Irvingia gabonensis (African mango extract) is a popular weight loss supplement. It is unlike most herbs for weight loss, since it is backed by excellent scientific studies involving human subjects. So far the oucomes of these studies are promising.
African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) is a popular West African fruit in Nigeria and Cameroon. The fruits produce a seed that is rich in protein and oil. The seed is consumed whole or as a powder or paste for making dika bread, Gabon chocolate, or ogbono soup. Although the weight loss benefits were at first thought to be due to the fiber in the fruit, research studies now show that storage proteins, called glutelins, in the seeds are the active components.
Studies on humans and lab animals were the foundation for patenting African mango under U.S. Patent No. 7,537,790, titled, "Method and composition for reducing body weight and improving control of body lipids" (May 26, 2009). The inventor, Julius Oben of Cameroon, assigned the patent to Gateway Health Alliances, Inc., of Fairfield, California. This company has trademarked the proprietary African mango extract under the name IGOB131.
The first weight loss research published by Oben's Cameroon group appeared in Lipids in Health and Disease, Vol. 4, pp. 12-15 in 2005. It was based on treating 13 human subjects with African mango extract (3 capsules of 350 milligrams each, 3 times per day, one-half hour before meals). They were compared with a placebo group (n=12) who took an oat bran extract. Subjects were encourage to limit total daily intake to 1800 Calories on a low fat diet.
After one month, the average weight loss in the mango-treated group was 5.6 percent, compared with 2.23 percent of the placebo group. These differences were significant statistically.
The mango treatment group also showed significant changes in blood lipids: lower total cholesterol, lower LDL-cholesterol, lower triglycerides, and higher HDL-cholesterol.
Two curiosities stand out about this study. The first is that the average starting weights of the two groups differed tremendously (231 lbs in the treatment group; 175 lbs in the placebo group). The second is that there was no comparative change in body fat composition.
Even though this study was rather small, it points in the right direction for the efficacy of African mango extract for weight loss and several other health indicators.
African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) is a popular West African fruit in Nigeria and Cameroon. The fruits produce a seed that is rich in protein and oil. The seed is consumed whole or as a powder or paste for making dika bread, Gabon chocolate, or ogbono soup. Although the weight loss benefits were at first thought to be due to the fiber in the fruit, research studies now show that storage proteins, called glutelins, in the seeds are the active components.
Studies on humans and lab animals were the foundation for patenting African mango under U.S. Patent No. 7,537,790, titled, "Method and composition for reducing body weight and improving control of body lipids" (May 26, 2009). The inventor, Julius Oben of Cameroon, assigned the patent to Gateway Health Alliances, Inc., of Fairfield, California. This company has trademarked the proprietary African mango extract under the name IGOB131.
The first weight loss research published by Oben's Cameroon group appeared in Lipids in Health and Disease, Vol. 4, pp. 12-15 in 2005. It was based on treating 13 human subjects with African mango extract (3 capsules of 350 milligrams each, 3 times per day, one-half hour before meals). They were compared with a placebo group (n=12) who took an oat bran extract. Subjects were encourage to limit total daily intake to 1800 Calories on a low fat diet.
After one month, the average weight loss in the mango-treated group was 5.6 percent, compared with 2.23 percent of the placebo group. These differences were significant statistically.
The mango treatment group also showed significant changes in blood lipids: lower total cholesterol, lower LDL-cholesterol, lower triglycerides, and higher HDL-cholesterol.
Two curiosities stand out about this study. The first is that the average starting weights of the two groups differed tremendously (231 lbs in the treatment group; 175 lbs in the placebo group). The second is that there was no comparative change in body fat composition.
Even though this study was rather small, it points in the right direction for the efficacy of African mango extract for weight loss and several other health indicators.
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