Obesity is a nutritional metabolic disorder that refers to a physiological condition in which the body has a relatively high fat content or is overweight.
According to the survey results, at least 1/5 of people worldwide weigh above normal weight levels. Researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reviewed over 1000 studies on the relationship between weight and cancer risk, and found that obesity increases the likelihood of 11 types of cancer.
Weight loss is a behavior aimed at reducing excessive fat and weight in the human body. About three-quarters of cancers caused by overweight and obesity can be avoided through weight loss. Weight loss includes various methods such as adjusting lifestyle (diet, yoga, exercise, fitness, etc.), consuming weight loss drugs and food, and undergoing surgical treatment.
With the deepening of research, many weight loss professionals have realized that dietary regulation, appropriate aerobic exercise, and a regular lifestyle are more conducive to increasing energy consumption and promoting fat metabolism. Clinical studies have also shown that a scientifically reasonable combination of nutritional therapy and exercise intervention is still the most effective and safe basic treatment at present.
01
Analysis of functional ingredients and composition of weight loss health food
China has a rich variety of health foods, a large scale, and diverse functions. According to information searches on the official website of the National Food and Drug Administration, as of November 2018, a total of 17470 types of health foods have been approved for market, including 16690 domestically produced health foods and 780 imported health foods. Among the approved health products for marketing, 401 domestic health foods were found by entering the keyword "weight loss" in the health function, accounting for 2.29% of the total health foods, and 10 imported weight loss health foods, accounting for 0.057% of the imported health foods.
1.1 Analysis of formula components for weight loss health foods
Through analysis of data information, a total of 429 main raw materials are used in weight loss health foods (401 domestically produced and 10 imported), with a cumulative frequency of 2854 uses.
The top 20 most commonly used varieties currently include lotus leaves, cassia seeds, L-carnitine, Alisma orientalis, hawthorn, Poria cocos, green tea, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, L-carnitine tartrate, magnesium stearate, konjac, tea polyphenols, lotus leaf extract, starch, cellulose, Polygonum multiflorum, malt, dextrin, glycerol, and calcium pyruvate.
Below is an analysis of the materials that are frequently used.
According to Table 1, lotus leaves have the highest frequency of use, with 46.47% of weight loss health foods using this ingredient. Lotus leaves are rich in alkaloids, and their lipid-lowering and weight loss effects have always been recognized.
Lotus leaf can effectively reduce blood lipid level, inhibit body mass growth, and prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia and atherosclerosis. In addition, Cassia seed also has functions such as lowering blood pressure, lowering blood lipids, lowering blood sugar, regulating immunity, and antibacterial properties.
1.2 Analysis of functional ingredients in weight loss health foods
The functional ingredients of weight loss health foods show diversity. According to data statistics, among 411 weight loss products, 331 were labeled with functional ingredients and 80 were not labeled with functional ingredients. Most weight loss health foods contain more than 2 functional ingredients, as shown in Figure 1. Among them, the most functional ingredients are carnitine, total flavonoids, tea polyphenols, total anthraquinone, and calcium pyruvate. The total frequency of these 5 functional ingredients appearing in weight loss health foods is 410 times.
Carnitine (L-carnitine) has the highest proportion as an active ingredient in weight loss health foods, reaching 31.87%. L-carnitine can enhance the activity of fatty acid oxidase in the body, effectively control weight and reduce blood lipid levels, improve abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia and anti fatigue functions of metabolic syndrome, induce gene expression of enzymes related to fat breakdown, and stimulate adipocytes to increase fat breakdown β- The oxidation level can achieve the effect of lipid-lowering and weight loss.
In addition, L-carnitine can promote the secretion of digestive juices, increase digestive enzyme activity, and regulate gastrointestinal function. It is widely used in weight loss health foods, athlete foods, infant and toddler foods, and nutritional supplements for middle-aged and elderly people.
