Bitter Melon Combats Obesity

Bitter Melon Combats Obesity

HONG KONG --Bitter melon maycounteract obesity through increased lipid oxidation and mitochondrialuncoupling, according to a study published in the Journalof Nutrition (135, 11:2517-2523, 2005).

Scientists administered doses of 0.75, 1.0 or 1.25 percent freeze-driedbitter melon (BM) juice to rats fed high-fat (HF) diets to induce obesity.BM-supplemented rats had a lower ratio between g of weight gained versus kJconsumed, as well as reduced visceral fat mass, serum glucose and insulinresistance index, but higher plasma norepinephrine than unsupplemented rats.Hepatic and skeletal muscle triglyceride concentrations were lower insupplemented HF diet-fed rats than in unsupplemented HF diet-fed rats. Accordingto the results of the trial, the researchers concluded BM-supplemented ratsexperienced decreased adiposity possibly due to lower metabolic efficiency, aconsequence of increased lipid oxidation and mitochondrial uncoupling.