Refine your search: Key Topics Digestive Health. Citrus oil for respiratory congestion Key KEGG Gut health and hormonal balance pathway responding to W-LHIT treatment. International Treqtment Collaborations. Herbs can weibht you lose weight naturally and knowing what herbs are good for weight loss is a great start. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, [online] 94 5pp. Some herbs like Caralluma fimbriata can reduce waist size, while others like green coffee bean extract help stabilize blood sugar.

Herbal weight loss treatment -

Due to the risk of serious complications and the issues of nutritional management and treatment follow-up, bariatric surgery is only applicable to a specific subset of patients, and not widely applicable for clinical use 8. Pharmacological intervention can be an effective and widely accepted auxiliary method.

Weight loss herbal intervention therapy W-LHIT is a Chinese medicine CM prescription, consisting of 5 Chinese herbal medicines: Ganoderma lucidum , Coptis chinensis , Astragalus membranaceus , Nelumbo nucifera gaertn and Fructus aurantii.

In our previous studies, we have showed that W-LHIT significantly and safely reduced the body weight of mice with high-fat diet, and normalized their glucose and cholesterol levels, without suppressing appetite 9.

In addition, in our phase I clinical study with 14 patients with simple obesity, the W-LHIT capsules demonstrated clinically significant weight loss Cao et al. Manuscript submitted. Increasing evidence suggested gut microbiota played a significant role in the development of obesity.

Many clinical or pre-clinical studies have shown that there are significant differences in the composition of gut microbiota between healthy versus obese individuals 10 , with decreased diversity and richness in the gut microbiome of obese individuals Also, causality between gut microbiota imbalance and obesity has been demonstrated in animal models.

Recently, multiple studies have confirmed that traditional Chinese medicine can improve obesity in animal models by regulating the composition of gut microbiota 13 , Chih-Jung Chang et al.

reported that water extract of Ganoderma lucidum could reduce obesity and inflammation in high fat diet HFD fed mice, which was associated with reversing HFD-induced gut dysbiosis as indicated by the reduction of Firmicutes -to- Bacteroidetes ratios and endotoxin bearing Proteobacteria levels and maintaining intestinal barrier integrity Fructus Aurantii extract also showed a similar anti-obesity effect by modulating the gut microbiota Berberine, the principal component of Coptis chinensis , is known as a potent anti-obesity and lipid lowering agent.

Moreover, its anti-obesity effect could be associated with the increased butyrate production in the gut and modulation of the gut microbiota In this study, we aimed to further evaluate the safety and weight loss efficacy of the W-LHIT capsules, in combination with a standardized lifestyle intervention.

In addition, we used 16S pyrosequencing technology to evaluate the shift in the composition of the gut microbiota before and after W-LHIT capsule treatment to explore its potential role in understanding W-LHIT capsules in weight loss response.

Participants who met simple obesity criteria were recruited from the Weifang community through WeChat Friends Circle, advertisement, and local websites. Exclusion criteria included the above-described diseases, psychiatric illness and psychological disorders, pregnancy and participants who cannot be clinically observed.

Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects upon enrollment. The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Weifang Wei-En Hospital. W-LHIT capsules were prepared in a GMP facility Tian-jiang Pharmaceutical, Jiangsu, China. In our early research, we established HPLC fingerprints of individual herbal components, and monitored the quality of different batches of W-LHIT products by comparing the peak times and intensities of the identified compounds.

Berberine was used as a key compound index 9. Nine capsules are equivalent to the daily crude herbal medicines dosage for 75 kg individual. The placebo capsule was filled with starch with the same weight and color as the formula.

Before enrollment, a CT scan of the chest was used to exclude lung disease and a color doppler ultrasound was used to exclude organic diseases of the heart, liver, and kidneys.

Thyroid function, blood coagulation, and sex hormone lab tests were used to rule out obesity caused by endogenous diseases. The design of the study was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Fourty participants were randomly divided into treatment group treated with W-LHIT capsules and control group treated with placebo according to random number table with 20 cases in each group.

