Chokeberries help regulate body weight--study

A new study published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology claims that rats fed on chokeberries were able to regulate weight gain, and keep blood glucose levels and inflammation low.

The potential health benefits of the black chokeberry are attributed to the presence of a diverse array of antioxidants which have the potential to prevent and treat a variety of chronic diseases.

Lead researchers Drs. Bolin Qin and Richard Anderson from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville stated that their preliminary investigation "provides evidence that the chokeberry extract inhibits weight gain in insulin-resistant animals and that it modulates multiple genes associated with adipose tissue growth, blood glucose regulation, and inflammatory pathways."

Experiment on 18 “pre-diabetic” male rats
The researchers studying the health benefits of chokeberry tested its extracts on 18 male “pre-diabetic” or insulin sensitive rats.

They first fed them a fructose-rich diet for six weeks. Subsequently, they randomly administered the rodents either pure water or water spiked with different proportions of chokeberry extract for another six weeks.

At the end of the experiment, the animals in the different groups were assessed in terms of body fat, body weight, blood glucose regulation, and molecular markers for inflammation.

Observations by researchers
The researchers noted that the rats on chokeberry-spiked water weighed less than those on plain water. The effect of both levels of the extract was similar in this regard.

Additionally, the consumption of chokeberry extract exhibited beneficial effects on body fat especially the lower abdominal region.

Moreover, the animals showed lower blood glucose, reduced levels of plasma triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Also, there were indications that the rodents were making lower amounts of a protein called IL-6 as opposed to the control group.

Animals on a diet of chokeberry also experienced lower rates of chronic inflammation.

According to experts, all the alterations in expression of genes observed would help in lowering their risk of cancer.

Need for human trials
Despite the promising outcomes, the researchers conceded that human trials were necessary before it could be officially declared that the health benefits observed in rats could translate into humans.

Researchers also cautioned that since raw chokeberries are very bitter it would be judicious to use berry supplements found in fruit juice blends, jellies, and sweetened syrups.

The results of the research were presented at the Experimental Biology 2010 meeting in Anaheim, CA.

The presentation was part of the scientific program of the American Society for Nutrition, home of the world's leading nutrition researchers.