A 13-week low glycemic load diet and lifestyle modification program combining low glycemic load protein shakes and targeted nutraceuticals improved weight loss and cardio-metabolic risk factors

Abstract

A 13-week, randomized, pilot trial of a low glycemic load diet and lifestyle modification program combining low glycemic load protein shakes and targeted nutraceuticals improved weight loss and cardio-metabolic risk factors over a low glycemic load diet alone in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors

Effect of bergamot on lipid profile in humans: A systematic review

“…The study carried out by Cai et al (2017) did not find statistically significant differences. Even though, it is important to note that Babish et al (2016), Bruno, Pandolfo, Crucitti, Cacciola, et al (2017) and Dahlberg et al (2017) showed light although significant decreases in HDL cholesterol concentration, that ranged from 1% to 6.5%.…”

“…There was quite heterogeneity in clinical characteristics of populations. In summary, two trials recruited subjects with overweight or obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors (Dahlberg et al 2017) or metabolic syndrome (Di Folco et al 2018), four trials included subjects with mixed hyperlipidemia (Gliozzi et al 2013; Mollace et al 2011;Cai et al 2017;Babish et al 2016), one trial involved subjects with isolated hypercholesterolemia (Toth et al 2015), one trial recruited participants with previous ischemic heart disease (Campolongo et al 2016), two similar trials recruited subjects under second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) treatment (Bruno, Pandolfo, Crucitti, Cacciola, et al 2017;Bruno, Pandolfo, Crucitti, Maisano, et al 2017), and one trial included women with breast cancer and receiving aromatase inhibitors treatment (Izzo et al 2017). Five studies had a single-arm intervention, while six of them showed double or multiple-arm designs by comparing different doses of bergamot, using a placebo or statin group as comparison arm.…”

“…In contrast, Mollace et al (2011) randomized 237 participants with combined hyperlipidemia to 500, 1000 mg/day of bergamot or placebo during 30 days, 69 subjects taking 500 mg/day of BPF obtained significant reductions of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides with respect to the placebo group (-21.8 ± 1.40%, -24.1 ± 1.5%, -30.5 ± 3.2%, respectively). On the other hand, Dahlberg et al (2017) randomized 32 subjects with overweight or obesity and at least two cardiovascular risk factors in two groups: a low glycemic load Mediterranean diet and the same intervention plus a nutraceutical including 500 mg/day of bergamot fruit extract, soy, berberine, and phytosterols, among other components. Authors found significant differences between baseline and final values in lipid profile in both study groups, although the change was greater in participants receiving the nutraceutical, who showed decreases of 17.3%, 18.8%, and 50.8% in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, respectively (Dahlberg et al 2017 with a baseline concentration of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) > 5.4%, HOMA-IR score > 2 or elevated triglycerides showed greater reductions in their lipid profile, especially in their triglyceride levels (Table 1).…”

“…On the other hand, Dahlberg et al (2017) randomized 32 subjects with overweight or obesity and at least two cardiovascular risk factors in two groups: a low glycemic load Mediterranean diet and the same intervention plus a nutraceutical including 500 mg/day of bergamot fruit extract, soy, berberine, and phytosterols, among other components. Authors found significant differences between baseline and final values in lipid profile in both study groups, although the change was greater in participants receiving the nutraceutical, who showed decreases of 17.3%, 18.8%, and 50.8% in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, respectively (Dahlberg et al 2017 with a baseline concentration of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) > 5.4%, HOMA-IR score > 2 or elevated triglycerides showed greater reductions in their lipid profile, especially in their triglyceride levels (Table 1). Three studies used doses below 500 mg of bergamot extract, of which two used bergamot as part of a complex nutraceutical and one of them used bergamot as isolated active principle.…”

Berberine and barberry (Berberis vulgaris): A clinical review

“…In some studies, many nutraceutical and other interventions such as diet and lifestyle modifications have been tested concomitantly (Cicero et al, ; Cicero, Fogacci et al, ; Cicero, Rovati, & Setnikar, ; Dahlberg et al, ; Trimarco et al, ). Therefore, it is not possible to determine whether the observed effects are the result of berberine or other compounds or the result of additive or synergistic interactions between nutraceutical supplementation, diet, and lifestyle modifications.…”