All participants had a light diet and were advised to drink at least 1. W-LHIT was dosed according to body weight, all subjects dosed 9 to 15 capsules daily 3 - 5 capsules a time, before meals, three times a day for 2 months and then followed up for an additional 2 months.

Other weight-loss drugs including weight-loss dietary supplements were discontinued during the treatment and follow up period. If a subject discontinued the study prematurely, the remainder of doses were recalled. Since researchers and subjects were both blinded, W-LHIT capsules and placebo were all distributed by a third-party designated distributor.

After unblinding, the subjects in control group voluntarily participated in another open trial where they were given a 2-month supply of W-LHIT capsules for treatment, while the active group stopped W-LHIT.

Both groups had their weight checked again 2 months later. The Secondary measurements included assessments of fasting blood glucose, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein hs-CRP , liver function including alanine aminotransferase ALT , aspartic aminotransferase AST , glutamate transferase GGT , total bilirubin TBIL , total protein TP and albumin A , renal function including urea nitrogen BUN , and creatinine CRE , highly sensitive C - reactive protein CRP , fasting lipids including cholesterol TC , triglycerides TG , low-density lipoprotein LDL-C and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol HDL-C , oral glucose tolerance test OGTT; g glucose, glucose, insulin, and C-peptide concentration changes from 0 to min , and analysis of human fat composition, bone mineral density, bilateral knee joint, and lumbar vertebrae X-ray.

Healthy lifestyle interventions were carried out throughout treatment. All subjects were provided personalized healthy diet guidance according to their living habits, physical condition, and work characteristics. They were also encouraged to adhere to or increase physical exercise based on their physical examination results and their physical condition.

However, there was not an obligatory requirement to engage in a strict diet or exercise program. All subjects regularly attended classes on the risk of obesity and how to develop a healthy lifestyle.

A WeChat group was established to supervise all enrolled subjects. A contracted nurse reminded all the subjects to take the medication every day, to follow diet and exercise recommendations, and to post recipes for meals.

Subjects were able to report their diet and exercise every day and share their weight loss symptoms and experience in this group forum. Safety assessment included adverse events and standard laboratory tests hematological and biochemical tests.

Adverse events were recorded by the nurse through the WeChat group. Fresh fecal samples were collected before and after the treatment for the gut microbial analysis.

Beijing, China. After using the SMRT Link tool version 8. Alpha diversity indexes were evaluated based on the richness Chao 1, Ace and diversity Shannon index, Simpson index of these OTUs using Mothur v. A PLS-DA analysis Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis was performed according to the supervised matrix of distance.

A Metastats analysis was used to identify the most differently abundant taxa between the placebo and treatment groups. A predicted KEGG pathway was also performed using Picrust software to obtain significant differences in gene function of the flora in the placebo and treatment groups.

All statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc by Prism 9 software GraphPad Software, Inc, La Jolla, CA. P value smaller than 0. As shown in Table 1 , baseline characteristics at randomization were compared between the treatment group and placebo group.

Weight loss during the study is shown in Figure 1A. From randomization to the 60th day 2 months , both groups showed sustained weight loss, but mean weight loss and BMI reduction of W-LHIT capsule-treated subjects were significantly greater than that of placebo group, with mean weight reduction of Similar results were obtained for BMI, with significant reduction in both groups.

The mean BMI in the treatment group decreased by Both groups showed a reduced hip circumference During the study, Encouragingly, the number of participants in the treatment group whose BMI decreased from obesity to overweight 5 verse 3 and from severe obesity to obesity 5 verse 3 was much higher than that in the control group.

Figure 1 The Reduction in body weight A , BMI B , hip circumference C , waist circumference D. The reduction in body weight was significantly greater in the treatment group than in the placebo group after 2 months 2M.

