title: Lycium barbarum increases caloric expenditure and decreases waist circumference in healthy overweight men and women: pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lycium barbarum (L. barbarum), a traditional Asian medicinal therapy for diabetes and other conditions, has been shown to increase metabolic rate and to reduce body-weight gains in rodent models, as well as to produce clinical improvements in general feelings of well-being including energy level.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of L. barbarum consumption on (1) caloric expenditure and (2) changes in morphometric parameters (waist circumference) in healthy human adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two separate randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, small clinical studies were conducted using a standardized L. barbarum fruit juice, GoChi, and assessing its effects on (1) resting metabolic rate (RMR) and postprandial energy expenditure (PPEE) as measured by indirect calorimetry after single-bolus intake of 3 doses of L. barbarum (30, 60, and 120 ml) and placebo; and (2) waist circumference and other morphometric changes in a 14-day intervention trial (120-ml daily intake) in the subjects (age = 34 years, body mass index = 29 kg/m(2)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) A single bolus of L. barbarum intake increased PPEE 1 through 4 hours postintake over the baseline level in a dose-dependent manner and was significantly higher than the placebo group by 10% at 1 hour postintake of 120 ml (p < 0.05). (2) In a 14-day intervention trial, L. barbarum was found to significantly decrease waist circumference by 5.5 ± 0.8 cm (n = 15) compared with the preintervention measurements and placebo group at postintervention day 15 (p < 0.01). By contrast, the changes in the placebo group (n = 14) from preinterventions was 0.9 ± 0.8 cm, which was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show that L. barbarum consumption increases metabolic rate and reduces the waist circumference, relative to placebo treated control subjects.
authors.affiliation: FreeLife International Inc, Phoenix, AZ 85040, USA. hamagase@freelife.com
authors.forename: Harunobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amagase
authors.forename: Dwight M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Nance
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001481:Basal Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D001628:Beverages; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D032305:Lycium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy; D050177:Overweight / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000187:drug effects; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000187:drug effects*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts