with Fe, were found at considerable, yet safe levels. On the other hand, Mn, Al and As contents showed perturbing levels in some of the studied products. Finally, a conclusion was highlighted for the necessity for stricter surveillance of such herbal products.

Garcinia cambogia water extract alleviates insulin resistance and hepatic lipid accumulation in mice fed a high-fat diet.

Garcinia cambogia is widely used as a weight-loss supplement, and it is reported to be negatively associated with metabolic diseases including insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and dyslipidemia. This study aimed to investigate the effect of G. cambogia water extract (GE) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, IR, and hepatic lipid accumulation. C57BL/6 male mice were fed HFD with or without GE, GED and GEP for 16 weeks, and the mice were subjected to insulin tolerance tests and liver histological analysis. The hydroxycitric acid (HCA) levels of GE, GED, and GEP were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that GE significantly reduced HFD-induced body weight gain (P < 0.001), alleviated IR (P < 0.01), reduced serum total cholesterol (TC) (P < 0.001), and attenuated HFD-induced hepatic lipid accumulation. To investigate the constituent that was responsible for these effects, we separated GE into the component that dissolved in ethanol (GED) and the component that was precipitated by ethanol (GEP). Further mouse experiments showed that both GED and GEP were effective, but GED (which was used at a dose of 4 g/L) was more effective than GEP (which was used at a lower dose of 1 g/L). The HCA levels in GED and GEP were similar, although less than in GE. HCA may be the effective component in GE. This study provides evidence that G. cambogia can be used as a natural supplement to alleviate IR and hepatic lipid accumulation.