Dietary herbal supplements with phenylephrine for weight loss
Frank Greenway1, Lilian de Jonge-Levitan, Corby Martin
1Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA. greenwfl@pbrc.edu
Journal of Medicinal Food
|January 5, 2007
Summary
This study investigated citrus aurantium and phenylephrine for weight loss. Results suggest phenylephrine is not effective for weight loss and may cause weight gain, despite no significant safety concerns.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Nutritional Science
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Obesity is a complex metabolic disorder requiring effective treatment strategies.
- Dietary supplements containing herbal ingredients are widely used for weight management.
- Citrus aurantium and phenylephrine are common components in weight loss supplements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a dietary herbal supplement containing citrus aurantium and phenylephrine for obesity treatment.
- To assess the impact of these ingredients on body weight, body composition, and resting metabolic rate.
- To identify any potential safety concerns associated with their use.
Main Methods:
- Two pilot studies were conducted with healthy subjects (BMI 25-40 kg/m²).
- Study 1: Randomized controlled trial comparing citrus aurantium (herbal phenylephrine) to placebo over 8 weeks.
- Study 2: Assessed phenylephrine's effect on resting metabolic rate and weight loss over 8 weeks.
Main Results:
- The citrus aurantium group in Study 1 gained weight (1.13 kg) compared to placebo (0.09 kg).
- Resting metabolic rate increased initially in the citrus aurantium group but not at 8 weeks.
- Phenylephrine in Study 2 did not result in significant weight loss, though it increased resting metabolic rate.
Conclusions:
- Despite initial increases in resting metabolic rate, phenylephrine and citrus aurantium were not found to be efficacious for weight loss in these pilot studies.
- No significant safety issues or toxicity were observed.
- Further research may be needed to explore alternative weight management strategies.
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