Flavonoids with weight loss benefits mainly include rutin, various flavonoids, soy isoflavones, etc. Flavonoids can regulate blood lipids, have antioxidant effects, and effectively eliminate free radicals generated by overtime or vigorous exercise, thereby eliminating body fatigue and anti-aging.
Soy isoflavones are an important type of plant estrogen with a unique crystalline structure, which plays an important role in human health. They have functions such as weight loss, lipid lowering, antioxidant, anti-tumor, etc. In recent years, they have also been widely used in weight loss health food raw materials.
Anthraquinone is a general term for a class of organic compounds that are widely present in medicinal plants, such as rhubarb, cassia seeds, and senna leaves. Anthraquinone has a weight loss effect, mainly by promoting intestinal peristalsis, accelerating the leakage pathway of lipid excretion, and inhibiting the synthesis of glycerol and lipid cholesterol in the body, reducing blood lipid levels.
Calcium pyruvate, as a dietary supplement, has functions such as accelerating fat consumption, weight loss, and weight loss; Research by Zhou Yong and others has shown that moderate exercise combined with calcium pyruvate supplementation can effectively improve the blood lipid levels and body composition of obese female college students.
02
Current problems in weight loss health foods
2.1 Adding Prohibited Drugs
The most common types of added drugs in weight loss pills are:
① Appetite suppressants, their main components are fenfluramine and sibutramine. Appetite inhibitors act on the central nervous system to suppress appetite, and have significant side effects on the body. Long term use can even cause heart valve damage and pulmonary hypertension.
The US Food and Drug Administration officially banned its use for weight loss in September 1997; Sibutramine hydrochloride can inhibit appetite and may cause serious side effects such as elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, anorexia, insomnia, and abnormal liver function. Phenolphthalein directly stimulates the intestinal mucosa and long-term use can damage the intestinal nervous system.
② Laxatives or diuretics, such as orlistat, rhubarb, and senna, reduce the time and absorption rate of food in the gastrointestinal tract by accelerating intestinal peristalsis. Diuretics such as weight loss tea can cause dehydration in the body by increasing the frequency of excretion and forcibly removing normal body fluids instead of excess fat.
③ A preparation that helps burn fat and calories. The principle is to promote human metabolism, protein breakdown, and increase consumption, thereby achieving the goal of weight loss. This is also a drug that acts on the central nervous system, with great potential harm.
Many weight loss health food manufacturers illegally add these prohibited ingredients in order to achieve product efficacy, and long-term use of these ingredients can seriously harm human health and even pose a life-threatening risk.
2.2 Risk of taking medication
Weight loss tea is the most common weight loss product, and weight loss tea containing anthraquinone is not recommended for long-term use, especially for those with weak spleen and stomach.
In recent years, meal replacement diet has become more and more popular. This kind of diet has low calorie content, which can effectively reduce weight, lower blood pressure and reverse diabetes. However, a recent study published in the Daily Telegraph suggests that a meal replacement diet may affect the normal beating of the heart.
03
Summary and Outlook
At present, obesity has become a global health problem. The incidence rate and mortality of osteoarthropathy, fatty liver, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, sleep apnea syndrome, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, which are closely related to obesity, have risen sharply, seriously affecting human health.
Faced with the severe situation of increasing obesity incidence year by year, with the rise of fitness fever and people's continuous pursuit of health, the demand for weight loss health foods will continue to increase, and research will further deepen. Weight loss health foods should not only focus on their weight loss benefits, but also have safety, so as to fully gain market recognition and become the best choice for weight controllers.
Shaanxi Huike Botanical Development Co., Ltd. a integrated enterprise which is focus on natural products, plant extract related products and services.We mainly focus on pharmaceutical, functional food, Freeze-dried powder,Natural Pigment,Homology of medicine and food,beverages and other business services.
For more information about inulin, please contact us!
Email:marketing@huikes.com
2024-02-26
Shaanxi Huike Botanical Development Co., Ltd.
