Calocurb and hunger: Hops extract to reduce food cravings for women

Two doses per day of Amarasate, the active ingredient in Calocurb, were also found to decrease pre-meal craving for savory food and post-meal craving for sugary foods, according to findings published in Obesity Pillars​.

“The results presented here support the effectiveness of this bitter hop extract as an appetite suppressant in females and suggests a role in the suppression of food cravings,” the researchers wrote.

“This is a growing body of work supporting the concentrated GI bitterness on acute appetite measures, laying the scientific bases for longer-term weight loss studies to be conducted on overweight individuals.”

Hops and how bitterness modulates appetite​

Amarasate is derived from a specific hops extract discovered in New Zealand and is reported to be a natural GLP-1 activator. It also acts on CCK and PYY appetite-suppressing hormones.

Research into the ingredient started over a decade ago at New Zealand’s Plant and Food Research (PFR), a government-owned Crown Research Institute. The hypothesis was that bitter taste receptors would be found in the gut, due to historical evidence that bitterness modulates appetite.

This led to Humulus lupulus​ (hops), which was trademarked as Amarasate, with three clinical trials (including the new one) supporting the product’s efficacy.

Previous research in men found that Calocurb may reduce cravings by 40%, hunger by 30% and calorie intake by an average of 18%.

The latest research focuses exclusively on the efficacy of bitter hops on appetite and food cravings in women.

Study details​

The new randomized, double-blind, crossover study included 30 women between the ages of 18 and 40 and with a BMI between 18.5 and 25 kg/m2. All participants fasted for 24 hours on three separate occasions and were then given an ‘all you can eat’ meal to break each fast. The women were randomly assigned to 125 mg or 250 mg of Amarasate or placebo twice a day 16 and 20 hours into the fast.

Both doses of the hops extract led to significant reductions in both appetite and food cravings compared to placebo, the researchers reported.

Dr. Edward Walker from New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research and the lead for the study, said that the relative decrease in absolute hunger was much greater than previously seen in males.

“This finding agrees with other studies showing greater sensitivity of females to the appetite-suppressing effects of GI-targeted bitterness," he added. "The greater change in hunger values relative to other appetite measures also agrees with data previously observed in males."

The researchers also noted that the favorable changes observed in the study are likely to be biologically important and to affect eating behavior.

“These changes in appetite measures occur over a greater than 6 h period, are in excess of the 10% that is typically targeted for behavioral change and would be expected to aid fasting compliance,” they wrote. “Additionally, the reduced food cravings reported here may also be expected to aid fasting compliance.”

Awards​

Calocurb was recognized by NutraIngredients-USA this summer with its Botanical Product of the Year award.

"The external validation and honors are just the beginning of Calocurb's story," said Sarah Kennedy, CEO of Calocurb. "I'm excited for the next several chapters and especially the opportunity to make a real difference in people's lives as they seek out healthy ways to manage their weight."

Source: Obesity Pillars​
2024, Volume 11, 100117, doi: 10.1016/j.obpill.2024.100117​
“Gastrointestinal delivery of bitter hop extract reduces appetite and food cravings in healthy adult women undergoing acute fasting”
Authors: E. Walker et al.