Bitter Melon Shows Promise Against Obesity

Bitter Melon Shows Promise Against Obesity

HONG KONG--Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) reducedadiposity in rats on a high-fat diet, according to researchers at the Universityof Hong Kong who published their work in the April edition of the Journal ofNutrition (133, 4:1088-93, 2003) (www.nutrition.org).Researchers noted that while bitter melon has recognized hypoglycemic effects,it had not previously been investigated for its effect on rats fed ahyperinsulinemic, high-fat diet.

From a dose-response study, researchers noted rats fed a high-fat diet incombination with freeze-dried bitter melon juice exhibited improved oral glucosetolerance. They also reported that rats taking the supplement had less visceralfat mass than rats taking a high-fat diet alone.

In a subsequent experiment, rats habitually fed a high-fat diet eithercontinued to consume the diet (control group) or were switched to one of threediets: 1) high-fat plus bitter melon; 2) low-fat; or 3) low-fat plus bittermelon. After seven weeks, rats switched to the high-fat, bitter melon dietgained less weight and had less visceral fat than the rats on the high-fat dietalone. Researchers noted that adding bitter melon did not change apparent fatabsorption, although it did improve insulin resistance, lower serum insulin andleptin, and raise serum free fatty acid concentration. They concluded bittermelon reduced body fat and appeared to have multiple influences on glucose andlipid metabolism that counteracted the negative effects of the high-fat diet.