According to new research, taking a blackcurrant-extract supplement can help you lose weight just as effectively as doing four weeks of regular exercise. One study participant saw a 55% increase in fat burning after taking the vitamin twice daily for a week, an average of 27%.
It’s called CurraNZ and costs $21.75 for a pack of 30 supplements made from New Zealand blackcurrants. According to the researchers, polyphenols in the berries are thought to increase blood flow during exercise, which in turn promotes fat burning.
‘Seven days is not a long time to see such big changes,’ study author Dr. Sam Shepherd, from Liverpool John Moores University, said.
Three to four weeks of regular endurance exercise training is typically expected to result in a 20% increase in performance.’
Supplement causes 21% fat-burning increase in men
Prior research found that the same supplement increased fat burning by about 21% of inactive men. Even though women already consume more fat as a source of energy than men, Dr. Shepherd was pleased to see that the fat-burning properties of blackcurrants extend to women. Those with obesity or type 2 diabetes may also benefit from the findings, according to the researchers.
“In theory, the supplement could potentially exert at least a similar or greater effect in unhealthy individuals,” said Dr. Shepherd. “Unhealthy people have a reduced capacity for fat burning.”
‘It is great to know that there have now been observations of enhanced exercise-induced fat oxidation by New Zealand blackcurrant extract in endurance-trained women and men,’ said Professor Mark Willems from the University of Chichester, who has previously been involved in CurraNZ studies.
Blackcurrant extract has the potential to benefit everyone from athletes to those who are overweight, and these high-impact findings re-emphasize the unprecedented effect it has on fat oxidation.’ The research was published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology. CurraNZ or a placebo were given to 16 active women twice a day for a week, and the results were compared.
Two hours of cycling were then followed by cannula-based blood samples being taken every 15 minutes.
Fat and carbohydrate levels in the women’s blood were measured using blood samples drawn from them.
Herbal supplement boosts memory, strength, and speech in stroke survivors
A study published in December found that an over-the-counter supplement found on the High Street can improve memory, muscle strength, and speech in stroke survivors. Research suggests that the herbal supplement Ginkgo biloba, which is commonly used to treat depression and headaches, prevents the death of brain cells by enhancing blood flow.
Research shows that Ginkgo Biloba, taken with aspirin to help prevent further blood clots, can boost cognitive function, reaction time, and language skills in stroke victims after just 12 weeks of treatment.
China-based Dr. Yun Xu, a researcher at Nanjing University in China, explained that Ginkgo biloba extract can be purchased without a prescription in the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, and the United States. Stroke patients who received ginkgo Biloba extract had improved memory, executive function, neurological function, and quality of life in general, according to the study results.
