Dietary supplements in therapy to support weight reduction in obese patients.

Obesity is a pandemic disease that poses a serious problem for the entire world population. Preventative and non-pharmacological treatments for obesity include changing eating habits and increasing physical activity. The use of certain dietary supplements also brings beneficial results in the process of reducing excess body weight. There are many options for the treatment of obesity available on the pharmaceutical market. This study aims to review the latest publications on selected dietary supplements in the treatment of excess body weight. Dietary supplements which support a reduction in excess body weight include capsaicin, bitter orange, white bean seeds, green coffee, berberine, and single and multi-strain probiotics. Some of these supplements have additional health benefits. Bitter orange has antioxidant and anti-ulcer properties. Berberine improves lipid metabolism and reduces blood glucose levels. Capsaicin has found application in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Supplements that do not significantly reduce body weight are chitosan and vitamin D. Chitosan can reduce blood pressure, while vitamin D improves the sensitivity of tissue to insulin. An increase in body mass index (BMI) is associated with an increased risk of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, musculoskeletal disorders, and certain cancers. Dietary supplements with beneficial effects which support a reduction in excess body weight can be used in the treatment of both obesity and its complications.

Calcium-Enriched Pumpkin Affects Serum Leptin Levels and Fat Content in a Rat Model of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis.

Because the world's population is deficient in dietary calcium, it is important to search for new sources of this essential mineral for the bones and the entire body. One of the innovative foods that could act as such a source is pumpkin enriched with calcium lactate by means of osmotic dehydration. Providing the body with easily absorbable calcium may have beneficial effects on the reconstruction of bone tissue. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is associated with body weight and fat mass gain, and the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of consuming enriched pumpkin on the levels of adipokines and cytokines produced by the adipose tissue. This study was conducted on 12-month-old female Wistar rats that received nutritional intervention for 12 weeks. After termination of the rats, the levels of leptin, adiponectin, interleukin 31 and interleukin 33 in serum and adipose tissue were determined, and the femurs were examined histopathologically. It was demonstrated that calcium-enriched pumpkin reduced bone marrow femoral adipocytes and also markedly decreased serum leptin levels in groups of rats after ovariectomy, which was associated with a decrease of fat content. Additionally, it seems that calcium-enriched pumpkin may reduce body weight gain often observed after menopause.