These substances in red bell peppers stimulate fat burning
If you take a capsule every day containing 9 milligrams of red bell pepper carotenoids, your body fat will decrease without changing your lifestyle. Researchers from the Japanese food manufacturer Ezaki Glico [glico.com] write this in the Journal of Oleo Science. It is probably perfectly possible to get the same amount of carotenoids through ordinary fresh bell peppers from the store.
Study
The Japanese did an experiment for 12 weeks with 100 test subjects with a BMI of 25-30. Half of the test subjects received a capsule without active substances each day, the other group took a capsule with 9 milligrams of carotenoids from bell pepper every day at dinner. The Japanese use a different term than 'carotenoids' by the way. They prefer to talk about 'xanthophylls' instead.
The researchers used PapriX oil, a product from Ezaki Glico. Each capsule contained 5 miligrams of capsanthin, 0.5 milligrams of beta-cryptoxanthin and 3.5 milligrams of other carotenoids such as cucurbitaxanthin A, zeaxanthin, capsorubin, cryptocapsin and capsanthin-3,6-epoxide.
In bell peppers - just like in other vegetables with carotenoids - these substances are formed by the conversion of chlorophyll.
According to scans, the test subjects in the experimental group lost abdominal fat [VFA] and subcutaneous fat [SFA]. The supplementation with the extract reduced their waist size by more than an inch.
The supplement reduced LDL level and diastolic blood pressure. As far as the researchers were able to ascertain, PapriX oil had no side effects.
Mechanism
"It has been suggested that peroxisome PPAR-alpha and PPAR-beta expressed by adipocytes might be involved in the mechanism of fat reduction by beta-cryptoxanthin", write the researchers. "These reports strongly suggest that beta-cryptoxanthin has a role in reducing abdominal fat in obese subjects."
The same may also apply to the other carotenoids in the bell pepper extract. According to research, carotenoids such as lutein [resembles zeaxanthin], beta-cryptoxanthin and beta-carotene have an anti-obesogenic effect.
Conclusion
"In summary, we performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trial to investigate the effect of oral paprika xanthophyll supplementation on fat reduction in healthy overweight subjects", the researchers summarize.
"Our findings demonstrated that paprika xanthophyll supplementation reduced the abdominal fat area. In addition, it was suggested that administration of paprika xanthophyll improves the lipid metabolic parameters of these volunteers."
"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first randomized controlled trial to show a fat-reducing effect of paprika xanthophyll intake in humans."
"Since xanthophylls have been reported to have various other actions besides fat reduction, we are currently examining such effects of paprika xanthophylls improvement of cognitive function, antioxidant effect, and anti-inflammatory effect in clinical randomized trials."
Source: J Oleo Sci. 2018 Sep 1;67(9):1149-62.
If you take a capsule every day containing 9 milligrams of red bell pepper carotenoids, your body fat will decrease without changing your lifestyle. Researchers from the Japanese food manufacturer Ezaki Glico [glico.com] write this in the Journal of Oleo Science. It is probably perfectly possible to get the same amount of carotenoids through ordinary fresh bell peppers from the store.
Study
The Japanese did an experiment for 12 weeks with 100 test subjects with a BMI of 25-30. Half of the test subjects received a capsule without active substances each day, the other group took a capsule with 9 milligrams of carotenoids from bell pepper every day at dinner. The Japanese use a different term than 'carotenoids' by the way. They prefer to talk about 'xanthophylls' instead.
The researchers used PapriX oil, a product from Ezaki Glico. Each capsule contained 5 miligrams of capsanthin, 0.5 milligrams of beta-cryptoxanthin and 3.5 milligrams of other carotenoids such as cucurbitaxanthin A, zeaxanthin, capsorubin, cryptocapsin and capsanthin-3,6-epoxide.
In bell peppers - just like in other vegetables with carotenoids - these substances are formed by the conversion of chlorophyll.
According to scans, the test subjects in the experimental group lost abdominal fat [VFA] and subcutaneous fat [SFA]. The supplementation with the extract reduced their waist size by more than an inch.
The supplement reduced LDL level and diastolic blood pressure. As far as the researchers were able to ascertain, PapriX oil had no side effects.
Mechanism
"It has been suggested that peroxisome PPAR-alpha and PPAR-beta expressed by adipocytes might be involved in the mechanism of fat reduction by beta-cryptoxanthin", write the researchers. "These reports strongly suggest that beta-cryptoxanthin has a role in reducing abdominal fat in obese subjects."
The same may also apply to the other carotenoids in the bell pepper extract. According to research, carotenoids such as lutein [resembles zeaxanthin], beta-cryptoxanthin and beta-carotene have an anti-obesogenic effect.
Conclusion
"In summary, we performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trial to investigate the effect of oral paprika xanthophyll supplementation on fat reduction in healthy overweight subjects", the researchers summarize.
"Our findings demonstrated that paprika xanthophyll supplementation reduced the abdominal fat area. In addition, it was suggested that administration of paprika xanthophyll improves the lipid metabolic parameters of these volunteers."
"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first randomized controlled trial to show a fat-reducing effect of paprika xanthophyll intake in humans."
"Since xanthophylls have been reported to have various other actions besides fat reduction, we are currently examining such effects of paprika xanthophylls improvement of cognitive function, antioxidant effect, and anti-inflammatory effect in clinical randomized trials."
Source: J Oleo Sci. 2018 Sep 1;67(9):1149-62.
