Citrus extracts show weight management potential for men: Human data

By Stephen DANIELLS

- Last updated on GMT

Citrus extracts show weight management potential for men: Human data
A blend of extracts from blood orange, grapefruit, sweet orange, and guarana may reduce abdominal fat, waist and hip size, French researchers report.

Twelve weeks of daily supplementation with the commercial Sinetrol XPur product by French supplier Fytexia were found to reduce abdominal fat by 9.7%, compared with 4.8% in the placebo group, according to findings published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition​.

Scientists from Fytexia, RDVC Produits Santé (Le Havre), and the University of Montpellier also report that the Sinetrol XPur supplementation group experienced significant decreases in waist and hip sizes of 7.4 cm and 5.6 cm, respectively, compared with decrease of 2.1 cm and 2.0 cm in the placebo group.

“The results show a genuine benefit of the product in managing overweight and obesity-linked metabolic disturbances, which could deter and prevent the development of [metabolic syndrome] in individuals at risk,”​ wrote the authors, led by Dr Julien Cases, Fytexia’s director of research and innovation.

Inspired by the Mediterranean diet

Fytexia’s Sinetrol XPur ingredient is said to be inspired by the Med diet and is composed of extracts from a number of citrus fruit, including grapefruit (Citrus paradisi​ Macfad.), sweet orange (Citrus sinensis​ L. Osbeck), and blood orange (Citrus sinensis​ L. Osbeck). The ingredient also contains guarana (Paullinia cupana​ Kunth). The main polyphenols in the product are flavanones.

The ingredient has previously been studied in 95 men and women, with overall reductions in fat of 9.73% vs 3.1% in the placebo group (Phytotherapy Research​, 2014 Vol. 28, pp. 212–218).

The new study focused only on men because men and women don’t have the same metabolism, particularly when it comes to fat storage in adipose tissues, said Dr Cases. From a marketing standpoint, they also are two very different groups of consumers with different goals, with more emphasis on muscle mass maintenance or development for men than women.

Dr Cases and his co-workers included 25 men (aged between 30 and 45, and a BMI between 26–29.9 kg/m2) in their study, all of whom were instructed to follow the same normo-caloric diet (between 2200 and 2500 kcal per day) and to exercise 30 minutes per week. The men were then randomly assigned to receive either 900 mg of Sinetrol XPur per day or placebo for 12 weeks.

waist XS

The week 12 results indicated that the men in the citrus extract group had significantly reduced abdominal fat, waist size and hip size, compared with the placebo group. Significant decreases in overall body weight was also observed for the citrus extract group (-3.75%), compared with placebo (-1.76%).

The waist-to-hip ratio was also significantly lower in the Sinetrol Xpur group (reduced by 2.27%) compared with placebo (reduced by 0.20%).

“In the present study, Sinetrol XPur clearly appears to be a natural and safe option for overweight and obese populations,” ​wrote the researchers. “Indeed, supplementation with Sinetrol XPur was associated with a significantly important decrease of abdominal fat (-9.74%), a profound reduction in waist circumference (-7.50%, corresponding to more than 7.40 cm), and an evident preservation of the [skeletal muscle mass] during weight loss.

“Nevertheless, further investigations of the mechanisms of action of Citrus polyphenols in relation to their respective bioavailabilities need to be conducted in order to gain a better understanding of their beneficial effects on the modulation of body composition.”

The study was funded by Fytexia.

Growth

Romain Thévenot, Sales Manager at Fytexia Corp., told NutraIngredients-USA that sales of Sinetrol in the US have more than doubled between 2012 and 2014. "Thanks to this massive increase, the States now account for 30% of our global business,"​ he said. "More than 20 commercial products currently use Sinetrol, including some of the best-selling weight loss supplement brands in the country. This presence definitely keeps growing, as Sinetrol is being considered for several major innovation projects. This success was also recently boosted by our achievement of an NPN registration in Canada, in which the NHPD approved a weight management claim.

"This progress makes us very optimistic about further growth. Through Sinetrol's success in the US, our ambition is to strengthen its position as the leading natural fat burning ingredient worldwide."

Source: International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.3109/09637486.2015.1042847
“A 12-week randomized double-blind parallel pilot trial of Sinetrol XPur on body weight, abdominal fat, waist circumference, and muscle metabolism in overweight men”
Authors: J. Cases, C. Romain, C. Dallas, A. Gerbi, J.M. Rouanet

Related news

Show more

Related products

show more

Brand Owners – Are You Getting the Supplement You Want?

Brand Owners – Are You Getting the Supplement You Want?

Content provided by Gemini Pharmaceuticals, Inc | 01-Nov-2024 | White Paper

Often the balance of “best value” and “best price” walks Brand Owners into a maze, and no industry seems to exemplify that like dietary supplements! However,...

Explore the scientific foundations of Nextida™ GC

Explore the scientific foundations of Nextida™ GC

Content provided by Rousselot | 01-Nov-2024 | White Paper

The first commercialised ingredient in the Nextida platform, a range of specific collagen peptide compositions with targeted health benefits, Nextida™...

Fueling Athletes with Nature for Peak Performance

Fueling Athletes with Nature for Peak Performance

Content provided by SEPPIC INC | 07-Oct-2024 | White Paper

For many years, pine bark extracts have been harnessed for their potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, delivering a wide array of health...

Sports Nutrition Formulations Re-imagined

Sports Nutrition Formulations Re-imagined

Content provided by Gencor | 30-Sep-2024 | White Paper

Gencor offers scientifically proven sports nutrition solutions intentionally designed for optimal performance and recovery for any level of athletic activity,...

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars