Natural treatments for obesity and excess weight

DEFINITION: Treatment to aid in the loss of excess body weight.

PRINCIPAL PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Chromium, fiber, pyruvate

OTHER PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Acupuncture, Ayurveda, calcium, Coleus forskohlii, combination herb/supplement therapies, conjugated linoleic acid, dehydroepiandrosterone, diacylglycerol, ephedrine (alone or with caffeine), evening primrose oil, 5-hydroxytryptophan, green tea, glucomannan, Hoodia gordonii, hydroxycitric acid (Garcinia cambogia), hypnotherapy, L-carnitine, low-carbohydrate diet, low-glycemic-index diet, medium-chain triglycerides, spirulina, vitamin C, vitamin D

Introduction

Losing weight can be a lifelong challenge. Researchers who study obesity consider it a chronic health condition that must be managed much like high blood pressure or high cholesterol. This means that there is no easy cure.

Losing just 5 to 10 percent of one’s total weight can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol profile, prevent diabetes, improve blood sugar control if one already has diabetes, and reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.

Although early weight-loss drugs, such as amphetamines and Fen-Phen (fenfluramine and phentermine), have had a poor safety record, sibutramine (Meridia) appears to be safe and modestly effective for weight loss. Other drugs, like orlistat (Xenical) and semaglutide (Wegovy), have also proven safe and effective. There are also natural supplements that have some proven effectiveness for weight-loss. Experts encourage a combination of improved diet and regular exercise as the best way to lose weight and keep it off, and these changes can make weight-loss drugs or natural treatments more effective.

Principal Proposed Natural Treatments

Chromium. Chromium is a mineral the body needs in only small amounts, but it is important to human nutrition. Although it has principally been studied for improving blood sugar control in people with diabetes, chromium has also been tried for reducing total weight and body fat percentage, with some success. Both of these potential benefits involve chromium’s effects on insulin. Insulin helps the body absorb glucose (sugar) in the blood. Glucose levels rise with meals, with carbohydrates causing a higher rise than protein. When the body has used and absorbed food for energy, glucose levels drop.

Based on this push-pull effect, to lose weight, one should keep insulin levels low. Dieting is the most obvious method of reducing insulin. When a person does not take in enough calories to supply the body’s daily needs, insulin levels fall and the body breaks down fat cells. Exercising is another method to reduce insulin; by increasing the body’s energy requirements, exercise causes insulin levels to fall and fat cells to break down.

There is another important connection between insulin and weight to consider. Persons who weigh too much often develop insulin resistance. In this condition, certain cells of the body become less sensitive to insulin. The body senses this and, thus, increases insulin production until it overcomes the resistance. It is possible that fat cells respond to these increased levels of insulin by storing even more fat.

Chromium is thought to improve the body’s responsiveness to insulin. Combining this belief with the insulin-weight connections, some researchers have proposed that chromium may assist in decreasing weight or improving body composition (the ratio of fatty tissue to lean tissue). Another small study suggests that chromium may work by influencing the brain and its role in appetite and food cravings.

There are several flaws in these arguments, though. For example, even very small amounts of insulin in the blood effectively suppress fat breakdown. Another problem is that during insulin resistance, fat cells also appear to become resistant to insulin. Insulin resistance, in other words, might be a natural method of regulating weight gain. Chromium supplements might have the undesired effect of increasing the ability of fat cells to respond to insulin, helping them to better store fat.

In one study consisting of ten double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, participants, not following any specific diet, took chromium for seventy-two days and experienced significantly greater weight loss than those not taking chromium. Persons taking chromium actually gained lean body mass, so the difference in loss of fatty tissue was greater. However, a high dropout rate makes the results of this study somewhat unreliable.

Pyruvate. Pyruvate supplies the body with pyruvic acid, a natural compound that plays important roles in the manufacture and use of energy. Theoretically, taking pyruvate might increase the body’s metabolism, particularly of fat.

