September 10, 2004 – A team of American researchers expresses reservations about the slimming properties of bitter orange extract and warns against high and prolonged consumption of products made from this ingredient1.
Manufacturers are increasingly using bitter orange extract in combination with caffeine in preparations for those who want to lose weight. Synephrine contained in bitter orange is said to have a thermogenic action which increases metabolic activity. This action would allow the body to burn more calories and contribute to weight loss.
The popularity of this substance is in part due to the fact that in Canada and the United States, products containing ephedrine (extracted from ephedra or produced synthetically) have been banned due to their adverse effects on the systems. cardiac and pulmonary.
It is precisely this similarity of action of ephedrine and synephrine that worries researchers. The scientific community has expressed concerns about the potential quite serious side effects that the use of bitter orange could cause.
It was by reporting on clinical research on this fruit that biophysics experts at the University of Washington observed that there is very little scientific data proving that bitter orange extract can be consumed in full confidence.
A few studies tend to show that synephrine increases blood pressure in humans, which in some people may increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. The only clinical study evaluating the slimming properties of bitter orange involved preparations where it was combined with caffeine and St. John’s Wort. This product was not found to be superior to placebo in the number of pounds lost by participants. Finally, a clinical study on the regular consumption of the juice of this fruit reported a marked exacerbation of the action of several other drugs.
Researchers go so far as to advise consumers to avoid any weight loss product containing bitter orange extract until further studies prove its safety and effectiveness. However, the researchers’ warning applies to heavy and prolonged consumption of Citrus aurantium, as generally prescribed by weight loss products. However, the traditional use of bitter orange derivatives, whether culinary or medical, involves occasional and fairly minimal consumption. The use of the fruit in various forms has made it, for thousands of years, an ingredient considered harmless by several cultures.
Marie france Coutu – PasseportSanté.net
According to WebMD.
1. Fugh-Bergman A, Myers A, Citrus aurantium, an Ingredient of Dietary Supplements Marketed for Weight Loss: Current Status of Clinical and Basic Research, Experimental Biology and Medicine, September 2004, Vo. 229, No. 8, 698-704.