Bars were shown as mean of each group. Body mass index, BMI. The results of the analysis of human fat components were consistent with the results of the above weight loss. Body fat rate, fat weight, fat-free body weight in both groups were significantly reduced. However, the percentage of skeletal muscle was only significantly increased in the treatment group.

Moreover, the reduction of body fat rate - As shown in Figures 2A, B , the blood pressure of both groups decreased significantly.

The seated diastolic blood pressure SDBP decreased by The seated systolic blood pressure SSBP decreased by Among the subjects, there were 13 people with hypertension, 6 people in the treatment group 5 people at Stage 1 hypertension, 1 person at Stage 2 , and 7 people in the placebo group 6 people at Stage 1, 1 person at Stage 2.

There were 5 subjects in the treatment group and 2 subjects in the placebo group whose blood pressure returned to normal after 2 months of treatment.

There was no noticeable change in heart rate for all subjects Figure 2C. Figure 2 Mean Changes in SDBP A , SSBP B , HR C and Blood sugar levels D.

The reduction in SDBP was significantly greater in the treatment group than in the placebo group after 2 months 2M. Seated systolic blood pressure, SSBP, seated diastolic blood pressure, SDBP, mmHg.

The fasting blood sugar level of subjects in the treatment group also showed a significant reduction of All subjects in the treatment group whose blood sugar level exceeded the threshold 6. The blood sugar of the 4 subjects with blood glucose levels between 6. In addition, all the concentration of glucose tolerance, C-peptide, and insulin in the treatment group significantly decreased after W-LHIT treatment, and their mean area under the curve AUC decreased by 5.

While the fasting blood glucose and the above indicators in placebo group declined at individual time points, there was no significant pattern of change at most time points Table 2.

The concentrations of TC, TG and LDL-Chol in the treatment group were decreased by 3. There were no noticeable changes in TC, TG, HLD-C and for the placebo group Figure 3. Figure 3 W-LHIT significantly reduced total cholesterol TC , blood triglycerides TG and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol LDL-C.

A TC; B TG; C LDL-C; D HDL-C. TC, Total cholesterol; TG, triglycerides; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein; and HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Hs-CRP is positively correlated with atherosclerosis. Subjects in both treatment and control groups also showed a significant reduction in their Hs-CRP level, Figure 4 Hs-CRP level was significantly reduced after the treatment.

Hs-CRP, High-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Figure 5 Weight did not rebound in the treatment group at a follow-up visit 2 months after the treatment. The analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc by Prism 9 software.

After unblinding, 12 of the 19 subjects in the placebo group subsequently completed an additional two months of W-LHIT capsules treatment. The reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure were consistent with those in the treatment group, by 2.

Most subjects at enrollment had mild to moderate fatty liver, and 14 subjects had moderate fatty liver. During the treatment, 6 subjects 5 in the treatment group with moderate fatty liver improved to mild fatty liver, and 4 subjects with mild fatty liver in the treatment group returned to normal.

Among them in the treatment group whose glutamyl transferase GGT, liver function index, Figure S2 levels was above the threshold, their GGT levels decreased significantly after treatment, while that of subjects in the placebo group showed no significant changes. There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment group and the placebo group in the levels of other liver and kidney function indices, including alanine aminotransferase ALT , aspartate aminotransferase AST , total bilirubin TBIL , total protein, and albumin.

The electrolytes, routine urine, blood coagulation, and routine blood of all subjects were within the normal range, and there was no significant change Table S3.

Seven subjects reported slight gastrointestinal GI reactions including 5 subjects in the open trail, Table S4 , no subjects reported obvious adverse symptoms during the whole W-LHIT treatment.

The GI side effects included decreased hyper appetite, mild nausea, and increased frequency of stools. All subjects alleviated these side effects quickly by taking W-LHIT after meals or reducing the dose. The effects of W-LHIT on the intestinal microbiota composition were assessed by sequencing the bacterial 16S rRNA.