Several small studies have found evidence that pyruvate or DHAP (a combination of pyruvate and the related substance dihydroxyacetone) can aid weight loss or improve body composition, or both. For example, in a six-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, fifty-one people were given either pyruvate, a placebo, or no treatment. All participated in an exercise program. In the treated group, significant decreases in fat mass and percentage body fat were seen, along with a significant increase in muscle mass. No significant changes were seen in the placebo or nontreatment groups. Another placebo-controlled study used a much higher dose of pyruvate. In six weeks, people in the pyruvate group experienced a small amount of fat loss, while those in the placebo group did not lose weight.

Another placebo-controlled study evaluated the effects of DHAP when people who had previously lost weight increased their calorie intake. Women were put on a restricted diet as inpatients for three weeks, during which time they lost approximately 17 pounds, and were then given a high-calorie diet. Approximately one-half of the women also received pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone daily. The results found that after three weeks of this weight-gaining diet, persons receiving the supplements gained only about 4 pounds, compared to about 6 pounds in the placebo group. Close evaluation showed that pyruvate specifically blocked the regain of fat weight. Larger studies are needed, however, to establish the benefits of pyruvate for weight loss.

Fiber. Dietary fiber is important to many intestinal tract functions, including digestion and waste excretion. It also appears to have a mild cholesterol-lowering effect and might help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer. Fiber might also be useful for losing weight. It is thought to work in a simple way by filling the stomach and causing a feeling of fullness while providing little to no calories. It might also interfere with the absorption of fat.

There are two kinds of fiber: soluble fiber, which swells up and holds water, and insoluble fiber, which does not. Soluble fiber is found in psyllium seed, apples, and oat bran. Most other plant-based foods contain insoluble fiber. Fiber supplements may contain a variety of soluble or insoluble fibers from grain, citrus, vegetable, and even shellfish sources.

In one of the largest studies, ninety-seven mildly overweight women on a strict low-calorie diet were given either a placebo or an insoluble fiber three times daily for eleven weeks. Women given fiber lost almost 11 pounds compared to about 7 pounds in the placebo group. Participants using the fiber reported less hunger. Researchers continued to study participants for an additional sixteen weeks, during which the diet was changed to one that supplied more calories. As expected, participants regained some weight during this period. Nonetheless, by the end of the sixteen weeks, persons taking fiber were still 8 pounds lighter than at the beginning of the study, while those taking placebo were only 6 pounds lighter.

Another study evaluated whether the benefits of dietary fiber endure in six months of dieting. This double-blind trial of fifty-two overweight people found that the use of insoluble dietary fiber almost doubled the degree of weight loss compared with placebo. Once more, participants using the fiber supplement reported less hunger.

Two other double-blind, placebo-controlled studies evaluated a similar insoluble fiber product. The results of both studies again showed improved weight loss and reduced feelings of hunger in the treated groups. However, a twenty-four-week study of fifty-three moderately overweight persons found no difference in effect between placebo and 4 g of insoluble fiber daily. Another study failed to find benefit with either of two soluble fiber supplements (methylcellulose or pectin plus beta glucan) in terms of weight, hunger, or satiety.

Glucomannan, a source of soluble dietary fiber from the tubers of Amorphophallus konjac, has also been tried for weight loss, with positive results in adults. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of twenty overweight persons, researchers found that the use of glucomannan significantly improved weight loss in an eight-week period. Benefits were also seen in a trial of twenty-eight overweight persons who had just had a heart attack. However, another trial studied the effectiveness of glucomannan as a weight-loss agent in sixty overweight children and found no benefit.

A trial of overweight people evaluated the effects of chitosan, a mostly insoluble fiber from crustaceans, with no special diet in place. The results showed that, on average, participants in the placebo group gained more than 3 pounds during the study, while those taking chitosan lost more than 2 pounds. However, a subsequent study using the same dosage of chitosan failed to find benefit. Negative results were also seen in a trial of fifty-one women and in a twenty-eight-day trial of thirty overweight people. Although benefits have shown up in other studies, the balance of evidence indicates that chitosan probably does not work. Furthermore, chitosan supplements may at times contain toxic levels of arsenic.

