Salacia Extract Modulates Appetite, Blood Sugar, in New CARBS Study

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A recent Carbohydrate, Appetite Reduction, Blood Sugar, and Satiety (CARBS) study,¹ published in Nutrients, examined the effects of Salacia extract on appetite and satiety. Salacia extract, which comes from the herb Salacia chinesnsis, has been shown in animal studies to reduce body weight; in this study, researchers posited that Salacia extract’s α-glucosidase inhibitor properties might in turn reduce appetite in a human study. The study authors note that there are no other studies published on the relationship between Salacia and appetite. The CARBS study found that Salacia extract, as OmniActive Health Technologies (Morristown, NJ) proprietary OmniLean ingredient, may help to control subjects’ appetites and improve overall satiety.

The study authors write: “While nearly half the population is on a diet at any given time among those who lose weight, there is an approximately 80% recidivism rate to obesity among those formerly obese. Both appetite and its regulation by gut peptides are important regulators of food intake, and an enhanced appetite after weight loss is at least one cause of weight regain.” Given the prevalence of obesity in the U.S., they say, modulating appetite can help the overweight population both lose, and keep off, excess weight.

In the placebo-controlled, three-way, crossover study, 48 overweight or obese but otherwise healthy adults were supplemented with one of three dosages: 1) 300 mg Salacia extract; 2) 500 mg Salacia extract; 3) an identical placebo capsule. The subjects were instructed to eat the same dinner before each of the three test days. After an overnight fast (from 9:00 PM), subjects filled out 24-hour diet recalls. Then, the study authors recorded participants’ body weight, blood pressure, body fat, and waist circumference. For more subjective criteria like appetite sensation and taste perceptions, the subjects completed visual analogue scales. Finally, once all the above measurements were recorded, each participant was given a breakfast meal along with a capsule containing either 300 mg Salacia extract, 500 mg Salacia extract, or the placebo capsule. There was a one-month washout period between each of the three treatment visits.

After examining the above criteria, the study authors found that both groups given Salacia extract exhibited improved glycemic response and changes in gut hormones, which in turn reduced blood sugar spikes and helped to modulate appetite. In addition, both dosages of Salacia extract lowered the “peak serum glucose” when compared with the placebo group. The study authors note that Salacia extract had no appreciable effect on postprandial appetite, though among the women studied, hunger was reduced compared to the placebo group at several time points over the course of the study.

“The myriad complexities of being overweight need to be addressed by a multipronged approach including diet and exercise, but may also benefit greatly by making a small change such as incorporating a natural supplement like OmniLean to your daily regiment,” said Abhijit Bhattacharya, president, OmniActive, in a press release. “The CARBS Study demonstrated that OmniLean reduced the feeling of hunger and reduced spikes in blood sugar-key components of weight management-which may be the missing piece for a vast population struggling with maintaining a healthy weight.”

References:

1. Hao L et al., “Appetite and gut hormones response to a putative α-glucosidase inhibitor, Salacia chinensis, in overweight/obese adults: a double blind randomized controlled trial,” Nutrients, vol. 9, no. 8 (August 2017): 869