HONG KONG --Bitter melon may counteract obesity through increased lipid oxidation and mitochondrial uncoupling, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition (135, 11:2517-2523, 2005).
Scientists administered doses of 0.75, 1.0 or 1.25 percent freeze-dried bitter melon (BM) juice to rats fed high-fat (HF) diets to induce obesity. BM-supplemented rats had a lower ratio between g of weight gained versus kJ consumed, as well as reduced visceral fat mass, serum glucose and insulin resistance index, but higher plasma norepinephrine than unsupplemented rats. Hepatic and skeletal muscle triglyceride concentrations were lower in supplemented HF diet-fed rats than in unsupplemented HF diet-fed rats. According to the results of the trial, the researchers concluded BM-supplemented rats experienced decreased adiposity possibly due to lower metabolic efficiency, a consequence of increased lipid oxidation and mitochondrial uncoupling.