A few trials have evaluated the effects only on hunger and satiety rather than on weight loss. One study found that the soluble fiber pectin (from apples) reduces hunger sensations. Another found that the soluble fiber guar gum slows stomach emptying and increases the sensation of fullness. However, a later study evaluated the effects of guar gum in twenty-five women undergoing a weight-loss program and found no influence on hunger. In another study, consuming fiber from barley led to an increase in calorie consumption.

Fiber supplements should be taken with water to keep the fiber from blocking the digestive tract. Even when they are used properly, mild gastrointestinal side effects such as gas and bloating may occur. As a positive side effect, fiber supplements may reduce high levels of cholesterol and blood pressure. The optimum dose of fiber and the proper time to take it have not been determined.

Other Proposed Treatments

5-hydroxytryptophan. The supplement 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is thought to affect serotonin levels. Because serotonin is thought to play a role in weight regulation, 5-HTP has been investigated as a possible weight-loss aid.

One study found that the use of 5-HTP reduced caloric intake even though the nineteen participants made no conscious effort to eat less. Participants given a placebo consumed about 2,300 calories per day, while those taking 5-HTP ate only 1,800 calories daily. The use of 5-HTP appeared to lead to a significantly enhanced sense of satiety after eating. In five weeks, women taking 5-HTP lost more than 3 pounds.

A study by the same research group had participants receive either 5-HTP or a placebo for two consecutive six-week periods. In the first period, there was no dietary restriction, while in the second period, participants were encouraged to follow a defined diet that was expected to lead to weight loss. Participants receiving a placebo did not lose weight during either period. However, those receiving 5-HTP lost about 2 percent of their initial body weight during the no-diet period and an additional 3 percent while on the diet. Finally, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of twenty overweight persons with adult-onset (type 2) diabetes found that the use of 5-HTP without intentional dieting resulted in about a 4.5-pound weight loss in two weeks. The use of 5-HTP reduced carbohydrate intake by 75 percent and fat intake to a lesser extent.

All of these studies, however, were performed by a single research group. For these reasons, further research is necessary before 5-HTP can be considered a proven weight-loss agent.

Garcinia cambogia. Hydroxycitric acid (HCA), a derivative of citric acid, is found primarily in a small, sweet, purple fruit called Garcinia cambogia, the Malabar tamarind. Although animal and test-tube studies and one human trial suggest that HCA might encourage weight loss, other studies have found no benefit. In an eight-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of sixty overweight people, the use of HCA produced significant weight loss compared with placebo.

Other small placebo-controlled studies found HCA had no effect on metabolism, appetite, or weight. It is not clear whether G. cambogia is an effective treatment for weight loss.

Caffeine and ephedrine. Caffeine and ephedrine (found in ephedra, an herb also known as ma huang) are central nervous system stimulants. Considerable evidence suggests ephedrine-caffeine combinations can modestly assist in weight loss.

For example, in one trial, participants were put on a weight-loss diet and given either ephedrine-caffeine, ephedrine alone, caffeine alone, or a placebo. The results showed that the ephedrine-caffeine treatment significantly enhanced weight loss. Neither ephedrine nor caffeine alone produced any benefit. While this study found benefit only with caffeine-ephedrine and not with ephedrine alone, other studies have found that ephedrine alone also offers some weight-loss benefits.

It is not known how ephedrine-caffeine works. However, caffeine has actions that cause fat breakdown and enhance metabolism. Ephedrine suppresses appetite and increases energy expenditure. The combination appears to produce synergistic effects, with appetite suppression probably the most important overall factor.

Despite its potential benefits, ephedrine presents serious medical risks, such as strokes, and should be used only under physician supervision. In the United States, the sale of ephedrine-containing products is banned.

Medium-chain triglycerides. Some evidence suggests that consumption of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) might enhance the body’s tendency to burn fat. This has led to investigations of MCTs as a weight-loss aid. However, the results of clinical trials have been fairly unimpressive.

