Volume 7, Issue 3, May 2015, Pages 287–293
Original article
Effects of dried licorice extract with low-calorie diet on lipid profile and atherogenic indices in overweight and obese subjects: A randomized controlled clinical trial
Abstract
Introduction
Licorice
root is one of the most frequently used medicinal herbs. There is
contradictory evidence about effects of the licorice on lipid profile.
The aim of the present study was to compare effects of licorice extract
concurrent with low-calorie diet with low calorie diet alone on the
lipid profile and atherogenic indices in overweight and obese subjects.
Methods
In
this double blind randomized controlled clinical trial, 64 overweight
and obese subjects, aged 30–60 years old, were recruited from March to
September 2013. They were randomly divided into intervention (n = 32) and control (n = 32)
groups. Participants and research staff were masked to the treatment
allocation by randomization. Both the groups received 1.5 g/day of dried
licorice extract or placebo, respectively, concurrent with weight loss
diet for 8 weeks. Lipid profile, weight and dietary intake were measured
at baseline and at the end of the study. Body mass index and
atherogenic indices were calculated.
Results
Fifty-eight
participants completed the trial. At baseline, there were no
significant differences for lipid profile except for low density
lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) level between the groups. After the
intervention, total cholesterol (TC), LDL-c levels, TC/high-density
lipoprotein (HDL-c), LDL-c/HDL-c ratios and log of TG/HDL-c were
significantly decreased (p < 0.01 for all variables), but no changes were observed in TG and HDL-c levels.
Conclusions
It
seems that supplementation with licorice extract used concurrently with
a low calorie diet can efficiently improve the lipid profile in
overweight and obese subjects.
Keywords
- Licorice;
- Lipid profile;
- Atherogenic status;
- Obesity;
- Weight loss
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