Metabogenic Clinical Trials and Studies

Metabogenic Information

Metabogenic Clinical Trials and Studies

While the Pharma-Help Research Team could not locate any specific independent studies done on Metabogenic itself, there are substantial studies done into the specific effects of various Metabogenic ingredients:

Citrus aurantium (synephrine)

A study published in Current Therapeutic Research recently investigated the weight-loss benefits of a supplement containing Citrus aurantium, caffeine and St. John's wort. The researchers divided 23 overweight individuals into three groups. One was given the same Citrus aurantium combination used in Metabogenic. Another group got a placebo, while the third group did not receive any supplement. All of the subjects followed the same exercise and diet routine for six weeks. By the end of the experiment, the Citrus aurantium group had lost 13% of their fat mass while increasing their basal metabolic rate by 3%. While the St. John's wort, an herbal antidepressant, may have reduced appetite to some extent (people tend to eat more when they are depressed), the researchers felt that the synephrine/caffeine part of the formulation was the primary reason for the benefits in fat loss and enhanced metabolism.

Other studies have further documented synephrine's metabolic enhancing properties. Synephrine is considered by many experts to be a more effective and better-tolerated alternative to ephedrine-based thermogenic supplements.

Green Tea Extract

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when green tea was taken instead of pure caffeine, there was a greater thermogenic effect. This six-week study compared the benefits of pure caffeine (50 mg), green tea extract (with 50 mg of caffeine and 90 mg of EGCG) and placebo. The pills were given three times per day. The green tea group experienced a significant 4% increase in thermogenesis and a 4.5% boost in overall energy expenditure.

To put this in perspective, if you consumed a 2,000-calorie diet and were at an energy balance (taking in the same number of calories as you expend), a 4% increase would translate into burning an extra 80 calories a day. That's 2,400 more calories a month that you can burn simply by taking green tea extract. Over the course of a year, this would result in approximately 8 to 9 lb of weight lost.

Caffeine

Scientific research shows that caffeine is not only a powerful thermogenic stimulator, but also works synergistically with ephedrine and synephrine. Studies show that caffeine increases the level of free fatty acids in your blood, thereby making fat a more abundant source of fuel.

One study found a 100% increase in plasma free fatty acids after taking 330 mg of caffeine. Studies also show that during aerobic exercise, caffeine can increase the rate of fat oxidation (fat burning) by as much as 50%. That means that if you spent 30 minutes doing moderately intense aerobic exercise and burned 500 calories, roughly half of those calories would come from fat oxidation. So by adding caffeine to your pre-workout supplement list, you could burn an extra 125 calories! Add that up over a period of weeks, months or years, and you'll understand why adding caffeine is important for jump-starting your weight-loss efforts.

Coleus forskohlii

An eight-week study with six overweight females found that Coleus forskohlii can significantly reduce body weight while increasing lean body mass. The subjects were given 250 mg of an extract standardized to 10% forskolin twice daily. One capsule was ingested in the morning and the other in the evening, half an hour before each meal. Subjects were instructed to maintain their normal activity levels and dietary practices. After four weeks, there was an average loss of 4.3 lb of body weight. After eight weeks, the subjects lost an average of 7.2 lb, and their body fat percentage dropped from 33.6% to 25.9% as determined by bioelectrical impedance. No significant side effects were noted, although blood pressure tended to decrease during the experiment.

L-tyrosine

Research suggests that supplementing with tyrosine may minimize the degradation of the neurotransmitters involved in the metabolic process while enhancing the thermogenic effects of synephrine/caffeine combination. With more raw material available, the neurotransmitters controlling metabolism are produced at a higher level with beneficial results. The increases in alertness and energy level will also make it easier to stick to your diet program.

Alpha lipoic acid

Most of the studies on alpha lipoic acid have been done with diabetics, who often have a problem with insulin sensitivity. These studies have found that this coenzyme can increase the body's sensitivity to insulin, reducing the amount of insulin that needs to be produced by the pancreas (or injected). Nondiabetics also produce alpha lipoic acid, so it stands to reason that it would promote better utilization of insulin for them as well. Alpha lipoic acid is also a potent antioxidant, helping to fight free-radical damage in the cells.

Naringin

Numerous studies have indicated that naringin prolongs the chemical activity of caffeine. Research published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that the half-life of caffeine was extended by 31% when naringin was present in sufficient amounts. Studies of various citrus fruits have shown that grapefruit has by far the highest content of naringin. It is, in fact, what gives grapefruit its characteristic bitter taste.

Metabogenic Information