A flavanoid found in grapefruit could aid weight loss and reduce the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, new research has found.
Scientists from the Robarts Research Institute at the University of Western Ontario have discovered that naringenin, which is found in citrus and grapefruit in particular, is able to “re-programme” the liver to burn up excess fat, rather than store it.
The researchers found that naringenin also helped rebalance insulin and glucose levels, suggesting the compound could fight diabetes too.
The study, published in journal Diabetes, saw scientists give naringenin to a group of mice fed on a high-fat diet. A control group, on the same diet, were left untreated.
The team found that the untreated mice became obese and developed symptoms of metabolic syndrome, including high cholesterol and insulin resistance, which can lead to complications such as heart disease and diabetes. The treated mice did not suffer from these symptoms and did not get obese.
Lead researcher Professor Murray Huff said: “The marked obesity that develops in these mice was completely prevented by naringenin.
"What was unique about the study was that the effects were independent of caloric intake, meaning the mice ate exactly the same amount of food and the same amount of fat. There was no suppression of appetite or decreased food intake, which are often the basis of strategies to reduce weight gain and its metabolic consequences."
However, the levels of naringenin used in the study were much higher than those found naturally occurring in grapefruit.
The researchers intend to carry out further research to discover whether naringenin can be safely and effectively used in humans to combat obesity and diabetes.
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