Researchers from Pusan National University in Korea gave Gelidium amansi extract (GAE) to DIO mice for eight weeks. Results showed at one point they lost as much weight as mice supplemented with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid with slimming properties.
Previous studies showed the inhibitory effect of weight gain in mice fed a high-fat diet added with GAE for 12 weeks, but there had been no studies on the effect of weight loss of GAE in obese mice.
“Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of GAE on body weight gain, fat mass, plasma and hepatic lipid profiles, adipokine secretion, and expression of lipid metabolic factors in obese mice.”
A control group of mice had a normal diet, while five other groups were fed with high-fat diet to induce obesity.
The five groups of obese mice were then given new rounds of diet: Group one still on high-fat diet, group two on high-fat plus o.5g of GAE, group three on high-fat with 1g of GAE, group four on high-fat with 2g GAE, and group five on high-fat with .75g of CLA.
Therapeutic potential
After eight weeks, the body weights of GAE-supplemented mice significantly lowered compared to the high-fat only group.
Researchers also noted that final body weights of GAE-groups three and four, were similar to that of group five mice fed with CLA. These three groups’ body weights were also lower than final body weights of group two mice, which received the least dosage of GAE supplementation.
“The results showed that GAE supplementation significantly decreased body weight gain, adipose tissue mass, leptin concentration, and the levels of TG and TC in the plasma and liver,” researchers observed.
“These results suggested that GAE supplementation stimulated the expressions of lipid metabolic factors and reduced weight gain in HD-fed obese mice.”
Thus, GAE has potential as a source of anti-obesity therapeutic agents, the study concluded.
Source: Nutrition Research and Practice
“Gelidium amansii extract ameliorates obesity by down-regulating adipogenic transcription factors in diet-induced obese mice.”
Authors: Ji-Hye Kang, Hyun-Ah Lee et al.