This antioxidant-rich polyphenol from Chardonnay grape seeds reduces blood sugar, triglycerides, insulin resistance and oxidative stress linked to obesity, according to a new study in hamsters.

Researchers from the University of Montpellier, France, report that animals fed a high-fat diet but supplemented with the Grape Seed Extract (GSE) had 61% higher Adiponectin levels than animals fed only the high fat diet.

Adiponectin is a protein hormone produced and secreted exclusively by adipocytes (fat cells) that regulates the metabolism of fats and sugars and reduces inflammation.

Adiponectin increases the body’s response to insulin. Low blood levels of Adiponectin are associated with Diabetes, Obesity and Heart Attacks.

“This is the first time that chronic consumption of grape phenolics is shown to reduce obesity development and related metabolic pathways including adipokine secretion and oxidative stress,” wrote the researchers, led by Jean-Max Rouanet, in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.

Study details

Dr Rouanet and his co-workers divided hamsters into three groups: One group received a standard diet, one group was fed a high-fat diet, and the third received the high-fat diet and the grape seed extract (provided by Partoeno, Bordeaux).

After 12 weeks on the diets, the researchers found that animals on the high-fat diet had increased abdominal fat, compared to the hamsters on the standard diet.

On the other hand, hamsters fed the high-fat diet that were supplemented with the grape seed extract did not have increased abdominal fat, they said.

Additionally, in the high-fat diet group, increases in blood sugar, triglycerides, insulin and insulin resistance were observed, but according to the researchers, supplementation with the grape seed extract prevented “in part these effects.”

In the GSE supplemented group, blood levels of insulin and leptin were reduced by 16.5 and 45% respectively.

Researchers also found that GSE lowered blood sugar levels and strongly reduced cardiac production of the oxygen free-radical superoxide by as much as 74%.

“These results suggest that grape seed extract acted by mechanisms operating-at least in part-inside an antioxidant effect and the possibility that adiponectin might modulate oxidative stress, leading to anti-obesity effects,” wrote the researchers.

“Thus, we provided insights into one mechanism, increased oxidant stress, that probably contributes to the pathological after-effects of obesity and that may have important public health implications, being a target for interventions to decrease the pathology,” they added.

Source: Molecular Nutrition and Food Research
Published Online ahead of print, doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200800165
“Chardonnay grape seed procyanidin extract supplementation prevents high-fat diet-induced obesity in hamsters by improving adipokine imbalance and oxidative stress markers”
Authors: K. Decorde, P.-L. Teissedre, T. Sutra, E. Ventura, J.-P. Cristol, J.-M. Rouanet

Researchers from Ohio State University College of Medicine have determined that a specific gene plays a role in the weight-gain response to a high-fat diet.

The researchers found that a diet rich in fat induced production of this gene, called protein kinase C beta (PKC beta), in the fat cells of mice. These mice rapidly gained weight while eating a high-fat diet for 12 weeks.

On the other hand, mice genetically engineered to lack PKC beta gained relatively little weight and showed minimal health effects after eating the same high-fat diet.

“So we now know this gene is induced by a high-fat diet in fat cells, and a deficiency of this gene leads to resistance to fat-induced obesity and related insulin resistance and liver damage,” said Kamal Mehta, senior author of the study and a professor of molecular and cellular biochemistry in Ohio State University’s College of Medicine.

“It could be that the high-fat diet is a signal to the body to store more fat. And when that gene is not there, then the fat storage cannot occur.”

Though the complete mechanism remains unknown, the research to date suggests that rather than storing fat, mice lacking the gene burn fat more rapidly than they would if the PKC beta were present, Mehta said.

[Article continues at original source]

Source: Hepatology. 2009 May;49(5):1525-36.

Loss of protein kinase Cbeta function protects mice against diet-induced obesity and development of hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance.

Huang W, Bansode R, Mehta M, Mehta KD.

Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.

Supplements of multivitamins and minerals may help reduce body weight and improve blood fat levels, according to results of a clinical trial in obese Chinese women.

Results of a 26-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study with 87 women found that multivitamins and minerals were associated with significantly lower body weight, body mass index, and fat mass

Levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were also significantly reduced, while HDL-cholesterol were increased, according to findings published in the International Journal of Obesity.

Obesity rates have skyrocketed in the US in recent years – 15 per cent of the population was obese in 1980, compared to 34 per cent today, according to figures from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

If other clinical trials in other populations support the findings, it could see multivitamins and minerals touted for their weight management potential.

Multivitamin use

According to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) State-of-the-Science Panel, half of the American population routinely use dietary supplements, with their annual spend estimated at over $20 billion.

Recent results of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed that 35 per cent of the US adult population regularly consumes one or more types of multivitamin product (Am. J. Epidemiol., 2004, Vol. 160, Pages 339-349).

