Medicinal plants vs overweight and obesity

• April 20, 2024

The overweight and obesity They are one of the most serious public health problems that affect the population of the whole world, for that reason they have tried to fight from different perspectives, among them, with the help of the properties of certain medicinal plants.

However, because naturopathic and traditional medicine has used a wide range of these medicinal plants against overweight and obesity, Even without being certain of its effects and functionality, there is still a great uncertainty about which really are effective and which do not really help to reduce this health problem.

Therefore, according to an investigation of the Department of Medicine, University of Southern California, published in Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, in which more than 77 studies were reviewed, medicinal plants can be auxiliary in the treatment of obesity , the diabetes and other chronic diseases, due to its effects against body fat and oxidation, as well as by lowering blood glucose.

From the vast universe that make up medicinal plants, which were studied and reviewed by scientists, they observed the following points:
 

1. Plants that produce significant decrease in body weight : Nigella Sativa, Camellia sinensis, Crocus sativus L, seaweed laminaria digitata, Xantigen, virgin olive oil, catechin enriched green tea, Camellia Monoselect, Chinese black tea, yacon syrup, Irvingia Gabonensi, Weighlevel, RCM-104 composed of Camellia , sinensis, pistachio, psyllium fiber, black Chinese tea, sea buckthorn and blueberries.
 

2. Plants that produce significant decrease in body fat : Xantigen, green tea, enriched catechin, Irvingia gabonensis, RCM-104 a compound of Camellia Sinensis, Cassiae Semen and Flos Sophorae, Fiber of Psyllium. Chinese black tea showed a decrease in subcutaneous fat, not total body fat.
 

3. Plants that produce significant decrease in abdominal fat (reduce sizes in waist and hip): Nigella Sativa, Xantigen, enriched green tea catechins, Yacon Syrup, Irvingia gabonensis, Debese, whole grain, Lycium barbarum, Chinese black tea, sea buckthorn, red and blueberries. The Monoselect Camellia green tea extract reduced the waist only in men.

In this way, the researchers were able to corroborate, through this review, that the previous medicinal plants have anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anti-oxidant effects, the results of which are the reduction in body weight , of body fat , of body mass and blood glucose levels.

However, it is noted that the use of all these herbs or medicinal plants against overweight and obesity It is not fully regulated, so they should always be used and consumed under the supervision of a specialist and as a complement to a balanced diet and physical activity, for better results.