Main changes in microbial diversity observed before and after treatment included the enrichment of Proteobacteria a slight increase Figure 6 A Rank abundance curve.

Each curve represents a group; placebo group WLCB baseline , WLCA post treatment and treatment group WLTB baseline and WLTA post treatment. B PLS-DA plots based on unweighted unifrac metrics. Each symbol represents a sample from the placebo group or treatment group, respectively.

The alpha diversity indexes, including Ace and Chao indices, rarefaction, Shannon-index Table S4 , and rank abundance curve Figure 6A , indicated that there was similar richness and sufficient sequence coverage in all samples. However, the placebo group had a significant decrease in reads, OUTs, and the classification of microorganisms family, genus, species , while the treatment group had a slight increase in OUTs and the classification of microorganisms phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.

To identify whether W-LHIT-mediated weight loss is associated with changes in the gut microbiota, we then profiled the overall microbial structure of the placebo and W-LHIT treatment groups.

The PLS-DA results Figure 6B based on the weighted Unifrac distance matrix revealed that the overall structure of the bacteria did not change significantly in either group, and only a small part of the microbial structure between the two groups changed significantly Figures 7A, B and Tables S5, 6.

Furthermore, the analysis of the KEGG metabolic pathway found that only glycan biosynthesis and metabolism Figure 7E was statistically different between the treatment group and the placebo group.

Figure 7 The structures and compositions of the gut microbiota before and after treatment in the two groups. A The Venn diagram of OTUs species. B The composition of relative abundance on genus.

C Phylogenetic cladogram of microbial lineage in fecal samples of treatment group and placebo group, with colors representing the most abundant differences in composition.

D Key phylotypes of the gut microbiota responding to W-LHIT treatment. The histogram shows the lineage with LDA value of 4 or higher determined by LEFSe. E Key KEGG metabolic pathway responding to W-LHIT treatment.

In recent years, China has ranked first in the world for obesity and type 2 diabetes There has been a growing consensus worldwide on the importance of obesity treatment not merely to achieve weight loss, but also to ameliorate adiposity-based complications 20 , Along with lifestyle intervention, W-LHIT capsule treatment resulted in In addition, W-LHIT capsule can also reduce blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipid of the subjects.

In addition, W-LHIT capsule treatment also resulted in a greater reduction of blood pressure, blood sugar and blood fat. In this study, most of the subjects had impaired glucose tolerance, and about one third of the subjects were diabetic. In the treatment group, except for one diabetic subject whose blood glucose and blood lipid levels did not improve during the treatment period, other diabetic subjects showed significantly reduced levels of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, glucose tolerance, C-peptide release, and insulin release.

In the placebo group, diabetic subjects showed little improvement in blood glucose and lipid levels. Unhealthy dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle are key contributing factors leading to obesity.

Therefore, healthy lifestyle interventions including healthy diet guidance and physical activity can play a profound role in the treatment process. During the treatment, the average weight reduction of the placebo group was 4. For comparison, no healthy lifestyle intervention was performed in the open trial.

The results showed that the body weight was only reduced by 3. Despite the insufficient sample size during open-treatment trials, we can still see the importance of healthy lifestyle interventions for obesity treatment.

There was a limitation that the daily food intake calories and physical activity for each subject were not quantified during the treatment, and the healthy lifestyle intervention was tailored for each subject under the guidance of the physician.

So, the difference in weight loss of subjects could have possibly been affected differently. The quality-of-life scale score did not measure changes of psychological and physiological functions before and after treatment. Improvement of the quality-of-life score could further contribute to enhancing weight loss In subsequent research, further enhancement of the quality-of-life scale would be included.

As a marker of obesity, the level of hs-CRP is significantly elevated in the obese individual, and positively correlated with BMI obesity Hs-CRP is synthesized by the liver in response to the stimulation of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, indicating a state of inflammation In our study, the hs-CRP level decreased by Although there has been no consensus on how changes in the composition of gut microbiota can contribute to obesity, cumulative evidences have demonstrated that the occurrence of obesity is strongly associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis, which can result in chronic, persistent low-grade inflammatory reactions and abnormal lipid metabolism 12 , 26 , Compared with normal-weight individuals, obese individuals have a significant increase in Proteobacteria and a significant decrease in Verrucomicrobia.