In one trial, women were put on a diet very low in carbohydrates to induce a state called ketosis. One-half of the women received a liquid supplement containing ordinary fats; the other one-half received a similar supplement in which the ordinary fats were replaced by MCTs. While the MCT supplement significantly increased the rate of “fat burning” and also reduced the loss of muscle mass, these benefits were most present in the first two weeks of the trial, which suggests that the effects of MCTs are temporary. Studies that involved substituting MCTs for ordinary fats in a low-calorie diet have shown minimal relative benefits at best.

A related supplement called structured medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols (SMLCT) has been created to provide the same potential benefits as MCTs, but in a form that can be used as cooking oil. In a preliminary double-blind trial, SMLCT showed some promise as a “fat burner.”

Other approaches to weight loss. A special type of fat known as diacylglycerol has shown promise as a weight-loss aid. For example, in one study, overweight participants were placed on a weight-loss diet including supplementary foods containing either diacylglycerols or ordinary fats. The results showed that participants who were using diacylglycerols lost more weight than participants who were using ordinary fats. Diacylglycerols appear to be safe.

Beans partially interfere with the body’s ability to digest carbohydrates, which is why they cause flatulence. Based on this process, products containing the French white bean Phaseolus vulgaris have been widely marketed as weight-loss aids. A 2021 study published in Nutrients indicated that participants in obesity studies found that phaseolus had a significant effect on weight loss. These researchers also believe that phaseolus reduces LDL cholesterol, which can lead to obesity.

Some evidence suggests that the supplements creatine and colostrum may each slightly improve body composition (fat-to-muscle ratio) compared with placebo among persons undergoing an exercise program. It has been suggested, too, that calcium supplements, or high-calcium diets, may slightly enhance weight loss, but evidence is more negative than positive. However, because bones may grow thin during rapid weight loss, it may make sense to take calcium supplements when intentionally losing weight.

A six-month study found that the supplement dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may help decrease abdominal fat and improve insulin sensitivity in the elderly. However, another study failed to find DHEA helpful for weight loss in severely overweight adolescents. A supplement related to DHEA, 3-acetyl-7-oxo-dehydroepiandrosterone (also called 7-oxy or 7-keto-DHEA), has shown some promise for enhancing weight loss.

Results of two small studies suggest that vitamin C supplements might aid in weight loss. A related study found that marginal vitamin C deficiency might interfere with deliberate attempts to lose weight. Another small study indicates that a concentrated extract of the herb might increase the rate of fat burning.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial tested a mixture of chromium, cayenne, inulin (a nondigestible carbohydrate), phenylalanine (an amino acid), and other herbs and nutrients. All participants lost weight in the four-week trial. Those using the supplement lost a bit more weight, but the difference was not mathematically significant. However, some positive news came from close examination of the results. Among those taking the supplement, a significantly higher percentage of the weight loss came from fat instead of muscle.

Weight-loss benefits were seen in a trial where overweight people were given either a placebo or one of two doses of a combination therapy containing chitosan, chromium, and HCA. Benefits were also seen in a forty-five-day, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of forty-four overweight people that tested a combination product containing yerba mate, guarana, and damiana.

Ayurvedic herbs have shown some promise for weight loss. In a three-month study, overweight people were divided into four groups: placebo, Triphala guggul (a mixture of five Ayurvedic ingredients) plus Gokshuradi guggul (a mixture of eight Ayurvedic ingredients), T. guggul plus Sinhanad guggul (a mixture of six Ayurvedic herbs), or T. guggul plus Chandraprabha vati (a mixture of thirty-six Ayurvedic ingredients). Reportedly, all three Ayurvedic ingredients produced significant weight loss and improvements in cholesterol compared with placebo; furthermore, the improvements produced by the respective treatments were close to identical.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a mixture of different isomers, or chemical forms, of linoleic acid. CLA has been proposed as a fat-burning substance, improving lean-to-fat-mass ratios and reducing total fat mass, but on balance, the benefit appears to be slight. Some studies have raised concerns that the use of CLA by overweight people could raise insulin resistance and therefore increase the risk of diabetes. In addition, the use of CLA might impair endothelial function and levels of C-reactive protein and, thereby, increase cardiovascular risk.

