Effect of Polyphenol Supplementation on Adiposity: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials

The obesity is a multifactorial disease, result of high adiposity and excessive body fat, with closed relation to the development of other chronic disease. The growing obesity-related costs has relevant public health impact. In turn, the polyphenol is a dietary bioactive compound with recognized antioxidant propriety and healthy benefits. The polyphenol supplementation can be a promising strategy for obesity treatment, due to its potential antiadipogenic and metabolic control effects, improving quality of life of this population. This systematic review evaluated the effect of polyphenol supplementation on adiposity in overweight adults and elderly people (Systematic Review Registration: CRD42024586193).

Current research demonstrates that polyphenol supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in markers of central adiposity (percentage of body fat, fat mass, waist circumference) and visceral adiposity (visceral adipose tissue). The mechanisms may be involved in the activation of lipid turnover pathways, AMPK activation and suppression of transcription factors (SREBPs, PPAR-γ and C/EBP-α) and key enzymes in lipid synthesis in adipose tissue. Furthermore, polyphenol supplementation has also beneficial effects on controlling of blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid profile, contribute to the prevention of other chronic metabolic disorders. Adiposity refers to the distribution of body fat, closely related to cardiometabolic risk, while polyphenols are phytochemicals with potential health-promoting effects. However, the role of these bioactive compounds in controlling adiposity is not well established. This systematic review presents antiadipogenic and metabolic control effects of the dietary polyphenol supplementation. However, there is no consensus on a specific dosage or form of presentation that generates the best results. Further studies are needed to elucidate better the potential effect of these compounds and related-pathway, to perform clinical validation of their use, and to establish the benefits of their long-term use.