Shin et al. considered that an increased prevalence of Proteobacteria may be an active feature of metabolic disorders 28 , We found that the composition of Proteobacteria in The average composition of Proteobacteria in the treatment group decreased by about 2.

One of the new generation of probiotic candidates, Verrucomicrobia Akkermansia muciniphila , can degrade mucin, and is closely related to host health It has been found to enhance the intestinal barrier function and the effects of immunotherapy 31 , enhance glucose tolerance and reduce insulin resistance 32 , and moderate inflammatory responses 33 , 34 , exhibiting beneficial therapeutic roles in obesity, type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, tumors, and inflammatory bowel disease IBD - related gastrointestinal disturbances Another exciting result in our study was that the abundance of Verrucomicrobia Akkermansia muciniphila in the W-LHIT treatment group significantly increased from 4.

Increasing evidence indicates that berberine key compound index target the gut microbiota and reversely modulate the structure and diversity under pathological conditions, thus exerting poly-pharmacological effects 18 , 35 such as anti-obesity 36 , anti-hyperlipidemia 37 , anti-diabetes Coptis chinensis is the sovereign medicine in W-LHIT prescription.

However, 2 subjects in the treatment group occasionally experienced mild gastrointestinal adverse events due to the large oral dose capsules of W-LHIT and the bitter taste of its main components Coptis chinensis.

Coptis chinensis has been used for thousand years in China safely at its therapeutic dose to treat various inflammatory disorders and related diseases, such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal distention, high fever coma, toothache, diabetes and eczema 39 , and it is highly safe at its therapeutic dose.

Linn et al. found 20 patients administered with Coptis chinensis at a daily dose of 3 g for patient-days without any organ toxicity or electrolyte imbalance Our follow-up study will refine the ingredients further and enteric coating should be another good way to address this issue.

Coptis chinensis is cold in nature 39 , so, patients with weak spleen and stomach should use it with caution. This study still has limitations. Firstly, no lean mass subjects were enrolled in this trial, the concern should be addressed in our follow-up study.

Secondly, weight loss is a long-term and arduous work for subjects with sever obesity. So, only two months treatment is insufficient, and subjects with severe obesity need to receive longer intervention duration.

The data processed by the unpaired t test followed by Mann-Whitney method have significant differences. In the follow-up study, we will further expand the sample size to obtain more meaningful results.

Despite these limitations, we found that WLHT may be of great significance in managing weight loss of patients by ameliorating microbiome dysbiosis. In conclusion, our current study assessed the efficacy and safety of W-LHIT capsules in 37 Chinese patients with simple obesity.

In addition to weight loss, subjects in the treatment group also had significant improvements in blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipids.

During the 2-month treatment, 7 subjects reported slight-mild gastrointestinal adverse reactions. However, with taking the medicine after meal or reducing the dosage, all the adverse reactions were gradually relieved. The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Wei-En hospital. Written informed consent was obtained from the individual s for the publication of any potentially identifiable images or data included in this article.

C-HW, M-CW, and Y-MS were significantly involved in conducting experiments. M-ZC, YS, KS, and NY were involved in data analysis. M-ZC was significantly involved in manuscript preparation. X-ML, DC, and M-SM were significantly involved in study design, data interpretation, and manuscript revision.

All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version. Ear stapling or auricular acupuncture is another type of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture that can help you lose weight. Ear stapling works by manipulating certain points on the ear that control food cravings.

Auricular acupuncture has also been shown to help treat drug addiction problems, including both tobacco and heroin use. Auricular acupressure is administered by placing adhesive tape with vaccariae seed on several acupuncture points in the ear including hunger, shen men, spleen and stomach.