One study found that the topical application of glycyrrhetinic acid, a constituent of licorice, can reduce fat thickness in the thigh.

Hypnosis is popular as an aid to weight loss. However, a careful analysis of published studies suggests that the benefits are slight at best. Although acupuncture is widely used for weight loss, the evidence from published studies is incomplete and inconsistent.

Other supplements that have been studied but not found effective include spirulina, L-carnitine, and oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes from grape seed. An enormous number of other supplements are marketed for weight loss, but they are sold without meaningful supporting evidence. For example, certain supplements are said to be lipotropic, meaning that they help the body metabolize fat or slow down the rate at which it is stored. Vitamins B₅ and B₆, biotin, choline, inositol, lecithin, and lipoic acid are often placed in this category. However, there is no real evidence that they will help one lose weight.

A number of amino acids, including phenylalanine, tyrosine, methionine, and glutamine, are said to reduce hunger. Because the herb kava appears to be helpful for anxiety, it has been proposed as a treatment for mood-related overeating. The antidepressant herb St. John’s wort has been recommended with much the same reasoning.

Seaweeds such as kelp, bladderwrack, and sargassum are often added to diet formulas under the assumption that they will affect the thyroid gland through their iodine content. (An underactive thyroid can cause weight gain.) However, the effect of iodine on thyroid function depends on whether a person is iodine deficient. Excess iodine can actually suppress the action of the thyroid. The herb guggul (Commiphora mukul) is often claimed to enhance thyroid function, and for this reason it is often sold as a weight-loss agent. However, there is little evidence that it actually affects the thyroid, and a small double-blind trial found it no more effective than a placebo for weight loss.

Numerous herbs and supplements with potential or known effects on insulin or blood sugar levels are widely added to weight-loss formulas, again without any evidence that they are effective. These herbs and supplements include alfalfa, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, arginine, Azadirachta indica (neem), bilberry leaf, bitter melon (Momordica charantia), Catharanthus roseus, Coccinia indica, Cucumis sativus, Cucurbita ficifolia, Cuminum cyminum (cumin), Euphorbia prostrata, garlic, glucomannan, Guaiacum coulteri, Guazuma ulmifolia, guggul, holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), Lepechinia caulescens, Musa sapientum L. (banana), nopal cactus (Opuntia streptacantha), onion, Psacalium peltatum, pterocarpus, Rhizophora mangle, Salacia oblonga, salt bush, Spinacea oleracea, Tournefortia hirsutissima, Turnera diffusa, and vanadium.

Herbs with laxative or diuretic properties or reputations are also popular in weight-loss formulas, although they are unlikely to produce anything beyond a slight temporary effect. These include barberry, buchu, cascara sagrada bark, cassia powder, cleavers, cornsilk, couchgrass, dandelion root, fig, goldenrod, hydrangea root, juniper berry, peppermint, prune, senna leaf, tamarind, turkey rhubarb root, and uva ursi.

Herbs that are supposed to strengthen the body in general are found in many diet formulas, including ashwagandha, Cordyceps, Eleutherococcus, fo-ti, ginseng, maitake, reishi, schisandra, and suma. Other herbs and supplements sometimes recommended for weight loss for reasons that are unclear include buckthorn, cayenne, chickweed, coenzyme Q₁₀, cranberry, fennel, flaxseed, ginger, ginkgo, gotu kola, grape seed extract, hawthorn, licorice, milk thistle, parsley, passionflower, plantain, white willow, yellow dock, yucca, and zinc.

Numerous dietary methods have been proposed for aiding weight loss. The Mediterranean diet, which is relatively high in fiber and monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil), has attracted attention as an effective method for weight management. Two of the most popular alternative diets for weight loss are low-carbohydrate diets and low-glycemic-index (low-GI) diets. On average, it appears that all dietary weight-loss approaches are about equally helpful, provided one sticks to the “rules.” However, it is possible that a low-GI diet and the Mediterranean diet are more beneficial than a low-fat diet in people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.

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