Effects of a leucine™ and pyridoxine-containing nutraceutical on body weight and composition in obese subjects

Abstract

Background

We recently demonstrated leucine to modulate energy partitioning between adipose tissue and muscle. Further, leucine exhibits a synergy with B6, resulting in reduced adipocyte lipid storage coupled with increased muscle fat oxidation. Accordingly, a nutraceutical (NuShape™) containing 2.25 g leucine and 30 mg B6 increased fat oxidation by >30 g/day in a 28-day randomized controlled trial. The present study evaluated the long-term efficacy of this combination in modulating body weight and composition.

Methods

Two 24-week, placebo-controlled, randomized trials, one with weight maintenance (n = 20) and one hypocaloric (−500 kcal/day; n = 24), were conducted using the nutraceutical Nushape in obese subjects.

Results

The supplement resulted in fat loss in the maintenance study (−1.12 ± 0.36 and −1.82 ± 0.70 kg at 12 and 24 weeks, P < 0.01 versus placebo) while no change was found in the placebo group. In the hypocaloric study, the supplement group lost up to twice as much weight (6.18 ± 1.02 versus 3.40 ± 0.81 kg at 12 weeks and 8.15 ± 1.33 versus 5.25 ± 1.13 kg at 24 weeks, P < 0.01) and fat (4.96 ± 0.61 versus 2.31 ± 0.53 kg at 12 weeks and 7.00 ± 0.95 versus 4.22 ± 0.74 kg at 24 weeks, P < 0.01) than the placebo group.

Conclusion

This nutraceutical combination results in significant fat loss in the absence of caloric restriction and markedly enhances weight and fat loss by 50%–80% over a 24-week period.

Keywords:

• leucine
• vitamin B6
• pyridoxine
• fat loss
• weight loss
• caloric restriction
• adiposity
• body composition

Supplementary figure

Figure S1 Effects of leucine-B6 combination on AMPK, PGC-1α, mitochondrial mass, and fatty acid oxidation. Differentiated adipocytes and C2C12 muscle cells were treated with the treatments indicated for 24 hours. (A) Phospho (Thr 172)-AMPK and (B) PGC-1α protein expression was detected by Western blot and quantitatively analyzed. (C) Mitochondrial mass was measured by fluorescence (485 nm excitation and 520 nm emission) using the fluorophore, nonyl acridine orange (Life Technologies, Grand Island, NY, USA). (D) Oxygen consumption rate was measured after injection of 200 μM palmitate, indicating fatty acid oxidation. Data are represented as the mean ± standard error of the mean (A–C) or mean ± standard deviation (D) (n = 6).

Notes: Significant difference compared with control; **significant difference compared with control and B6 (P ≤ 0.05).
Abbreviations: AMPK, 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase; Leu, leucine; CTRL, control; PGC, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator; FU, fluorescent units.

Author contributions

MBZ designed and conducted the clinical studies. MBZ and AB were involved in data analysis and drafting the manuscript.

Disclosure

Financial support for this study was provided by NuSirt Sciences, Inc. Both authors are employees and stockholders of NuSirt Sciences, Inc.