title: A dual investigation of the effect of dietary supplementation with licorice flavonoid oil on anthropometric and biochemical markers of health and adiposity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Licorice flavonoid oil (LFO) has been reported to minimize visceral adipose tissue gain in obese mice and to result in a decrease in body weight and body fat in humans; the effects of which may be more pronounced when administered in an overfed state.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the effects of LFO in two separate studies. Study 1 included a sample of overweight or grade I-II obese men and women (N = 22) who followed their usual dietary and physical activity programs. Study 2 included a sample of athletic men who followed their usual dietary and physical activity programs but consumed a daily supplemental meal (25% above daily energy requirements) in an attempt to induce a state of overfeeding. In both studies, subjects were randomly assigned (double-blind) to either LFO or a placebo for eight weeks, and anthropometric and multiple biochemical outcomes (e.g., markers of oxidative stress, markers of insulin sensitivity, blood lipids, etc.) were obtained before and following the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences of statistical significance were noted between LFO and placebo for any measured variable in Study 1 or Study 2. When investigating the percent change from baseline for data in Study 2, although not of statistical significance, subjects in the LFO condition experienced less overall fat gain, as well as attenuation in the elevation in selected blood lipids (e.g., cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These combined data indicate little effect of LFO supplementation within a sample of overweight/obese men and women or athletic men, with the possible exception of attenuation in body fat gain and selected components of the blood lipid panel in response to an overfeeding condition.
authors.affiliation: Cardiorespiratory/Metabolic Laboratory, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
authors.forename: Zach W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Canale
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bloomer
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000886:Anthropometry; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D005419:Flavonoids; D008055:Lipids; D010938:Plant Oils