According to the traditional Chinese medicine perspective, these acupoints can restore and harmonize the flow of energy in the intestines, which can improve digestion.

Various herbs can help you lose weight by suppressing appetite, increasing metabolism and burning fat. Some of the best traditional Chinese medicine herbs for weight loss include He Ye lotus leaf , Fu Ling and Huang Qi. Bao He Wan, an over-the-counter Chinese weight loss formula, contains a variety of herbs.

For the best results, consult a Chinese medicine practitioner who can create a treatment plan based on your individual needs.

For seniors and those with special conditions that are not able to do strong exercise, tai chi is a suitable exercise that can help reduce stress and body weight.

Founded in martial arts, tai chi is a form of exercise often performed outside that involves slow movements and deep breaths.

Tai chi offers both physical and emotional benefits. Along with reducing depression and anxiety symptoms, tai chi can help tone and build muscle strength without the use of weights.

For those that are injured or new to exercise, tai chi can also increase your endurance to help prepare you for more vigorous types of exercise. Through traditional Chinese medicine , you can lose weight while also bringing balance to your body and the way it functions. For weight loss tips customized to your individual needs, visit a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in your local area.

You can schedule an appointment with a TCM practitioner at National University of Health Sciences NUHS Whole Health Center in Lombard, Illinois by calling or at the Whole Health Center in Pinellas Park, Florida by calling Your email address will not be published.

Submit Comment. Many might not consider incorporating complementary and alternative medicine as part of the treatment plan. However, new evidence is emerging about how acupuncture can successfully treat several mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. A case report recently published by NUHS faculty Brett Martin, DC, MPH, MSAc, and a former intern shows promise for using acupuncture to treat both schizophrenia and DID, too.

The holidays are a time of joy, celebration, and cherished moments spent with loved ones. But for many of us, they also signal the start of a season filled with travel, indulgence, and potential health challenges. Whether you are road-tripping or traveling by plane or train to visit family or friends, maintaining your well-being can sometimes feel like a daunting task.

With the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays coming up, it may be wise to prioritize your digestive health. Both holidays are often associated with indulgent and rich foods, which can sometimes be a strain on the digestive system.

Aside from helping you avoid being overstuffed or lethargic, healthy digestion can also ensure proper nutrient absorption. It may even affect your energy levels. Weight Loss Tips from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Expert by Dr. Home » NUHS Blog » Weight Loss Tips from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Expert.

Chinese Medicine Weight Loss Tips from a TCM Practitioner Traditional Chinese Medicine Tip 1: Eat Foods with Special Flavors According to traditional Chinese medicine diet guidelines, bitter, sour and pungent foods are beneficial for weight loss while sweet, salty and fatty foods can lead to weight gain.

Traditional Chinese Medicine 2: Try Acupuncture Treatment to Manage Sleep and Stress In addition to food, lack of sleep yes, lack of sleep and excess stress can have profound effects on weight gain, according to various studies.

Weigbt on herbs for treatmsnt loss Citrus oil for respiratory congestion that Thermogenic herbal supplements botanicals may have value. Treattment example is turmeric, which may improve some Herbal weight loss treatment of obesity without causing side effects. However, any weight loss effect is likely very minimal. While some herbs may be safe and potentially aid in weight loss, others may cause side effects. A person should check with a doctor before starting any supplement. Treatmentt To update the Citrus oil for respiratory congestion evidence on the efficacy and safety of complementary medicines to Guarana and sports performance in weight weigh by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of herbal Hergal for weight loss. Methods: Herbap electronic databases Medline, Embase, CINAHL and Web of Science were searched from inception until August A total of 54 randomized placebo-controlled trials of healthy overweight or obese adults were identified. Results: As a single agent, only Phaseolus vulgaris resulted in a statistically significant weight loss compared to placebo, although this was not considered clinically significant. No effect was seen for Camellia sinensis or Garcinia cambogia.