File this in the possibly too good to be true file. A very small, preliminary study at Imperial College in London looked at a newly developed food supplement that appears to prevent weight gain and trim fat around our waists. In other words, the Holy Grail to us chubbers. (Unfortunately, weight lose doesn’t seem to be part of the package.)
The supplement contains propionate, a fatty acid that is created when fiber ferments in the colon. It was given in fruit juice to half of the 49 overweight adult volunteers (told you it was a small study). Over a six-month period only one of the 25 patients who took the cocktail gain more than 25 percent of their body weight. Scientists involved suggested that propionate may affect signals that suppress appetite and may also affect the metabolism of fat cells. “It’s possible that it actually makes the gut bacteria more efficient at extracting nutrients from the diet,” they stated.
The researchers are working with a food company to develop a product. Wishes of good luck are traveling to England as we speak.
--Sarah Hagerty
