Life sciences company OptiBiotix Health PLC revealed that its patented weight management ingredient SlimBiome may help consumers manage their weight by reducing cravings for sweet and savory foods, as part of a study published in the Journal of Functional Foods.
 
The independent research, conducted by the University of Roehampton, was a 4-week pilot human intervention study designed to observe the effect of SlimBiome—a formulation of glucomannan, oligofructose, and chromium—on weight loss, satiety, mood and gut microbiota in 12 obese and overweight women aged between 18-65 years.
 
Each of the 12 volunteers were asked to follow a 1,500-calorie restricted diet plan using a range of nutritionally diverse foods. This incorporated two GoFigure meal replacement shakes and two GoFigure flapjacks containing the patented ingredient SlimBiome, which were to be consumed throughout the day, alongside a healthy dinner of their choice. 
 
The results showed that taking SlimBiome for 4 weeks led to significantly reduced body weight (average 1.9 kg), BMI, body fat percentage, waist and hip circumference, and systolic blood pressure. In addition, participants showed a reduction in sweet cravings, a statistically significant reduction in savory cravings, a substantial improvement in mood, and a positive impact on gut microbiome composition.
 
“Obesity is a global pandemic with a high prevalence that affects both developed and developing countries,” said Adele Costabile, Associate Professor in Nutrition and Life Sciences at the University of Roehampton. “In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that 39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight, and 13% of world’s adult population (11% of men and 15% of women) were obese. While the causes of obesity are multifactorial, the imbalance between energy intake and expenditure remains the main driver of the obesity epidemic.”
 
“Traditionally speaking, consumers are less likely to maintain their weight goals when they rely on willpower alone,” Costabile continued. “The very nature of yo-yo dieting is down to a lack of support for consumers, since their eating habits are influenced by emotional and psychological stress, further encouraging the intake of calorie-dense comfort foods. This means the more we can develop functional ingredients that help consumers to control their mood, hunger and cravings, the more likely they are to achieve successful and sustainable weight loss.  
 
As part of the study, SlimBiome demonstrated a unique, flexible nature as it can be taken to control hunger cravings with any calorie-controlled diet plan, such as intermittent fasting, low-carbohydrate or plant-based diets.
 
Stephen O’Hara, CEO at OptiBiotix, added: “The results of this study are promising and may help provide additional support to individuals looking to reduce weight and risk amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings also suggest consumers can control their weight through any calorie restricted diet plan, without having to rely on willpower alone. We hope this will help reduce the burden of dieting and increase the likelihood of success.