Study details

Ninety-six obese women aged between 18 and 55 were recruited to participate in the study, with 87 completing the 26 weeks of intervention. Women were randomly assigned to one of three groups: One received a multivitamin and mineral supplement; the second received a calcium supplement (162 mg per day); and the third received an identical placebo.

Led by Professor CH Sun from the Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene at Harbin Medical University, the Chinese researchers report that the multivitamin and mineral group lost an average of 3.6 kg of body weight, compared to 0.9 kg and 0.2 kg for the calcium and placebo groups, respectively.

In addition, significant reductions in BMI and waist circumference were observed in the multivitamin and mineral group, while the changes in the other groups were not significant.

“To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the effects of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on lipid profile in obese subjects,” wrote the researchers.

Calcium and dairy

On the other hand, the calcium group only experienced cholesterol improvements, with HDL levels increasing and LDL decreasing, compared with the placebo group.

This last point taps into a different debate, which has focussed on the potential of dairy to aid weight loss.

A relationship between dairy intake and weight reduction has been recorded in numerous studies, and dairy industries in Europe and the US have been promoting milk-based products for consumers who want to slim for some time. The subject, however, remains controversial.

There are even splits within the dairy camp, with some arguing that calcium and vitamin D are the active nutrients behind the effects. One of the lead researchers in this are, Dr Michael Zemel from the University of Tennessee, has previously said that dairy can help reduce body fat and that calcium only accounts for about 40 per cent of the effect.

By Stephen Daniells, 25-Feb-2010

Published at: Nutraingredients.com/Research

Source: International Journal of Obesity

Published online ahead of print, doi:10.1038/ijo.2010.14
“Effects of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on adiposity, energy expenditure and lipid profiles in obese Chinese women”
Authors: Y. Li, C. Wang, K. Zhu, R.N. Feng, C.H. Sun

Quoted from BBC NEWS Published: March 3, 2010

Three diets - Mediterranean, low-fat and low-carbohydrate - are equally effective in helping reverse blocked arteries that lead to heart attack and stroke, say Israeli researchers.

The study of 140 people, reported in the journal Circulation, found diet could reduce the fatty build up in arteries.

The Ben-Gurion University team found that by the end of the two-year study, the arterial wall had been cut by 5%.

[Article continues at original source]

If you want to lose weight for good, this is the diet for you. The Vital “Lifetime” Diet created by Dr. Clark Hansen, was created to help you uncover your specific metabolic and hormonal imbalances that cause you to pack on the pounds in your abdomen, hips or thighs. So if you would like to find out why you are an apple or a pear shape and what you can do to fix it for good, click on the on the 3TV link to the right to watch Dr. Hansen on TV then call 480-991-5092 to learn more and to schedule an appointment to get started today to reshape a new you.

If you want to lose weight for good, this is the diet for you. The Vital Diet is a healthy diet full of delicious real foods that are vital to great health. This is a diet you can feel good about and follow for life. Most diets rob your body of essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals and even lean muscle. They can deplete your energy and actually lower your metabolism which causes you to regain all of the weight you lose faster than it took to take it off. Most diets fail because they are based on incorrect principles. They are based on short term quick weight loss gimmicks and unhealthy diet habits that you could never sustain and wouldn’t want to because they’re just not healthy.

To watch Dr. Hansen on TV as he talks about the Vital “Lifetime” Diet, click here.

You’re not Alone

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly two-thirds of U.S. Adults are overweight. The American waistline continues to expand, with 61% of U.S. adults now considered to be overweight. More than a third of adults, 35%, are slightly or moderately overweight and 26% of Americans are not just overweight, but obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even a small weight loss (just 10 percent of your current weight) will help you lower your risk of developing diseases associated with obesity.

Diseases Associated with being Overweight

• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Gallbladder disease
• High Cholesterol
• Hypertension
• Heart Disease
• Cancer

What’s Your BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of weight relative to height. BMI is a reliable indicator of total body fat, which relates directly to your risk of certain diseases and death. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while anything over 30 is considered obese. A healthy weight falls between 22 and 24. To check your BMI, click here.

What is the Vital Diet

The Vital Diet is a healthy way of eating real foods that provides all the vital nutrients, lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy oils, vitamins and minerals that your body needs on a daily basis so that you can achieve optimal health and vitality. The Vital Diet teaches you how to eat and what to eat to burn fat, build lean muscle, optimize your body’s enzymes, replenish your hormones and fight oxidation, aging and cellular degeneration.

The Vital Diet includes specific meal plans, portions, and recipes that you can make from foods you buy at the grocery store. You don’t have to buy any pre-packaged foods, meal replacement powders, protein bars, or fad drinks. Instead you’ll learn how to simply and quickly prepare healthy and delicious meals that keep your vitality up and your weight down. The Weight Loss Phase of the Vital Diet is intended to last 16 weeks. During this time period you can expect to lose as much as 20-40 pounds.

