A series of two pre-clinical studies on an herbal formulation marketed as Slendacor by PLT Health Solutions provided insights into the mechanism of action behind the ingredient’s associations with weight loss and improved body composition. Slendacor is a patented combination of the extracts of turmeric, drumstick leaves, and curry leaves.
 
The studies, focused on energy expenditure, revealed a dual mode of action for the ingredient. It can control fat reserves through the modulation of adipogenesis and lipolysis, while also increasing energy expenditure through thermogenesis.
 
“Our new data on lipolysis shows that Slendacor is not just breaking fat down but increasing the metabolism of that fat and changing the metabolic activity of those fat cells,” Dr. Jeremy Appleton, ND, director of medical and scientific affairs for PLT, said. “It is burning fat rather than sending it to energy reserves. Healthy weight management has never been solely about shedding pounds. As important as weight loss is to many consumers, we know that healthy and sustainable changes to body weight must involve supporting other related systems, like cardiovascular and metabolic health. These new studies help us understand Slendacor as an integral part of holistic health management program, one that includes body weight, but in the greater context of cardiometabolic health.”
 
A human clinical study focused on a single daily dose of Slendacor and its effects on resting metabolic rate. Participants using Slendacor showed up to a 15.2% increase in resting energy expenditure (REE) on day seven. REE and calorie burning increased significantly from baseline on day one of the study. The study also measured heart rate, blood pressure, and mood. At no point during the study were there significant increases in heart rate or blood pressure in the Slendacor group, suggesting there was no stimulant activity, according to PLT Health Solutions.
 
One of the two pre-clinical studies, appearing in Lipids in Health and Disease, relied on high-fat diet-fed animals. Observations indicated that Slendacor was able to increase resting energy expenditure through increasing carbohydrate and fat oxidation via upregulation of UCP-1, a type of protein found in brown adipose tissue which is considered thermogenic. Additionally, the ingredient also “improves the metabolic markers in serum and liver, indicative of possible protection from high-fat diet-induced fatty liver and clinical symptoms of metabolic dysfunction,” the authors concluded.
 
The second of the two studies, also appearing in Lipids in Health and Disease, reached a similar conclusion regarding the up-regulation of UCP-1 in high-fat diet-fed rats. Further, it broke down the observed changes in adipogenic proteins seen throughout the trial, indicating that the ingredient also targets the processes of fat cell growth.
 
These mechanism of action studies follow a human clinical study published in Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism which lasted for 16 weeks. During the 16-week trial, healthy overweight adults experienced consistent body weight reductions compared to a placebo group, and by the end of the experimental period, averaged a total weight loss of nearly 12 pounds, compared to no significant changes in the placebo group. Further, the Slendacor group lost two inches of waist circumference on average and had experienced no reductions in lean body mass.
 
“Slendacor was introduced in 2017, and its fast-acting benefits, clean label formulation, and robust portfolio of scientific support helped it quickly become a market leading dietary supplement weight management ingredient around the world – powering top brands in the United States, Australia, Europe, and Brazil,” Seth Flowerman, president and CEO of PLT Health Solutions, said. “These new studies further enhance the range of claims that our customers will be able to communicate and demonstrate how Slendacor promotes overall human health while helping people manage their weight.”