A West African fruit may hold the key to helping overweight people lose weight and drop their cholesterol, a new study suggests.
Researchers are investigating the properties of the extract from African mango, a fruit commonly eaten in West Africa, is also known as Irvingia gabonensis. Lab research has shown that extracts from the plant's seed may inhibit body fat production by affecting specific genes and enzymes that regulate metabolism.
In a recent study, researchers at the University of Yaounde in Cameroon asked 102 randomly chosen overweight adults to take either the plant extract or a placebo twice a day for 10 weeks. The study participants followed no special diet and maintained their normal exercise levels.
At the end of the 10 weeks, members of the group taking the extract had lost a significant amount of weight—an average of approximately 28 pounds. At the same time, their "bad" LDL cholesterol and blood sugar levels—warning signs for diabetes—declined. Meanwhile, members the group taking the placebo showed almost no change.
The researchers note that the study is the first well-controlled clinical trial of the extract's effectiveness as a weight-loss aid. But they say the findings suggest that African mango may be a useful tool to combat the growing worldwide problem of obesity.
The findings, concludes the research team, should lay the groundwork for much larger clinical studies.
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