The keys to the success of this program include an individual comprehensive metabolic evaluation by Dr. Clark Hansen, an initial 2-day Vital Detox, the correct combinations of Vital Foods, Metabolic Exercise, Specially Formulated Dietary Supplements and MesoDerm metabolic enhancer.

Assessing the Shape You’re In: Are You an Apple or a Pear?

Your inability to lose weight and keep it off may be partly due to genetics and hormonal imbalances. The Vital Diet program starts with a comprehensive medical evaluation by Dr. Clark Hansen who will personally assess your overall health status and your specific metabolic and hormonal deficiencies. If you are a Pear Shape (carry excess fat predominantly in your hips and thighs) you may be deficient in Growth Hormone, Thyroid, and/or Testosterone. If you are Apple shaped (carry excess fat in the abdomen) you may be overproducing Insulin, Cortisol and Estrogen and/or deficient in DHEA, Progesterone or Testosterone. Crave sweets? You could have a Chromium deficiency. Never feel satisfied? You could have a deficiency of Dopamine. Have an insatiable appetite? You may be deficient in Serotonin. Solving your metabolic imbalances can turn your world around and reshape a healthier you.

What Shape Are You? Are You an Apple or Pear Shape

Apple Shape

Hormone Imbalance Body Fat Distribution

Cortisol Excess……………….. abdominal obesity; round face; thick neck; fat shoulders;

DHEA Deficiency……………… fat abdomen

Estrogen Excess………………. fat belly; swollen face; large breasts;

Insulin Excess ………………… fat abdomen, hips and thighs; cellulite; fat face

Testosterone Deficiency…… fat abdomen; fat hips and thighs; cellulite; fat face; large breasts;

lack of muscles

Pear Shape

Hormone Imbalance Body Fat Distribution

Insulin Excess………………… fat hips, thighs and abdomen; cellulite; fat face

Thyroid Deficiency………….. fat hips and thighs; puffy face in the morning; fat calves; swollen ankles

HGH Deficiency………………. fat hips and thighs; puffy face; large breasts; love handles; cellulite; lack of muscles;

Start with a Simple Cleansing Detox

To begin the Vital Diet you will be guided through a simple 2-day Detox Diet that emphasizes detoxifying your body by eating healthy high fiber foods that cleanse the colon and the liver so that you will be able to increase the assimilation and utilization of the wealth of enzymes, vitamins and minerals found in the Vital Diet. This gentle 2-day detoxification phase of the Vital Diet will get you off on a clean start.

Vital Foods Boost Metabolism, Speed Weight Loss

The Vital Diet emphasizes the joy of eating healthy foods. In fact on the Vital Diet you may eat more frequently than you are used to and still lose weight. You’ll learn to stop starving yourself to turn up your metabolic rate. You’ll replace refined carbohydrates with low glycemic, high fiber foods that taste great and won’t raise your insulin levels or pack pounds in your abdomen or hips. TYou’ll enjoy lean cuts of meat and replace high fat for low fat foods. The Vital Diet will teach you how to eat foods that satisfy and how to avoid the starve and binge swings that expand your stomach, cause continual cravings, lower your metabolism and convert more of your calories to fat.

Vital Exercise

Exercise is vital to great health and longevity. Exercise can increase your metabolism, lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases. In January, 2008, researcheres at King’s College in London discovered that just 30 minutes of exercise 6 days per week can extend your life by nearly a decade. The study found that exercise appears to slow the aging of genes inside cells.

Vital Supplements

The Vital Diet includes three key dietary supplements that supply the essential nutrients that your body needs to enhance the fat burning process. 1) Peak Advantage High-Potency Multi-Vitamin contains 28 vitamins and minerals to insure optimal metabolism and fat burning. 2) Succeed Fat Burner is a nutritional and herbal formula that stimulates high speed fat burning without ephedra. 3) MesoDerm is a topical cream that can be applied to the skin over your fatty areas, including the abdomen, hips and thighs. Each full pump delivers 60 mg of bio-identical compounds proven to assist in lipid metabolism and fat emulsification.

Supplemental Benefits

• Decreases appetite
• Stimulates fat burning
• Increases metabolic rate
• Accelerates removal of stored fat
• Enhances energy production
• Improves physical performance

Vital Seminars

Dr. Hansen and his staff will present Vital Life Seminars from time to time where they will teach you the principles of optimal health. The more knowledgeable you are the more likely you will be to achieve your weight loss and other health goals.

Vital Success

So, if you’re ready to lose weight for life, call today to attend a free Vital Life Seminar, where we’ll teach you the secrets of the Vital “Lifetime” Diet. Bring a buddy and get a $50 Gift Certificate good toward Diet Program Visits.