Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, damages healthy blood vessels that supply blood and nutrients to your organs. This disrupts normal organ function and increases your risk for obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension and heart disease. Evidence indicates that certain dietary supplements on the market today are effective for reducing abdominal fat. Consult your health care provider before taking any supplements.
Whey Protein
Whey protein is one of the major proteins found in milk protein that might help reduce belly fat, according to an animal study conducted by researchers from the University of Adelaide in Australia. They discovered that rats following a diet rich in whey protein experienced decreases in visceral fat compared with those ingesting red meat. Further research on humans is necessary. The findings were reported in the June 2004 issue of the "Journal of Nutrition."
Green Tea Catechins
Green tea has antioxidants called catechins, which might banish abdominal fat. Researchers at Kao Corporation and Tufts University studied the impact of green tea catechins in conjunction with exercise on weight loss in overweight and obese adults. Participants consumed green tea beverage containing 625 mg of catechins with 39 mg of caffeine or a placebo beverage daily for 12 weeks. Both groups performed three exercise sessions per week. Scientists reported in the February 2009 issue of the "Journal of Nutrition" that those in the green tea catechin group lost more abdominal body fat than those consuming a placebo beverage.
Calcium
Calcium might boost weight loss by inhibiting calcitriol, a hormone that decreases fat-burning and promotes fat storage. Scientists from the University of Tennessee discovered that participants adhering to a calorie-restricted, high-calcium diet containing 1200 to 1300 mg of calcium daily for 24 weeks experienced decreases in body fat, particularly from the trunk and abdominal region, according to research reported in the April 2004 issue of "Obesity Research."
Xanthigen
Xanthigen, which is composed of fucoxanthin and pomegranate seed oil, may enhance weight loss from the stomach region, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Russia Academy of Natural Sciences. Obese premenopausal women were assigned 600 mg of Xanthigen or a placebo daily for 16 weeks. At the end of the study, scientists found that those in the Xanthigen group experienced decreases in waist circumference compared with those who received a placebo. The research was reported in the January 2010 issue of "Diabetes and Obese Metabolism."
References
- "Journal of Nutrition"; A High-Whey-Protein Diet Reduces Body Weight Gain and Alters Insulin Sensitivity Relative to Red Meat in Wistar Rats; D.P. Belobrajdic et al.; June 2004
- "Journal of Nutrition"; Green Tea Catechin Consumption Enhances Exercise-Induced Abdominal Fat Loss in Overweight and Obese Adults; K.C. Maki et al.; February 2009
- "Obesity Research"; Calcium and Dairy Acceleration of Weight and Fat Loss During Energy Restriction in Obese Adults; M.B. Zemel et al.; April 2004
- "Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism"; The Effects of Xanthigen in the Weight Managment of Obese Premenopausal Women With Non-Alcholic Fatty Liver Disease and Normal Liver Fat; M. Abidov et al.; January 2010
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