Clinical 3: Hunger, Fullness and Craving in Women

The Amarasate® extract effect on subjective measures of appetite during the 16–24 h period of a 24 h water-only fast in 30 healthy, normal weight women. This study was modified from the previous study examining the effect of Amarasate® extract on appetite measures in men. This was a randomised, double-blind crossover treatment study. Each participant took each of the capsules one week apart for three successive weeks. The intervention arms were two formulation matched dosages of the Amarasate extract, high dose (high dose; HD, 500 mg total) and low dose (low dose; LD, 250 mg total), and a placebo treatment. At 16 h into the 24 h fast (t = 0 min), participants recorded their baseline Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) based appetite assessments and then consumed a delayed digestion capsule containing either a placebo, a low-dose hops extract, or a high- dose Amarasate® hops extract. Every 30 minutes, VAS based appetite assessment questionnaires were taken from 16 h until 24 h into the 24 h fast. Then, at 20 h into the 24 h fast (t = 240 min), a second treatment of capsules matching the first was given. This trial included an ad libitum rice-based meal at 24 h and VAS assessments related to appetite and food cravings, modifications from the original study design. Energy intake at the ad libitum meal was 14.3% lower when taking the HD treatment and 8.1% lower when taking the LD treatment relative to the placebo control treatment.

• Over the last 8 hours of a 24 hour fasting trial, females experienced a 100% reduction in change in hunger and a 120% reduction in change in food craving. 
• This equates to a 30% reduction in hunger overall.

 

Figure 1: Visual analogue scales (VAS) results for cravings for food in response to placebo or Calocurb (containing Amarasate® bitter hops extract) treatments. Treatment capsules were administered at t = 0 min and t = 240 min. Cravings for food exhibited a significant main effect for Calocurb treatment.

 

Figure 2: Visual analogue scales (VAS) results for hunger throughout the day in response to placebo or Calocurb (containing Amarasate bitter hops extract) treatments. Treatment capsules were administered at t = 0 min and t = 240 min. Ratings of hunger exhibited a significant main effect for treatment with evidence for a significant treatment x time interaction for hunger.

 

Reference

Walker, E.; Lo, K.; Gopal, P. Gastrointestinal Delivery of Bitter Hops Extract Reduces Appetite and Food Cravings in Healthy Adult Women Undergoing Acute Fasting. Preprints 2023, 2023090416. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202309.0416.v1