|
|
|
2007-9-3 17:22:53 |
|
A new food ingredient that has been already used in food like cereal, yogurt and baby food may become a new weapon in the war against obesity, according to Canadian researchers. Dr. Raylene Reimer, a researcher at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Kinesiology and colleagues are launching the first human trials to assess the natural fiber for its anti-obesity effect, which has already been demonstrated in studies of genetically obese rats. "It may not be the magic bullet," Reimer says, "but in all likelihood this will likely be one factor that people can change in their life to help achieve a healthy body weight. It won't cure obesity or cause people to drop half their body weight -- not even our strongest obesity drugs can do that -- but we believe it could help." "It's not a chemical or a drug. In fact it's a food product that is already being used in things like yogurt, cereal and baby food. We have found in a previous study with rats that the fiber increases the levels of a satiety hormone called glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) in the body and increases a gene in the intestines that helps the body to create more GLP-1." An early study of oligo fructose in rats by the researchers shows that rats consuming the natural fiber ate significantly less food and their blood lipid profile was drastically improved. In the human trial, Reimer and colleagues will test the effect of the natural fiber in 50 overweight, but otherwise healthy people living in Calgary Canada, who will be required to take a dietary supplement over a three-month period while using their usual diet. |
