Abstracted by Tatjana Djakovic, MS, from “Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, linear dose, crossover study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a green coffee bean extract in overweight subjects in the January 18, 2012 issue of Diabetes Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy

Obesity is a global epidemic that has doubled since 1980. In 2008, 1.5 billion adults aged 20 or over were overweight, imposing a major economic burden (1). Obesity is a key risk factor for chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Coffee has attracted research interest as a stimulant associated with weight loss in several studies and potentially reduced risk of debilitating chronic diseases (2).
A recent 22-week study investigated whether green coffee bean extract, rich in chlorogenic acid, reduced body weight, body mass index and body-fat percentage in otherwise healthy overweight people. Earlier studies suggested chlorogenic acid inhibits digestive amylase, the enzyme that breaks starch into sugar and raises sugar levels. Inhibition could reduce sugar absorption and overall caloric intake (3).
Sixteen participants (8 men, 8 women), aged 22–46, had a baseline mean BMI of 28.22, classified as overweight or pre-obese.
The green coffee extract GCA®* contained 45.9% chlorogenic acid.
Participants received a high dose of 350 mg GCA® three times daily (1,050 mg), a low dose of 350 mg twice daily (700 mg), or 350 mg inactive placebo three times daily. Each treatment lasted 6 weeks followed by a 2-week washout without treatment before the next period. The 22-week schedule comprised treatment at weeks 0–6, a 2-week washout, treatment at weeks 8–14, another 2-week washout, and treatment at weeks 16–22.
Assessments took place at weeks 0, 6, 8, 14, 16 and 22. Each group received every treatment level.
Participants maintained a stable diet throughout, without significant calorie changes. Despite similar calorie intake, those receiving GCA® had significant weight loss.

Observed reductions:

Body weight decreased 10.5%: from 169.07 ±17.44 lb to 151.35 ±17.2 lb.
BMI decreased 10.3%: from 28.22 ±0.91 kg/m² to 25.25 ±1.19 kg/m².
Body-fat percentage decreased 15.8%: from 28.13 ±4.95% to 23.69 ±4.95%.
All changes were statistically significant, with p<0.0001, which the source interprets as evidence against chance findings.
Across the three groups, mean weight changed from 72.86 to 70.82 kg with the high dose, from 71.25 to 69.71 kg with the low dose, and from 72.15 to 72.47 kg with placebo, a slight gain. BMI in the GCA® groups moved from pre-obese to normal weight, which the source presents as promising for healthy weight loss. No participants reported adverse effects from GCA® (4).

 

*GCA® stands for Green Coffee Antioxidant and is the trademarked green coffee bean extract owned by Applied Food Sciences, Inc., and contains 45.9% chlorogenic acids
Tatjana Djakovic, MS, graduated from Roosevelt College in 2011, with concentration in biochemistry.  Her research was in determining antioxidants and macronutrients in herbal teas.  She is originally from Gospic, Croatia and currently resides in Carol Stream, IL.

References:

1.    World Health Organization (WHO). Fact Sheet 311. Geneva: WHO; 2011.

2.    Lopez-Garcia E, van Dam RM, Rajpathak S, Willett WC, Manson JE,vHu FB. Changes in caffeine intake and long-term weight change in men and women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;83:674–680.

3.    Narita Y, Inouye KJ. Kinetic analysis and mechanism on the inhibition of chlorogenic acid and its components against porcine pancreas alpha-amylase isozymes I and II. J Agric Food Chem. 2009;57: 9218–9225.

4.    Vinson, Joe A., Bryan R. Burnham, and Mysore V. Nagendran. “Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, linear dose, crossover study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a green coffee bean extract in overweight subjects.”Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity: targets and therapy 5 (2012): 21.

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