Daily intake of <em>Kaempferia parviflora</em> extract decreases abdominal fat in overweight and preobese subjects: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study

Abstract

PurposeObesity is a serious problem, which is now a worldwide health problem. Kaempferia parviflora extract (KPE) exhibits anti-obesity effects in animals. However, as no clinical trials have evaluated the anti-obesity effects of KPE in humans, we examined the effects of KPE in reducing abdominal fat in overweight and preobese Japanese subjects.Materials and methodsA 12-week, single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. Seventy-six subjects (males and females aged 20 to <65 years) with a body mass index ≥24 and <30 kg/m2 were randomly assigned into two groups. The subjects in each group ingested one capsule of placebo or active KPE (containing 150 mg of KPE) once daily for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was reduction in visceral fat area as determined by computed tomography scanning. The key secondary outcomes were reductions in subcutaneous fat area and total fat area. Subgroup analysis was also performed in healthy subjects without dyslipidemia, hypertension, or hyperglycemia. The safety of KPE ingestion was also evaluated.ResultsCompared with the placebo group, the active KPE group exhibited significant reduction in abdominal fat area (visceral, subcutaneous, and total fat) and triglyceride levels after 12 weeks. Subgroup analyses demonstrated a significant reduction in abdominal fat area and triglyceride levels in healthy subjects compared with the placebo group after 12 weeks. Neither group exhibited adverse events related to the test foods or clinically relevant abnormal changes in physical, biochemical, or hematologic parameters, or in urinalysis results and medical interview.ConclusionDaily ingestion of KPE safely reduces body fat, particularly abdominal fat, in Japanese overweight and preobese subjects.

Glucose Tolerance Test and Pharmacokinetic Study of Kaempferia parviflora Extract in Healthy Subjects

“…Clinical trials on the effect of KP in human subjects have also confirmed these findings as observed that a single dose of KP extract capsule affected the enhancement of whole-body energy expenditure and decreased the body fat without effect on food uptake [26]. Moreover, KP extract decreased body weight gain and abdominal fat accumulation in overweight and pre-obese subjects [34]. Taken together, giving the KP extract at both 90 and 180 mg/day doses for 28 days did not affect the blood glucose level under glucose tolerance test in healthy volunteers.…”

“…Sport supplement formulation containing the combination of KP extract with two other plants also increased physical endurance in healthy volunteers [39]. Considering the clinical effects on physical fitness, promotion of energy expenditure, anti-obesity, and the hyperglycemic effect in an animal model [6,26,33,34], the effect of KP extract on glucose tolerance test at doses of 90 and 180 mg/day for one month consecutive consumption was conducted in healthy volunteers in this study. It is interesting to find that KP extract at doses of 90 and 180 mg/day had no effect on the capacity of the body to manage glycemic condition after the passage of glucose into the human gut and kept the normal limit of blood glucose within 2 h as similarly observed in the placebo group.…”

“…Moreover, the ethyl acetate extract of KP also suppressed the glucose and lipid metabolism in Tsumura, Suzuki, Obese Diabetes (TSOD) mice [23,30]. Several clinical trials showed the potential activities of KP extract including increased physical fitness in elderly volunteers and in soccer players [32,33], decreased abdominal fat in overweight and pre-obese subjects [34], improved self-assessed sex health in men [35], and reduction of stress and anxiety in adult subjects [36]. Moreover, the safety of KP has been reported.…”

The Anti-Obesity Effect of Kaempferia Parviflora (KP) is Attributed to Leptin in Adipose Tissue

“…Other reports suggest that oral intake of KPE increases energy expenditure and fat utilization in humans [15,16]. Moreover, dietary intake of KPE reportedly decreases body fat (visceral and subcutaneous fat) in overweight and pre-obese subjects [17]. Collectively, these findings suggest that KPE could be used to reduce body fat in humans.…”

Glucose Tolerance Test and Pharmacokinetic Study of <em>Kaempferia Parviflora</em> Extract in Healthy Subjects

“…Moreover, the ethyl acetate extract of K. parviflora also suppressed the glucose and lipid metabolism in Tsumura, Suzuki, Obese Diabetes (TSOD) mice [23,30]. Several clinical trials showed the potential activities of KP extract including increased physical fitness in elderly volunteers and in soccer players [31-4 32], decreased abdominal fat in overweight and pre obese subjects [33], improved selfassessed sex health in men [34] and reduction of stress and anxiety in adult subjects [35].…”