NEW RESEARCH: South American Plant Yerba Maté Could Hold Potent Secret to Beating Obesity

New Research about to be published in the research journal OBESITY (Nature Publishing Group) has proven for the first time that a natural plant extract, yerba maté, has potent anti-obesity effects (1).

The research examined the effect of extracts of yerba mate, a plant indigenous to South America, on obese mice fed on high fat diets and concluded that the yerba maté extracts had potent anti-obesity activity.

The research demonstrated that in adipose tissue in obese mice given the extracts, the expression of several genes related to obesity returned to normal levels. Additionally high blood cholesterol and glucose levels in the extract treated mice were reduced. This suggests the compounds found in yerba maté extract may act synergistically to suppress body weight gain, visceral fat accumulation, and decrease the serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, cholesterol and glucose.

Professor Anthony Leeds, a leading obesity researcher of the University of Copenhagen said 'the recent research clearly shows that compounds occurring in yerba maté extract (Ilex paraguarensis) attenuated weight gain in mice on a high fat diet and improved abnormal blood lipid profiles. Yerba maté treatment acted on adipose tissue to down-regulate several genes (including leptin the ‘eating hormone’, and cytokines) and upregulated those for adiponectin and thermogenesis, giving clues as to the mechanism for the weight loss”.

Yerba maté is taken as a hot drink, ‘maté’, in South America. Yerba maté extract is the main ingredient in natural slimming product Zotrim where it is complemented by extracts from guarana and damiana, two other South American plants. This synergistic combination of natural plant extracts already has a well-established effect on weight loss in humans. Zotrim has undergone five rigorous, independent investigations. On average people taking Zotrim lost 5.1kg (11.2lbs) compared to just 0.3kg (0.7lbs) with the placebo. It helps users to eat less through increasing satiety, the feeling of fullness.

Zotrim, £21.48 for one month’s supply, is available form Boots, Tesco, Superdrug, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Lloyd’s pharmacy, Holland & Barrett and good health food stores. Mail order direct from Natures Remedies on 0845 345 0724.

For more information visit www.zotrim.com

Notes to Editors:

The study evaluated the effects of yerba maté extract on weight loss, obesity-related biochemical parameters and the regulation of adipose tissue gene express on high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

Thirty mice were randomly assigned to three groups and introduced to standard (n=10) or high-fat (n=20) diets. After 8 weeks on a high-fat diet, mice were randomly assigned according to the treatment (water or yerba maté extract 1.0g/kg). After treatment intervention for a further 8 weeks, plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and glucose were evaluated.

The study found obese mice treated with yerba maté extract exhibited a reduction in weight, adiposity, a decrease in epididymalfat-pad weight and restoration of the serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and glucose.