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FEATURED SUPPLEMENT
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 | | CoffeeGenic |
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CoffeeGenic contains 400 mg of organic green coffee bean extract, standardized to 50% chlorogenic acid per capsule with only 12 mg. of caffeine. Human studies have found green coffee bean extract to produce weight loss.
Call my office if you would like pricing on CoffeeGenic:
(516) 829-1515
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FEATURED LAB TEST
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Adiposity Index
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The "Adiposity Index" is part of the GI Effects stool profile from Metametrix Clinical Laboratory. A finding of excessive levels of the bacterial group Firmicutes relative to Bacteroidetes is associated with obesity. Natural therapeutic interventions can be employed to alter the balance of these bacteria, possibly reducing body fat.
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DR. DEBÉ'S UPCOMING LECTURE:
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"All You Need to Know About Detoxification"
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at Wild By Nature Market
369 West Main Street Huntington, N.Y. Tuesday January 8th at 7:00 pm Please reserve a seat: (631) 424-6480 & at Wild By Nature Market 2709 W. Long Beach Road Oceanside, N.Y. Thursday January 10th at 7:00 pm Please reserve a seat: (516) 764-3580
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DR. DEBÉ'S UPCOMING LECTURE:
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"Maximize Your Metabolism to Lose Weight"
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at Wild By Nature Market
369 West Main Street
Huntington, N.Y.
Tuesday
January 22nd
at 7:00 pm
Please reserve a seat:
(631) 424-6480
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at Wild By Nature Market
2709 W. Long Beach Road
Oceanside, N.Y.
Thursday
January 24th
at 7:00 pm
Please reserve a seat:
(516) 764-3580
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"THE DIRTY DOZEN"
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The following foods have been found to have the highest levels of pesticides. Do your best to only consume "organic" versions of these:
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Bell Peppers
Spinach
Kale
Cherries
Potatoes
Grapes (Imported)
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Greetings!
First of all...HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Welcome to the December, 2012 issue of NUTRITIOUS BYTES where we ask "Should you take Raspberry Ketone supplements for fat loss?"
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Raspberry Ketone and Other Fat-Loss "Miracles"
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What conclusion does the science lead you to?
 I don't know about you but for months I have been getting a lot of spam emails touting the benefits of raspberry ketone for weight loss. It seems to be extremely popular.
A medical doctor with a television show is apparently responsible for a lot of the excitement over this supplement. I have never seen this doctor's show. I was told second-hand that he was also in favor of the "HCG Diet". I was told (by a doctor trying to sell me on his HCG Diet clinic franchise) that this "T.V. doctor" stated that if he was not doing what he was doing already, he would be opening HCG Diet clinics himself. The presentation I viewed on the HCG Diet was impressive so I looked into it further. I read several published papers on the HCG Diet. The actual science was a lot less impressive than all the hype. People following the HCG Diet had no better results than individuals following a diet supplying an equal amount of calories. Both groups lost an equal amount of weight on these exessively restricted diet plans. I could find no convincing evidence that the HCG Diet approach was any better than just a plain low-calorie diet.
So, is the science in support of raspberry ketone any better? Raspberry ketone is effective for weight loss... if you have whiskers and a long tail! That's nice. But what if you're a human? I could not find any published studies showing that people taking raspberry ketone lost weight from it. As a matter of fact, there were no studies on the use of raspberry ketone for weight loss that involved human subjects. In fact, I found no published study that involved people ingesting raspberry ketone period. The only human study I know of used topical raspberry ketone. (Incidentally, it found improved hair growth and skin elasticity...not bad!).
For some people, this is enough for them to say, "No thanks. Raspberry ketone is not for me." I agree that the best evidence comes from human studies published in peer-reviewed journals.
But there are other lines of evidence. Something else to keep in mind is that there are different types of human studies and some provide stronger evidence than others. Other lines of evidence include epidemiological studies where associations between variables and a particular endpoint are teased out of data from large populations. For example, obese people have been found to have relatively fewer Bacteroidetes and more Firmicutes bacteria in their intestinal tracts. The intestinal bacteria have been found to have differing effects on how many calories we absorb from food. They influence body fat in other ways by altering systemic inflammation and hormone activity. Other types of evidence include animal studies of various types and in-vitro or test tube studies. Beyond published studies we get into anecdotal or "word of mouth" evidence. For example, I have heard a nutritionist on the radio claim weight loss by taking raspberry ketone.
I think each person should decide, in conjunction with his/her healthcare professional, what level of scientific support is adequate to act upon. This will differ from one situation to the next. You have to look at what is to be gained and the likely downsides.
In my opinion, raspberry ketone is worth considering. I think there is unlikely to be adverse effects from taking this naturally-occurring substance responsible for raspberry's fragrance. There are a number of "test tube" studies that have found favorable biochemical changes. Plus, there are the two animal studies that found benefit for weight loss. One study examined the effects of raspberry ketone in mice fed a high-fat diet. It was found that raspberry ketone reduced fat gain, protected liver cells, reduced TNF alpha and hs-CRP (inflammation), glucose, triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol, free fatty acids, insulin, malondialdehyde (free radical damage) and leptin, while increasing HDL cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, adiponectin, and PPAR alpha. Adiponectin and PPAR alpha both improve fat burning. The other study on mice also found raspberry ketone to reduce fat gain and fatty build-up in the liver from a high-fat diet. This study found raspberry ketone worked by improving norepinephrine-induced lipolysis (fat breakdown).
It does, however, make sense to me to consider whether there are other supplements with a greater weight of evidence. There are, in fact, quite a few supplements that are supported by published human research for increasing fat loss. One of these is also a recently popular item, green coffee bean extract. Coffee is made from green coffee beans that are roasted. This destroys some of the beneficial substances.
Unlike raspberry ketones, there are several human studies showing varying degrees of weight loss by supplementing green coffee bean extract. The most impressive results were seen in a study of 16 subjects who were overweight. All 16 participants lost weight, with an average of 17.6 pounds lost over 12 weeks of taking green coffee bean extract. This was without changing diet or activity levels. Four months after the study was complete, 14 of the 16 subjects had maintained their weight loss.
Green coffee bean extract seems to work in many ways to improve fat loss. One way is by reducing the postprandial (after meal) rise in blood sugar and, therefore, insulin (insulin is a fat-building hormone). Another thing to consider is the timing of this supplement. Some of the benefits on blood sugar may be optimized by taking the supplement 30 minutes before meals.
Based on the human studies, the best dosing seemed to be 350 milligrams of green coffee bean extract 3 times per day. The product should be standardized to about 50% chlorogenic acid - a key active ingredient. It is best to use a product that is made from organic coffee beans, to minimize pesticide intake. (See left panel).
So, although raspberry ketone is worthy of consideration for weight loss, there are other supplements such as green coffee bean extract that are supported by better scientific studies. If you are going to choose one supplement for weight loss, I would suggest it should not be raspberry ketone but something else with better (human study) scientific support. A few of such substances include green coffee bean extract, green tea extract, and Irvingia gabenosis (see last month's Nutritious Bytes). Thankfully, we don't have to limit ourselves to just one weight loss aide. There is a product that combines green coffee bean extract, green tea extract, Irvingia, and raspberry ketone. Contact me for pricing if you're interested.
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Sincerely,
Joseph Debé, DC, DACBN, CDN
Board Certified Nutritionist
38 Great Neck Road
Great Neck, N.Y. 11021
(516) 829-1515
www.drdebe.com
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