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Garcinia cambogia (hydroxycitric acid) as a potential antiobesity agent: a randomized controlled trial
260
ComplementaryTherapies in Medicine
patients, and nearly 70% of young and middle-aged adult and half of senior adult members were interested in having alternative therapies incorporated into their health care. Adult primary care ph3~sicians and members were more interested in having the HMO cover manipulative and behavioral medicine therapies than homeopathic or herbal medicines.
Gosman Hedstrom G, Claesson L, Klingenstierna U, Carlsson J, Olausson B, Frizell M, Fagerberg B, Blomstrand C. Effects of acupuncture treatment on daily life activities and quality of life: a controlled, prospective, and randomized study of acute stroke patients. Stroke 1998; 29: 2100-2102.
Background and purpose: A number of studies have indicated that acupuncture might improve the functional recovery of stroke patients. These studies vary in inclusion criteria, sample size, and evaluation methods. The present study was designed to investigate whether electroacupuncture treatment favorably affects stroke patients' ability to perform daily life activities, their health-related quality of life, and their use of health care and social services. Methods: One hundred four consecutive patients >40 years of age admitted to hospital because of an acute stroke were randomized to 3 groups: deep, superficial, and no acupuncture treatment. The acupuncture treatment given by 4 physiotherapists started 4 to 10 days after randomization and was given twice a week for 10 weeks. All patients underwent conventional stroke rehabilitation as well. Two occupational therapists, blinded regarding the patients' allocation, evaluated the treatment effects. The assessments were performed 4 times during the first year after randomization by means of interviews and observations. Results: There were no differences between the groups with reference to changes in the neurological score and the Barthel and Sunna as activities of daily living index scores after 3 and 12 months. Regarding the Nottingham Health Profile, the no acupuncture group had somewhat fewer mobility problems. No differences in health care and social services were found between the groups. Conclusions: The present study does not give support to the previous studies, which indicates that acupuncture treatment may have a beneficial effect on acute stroke patients' ability to perform daily life activities, their health-related quality of life, and their use of health care and social services.
Heymsfield SB, Allison DB, Vasselli JR, Pietrobelli A, Greenfield D, Nunez C. Garcinia cambogia (hydroxycitric acid) as a potential antiobesity agent: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1998; 280: 1596-600. Context: Hydroxycitric acid, the active ingredient in the herbal compound Garcinia cambogia, competitively inhibits the extra mitochondrial enzyme adenosine triphosphate-citrate (pro-3S)-lyase. As a citrate cleavage enzyme that may play an essential
role in de novo lipogenesis inhibition, G cambogia is claimed to lower body weight and reduce fat mass in humans. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of G cambogia for body weight and fat mass loss in overweight human subjects. Design: Twelve-week randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled trial. Setting: Outpatient weight control research unit. Participants: Overweight men and women subjects (mean body mass index [weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters], approximately 32 kg/m2). Intervention: Subjects were randomized to receive either active herbal compound (1500 mg of hydroxycitric acid per day) or placebo, and both groups were prescribed a high-fiber, low-energy diet. The treatment period was 12 weeks. Body weight was evaluated every other week and fat mass was measured at weeks 0 and 12. Main outcome measures: Body weight change and fat mass change. Results: A total of 135 subjects were randomized to either active hydroxycitric acid (n = 66) or placebo (n = 69); 42 (64%) in the active hydroxycitric acid group and 42 (61%) in the placebo group completed 12 weeks of treatment (P : 0.74). Patients in both groups lost a significant amount of weight during the 12-week treatment period (P < 0.001); however, between-group weight loss differences were not statistically significant (mean [SD], 32 [3.3] kg vs 4.1 [3.91 kg; P = 0.14). There were no significant differences in estimated percentage of body fat mass loss between treatment groups, and the fraction of subject weight loss as fat was not influenced by treatment group. Conclusions: Garcinia cambogia failed to produce significant weight loss and fat mass loss beyond that observed with placebo.
Kaptchuk T J, Eisenberg DM. Chiropractic: origins, controversies, and contributions. Archives of Internal Medicine 1998; 158:2215-2224. Chiropractic is an important component of the US health care system and the largest alternative medical profession. In this overview of chiropractic, we examine its history, theory, and development; its scientific evidence; and its approach to the art of medicine. Chiropractic's position in society is contradictory, and we reveal a complex dynamic of conflict and diversity. Internally, chiropractic has a dramatic legacy of strife and factionalism. Externally, it has defended itself from vigorous opposition by conventional medicine. Despite such tensions, chiropractors have maintained a unified profession with an uninterrupted commitment to clinical care. While the core chiropractic belief that the correction of spinal abnormality is a critical health care intervention is open to debate, chiropractic's most important contribution may have to do with the patient-physician relationship.
Lee CK, Chien T J, Hsu JC, Yang CY, Hsiao JM, Huang YR, Chang CL. The effect of acupuncture
ComplementaryTherapies in Medicine
patients, and nearly 70% of young and middle-aged adult and half of senior adult members were interested in having alternative therapies incorporated into their health care. Adult primary care ph3~sicians and members were more interested in having the HMO cover manipulative and behavioral medicine therapies than homeopathic or herbal medicines.
Gosman Hedstrom G, Claesson L, Klingenstierna U, Carlsson J, Olausson B, Frizell M, Fagerberg B, Blomstrand C. Effects of acupuncture treatment on daily life activities and quality of life: a controlled, prospective, and randomized study of acute stroke patients. Stroke 1998; 29: 2100-2102.
Background and purpose: A number of studies have indicated that acupuncture might improve the functional recovery of stroke patients. These studies vary in inclusion criteria, sample size, and evaluation methods. The present study was designed to investigate whether electroacupuncture treatment favorably affects stroke patients' ability to perform daily life activities, their health-related quality of life, and their use of health care and social services. Methods: One hundred four consecutive patients >40 years of age admitted to hospital because of an acute stroke were randomized to 3 groups: deep, superficial, and no acupuncture treatment. The acupuncture treatment given by 4 physiotherapists started 4 to 10 days after randomization and was given twice a week for 10 weeks. All patients underwent conventional stroke rehabilitation as well. Two occupational therapists, blinded regarding the patients' allocation, evaluated the treatment effects. The assessments were performed 4 times during the first year after randomization by means of interviews and observations. Results: There were no differences between the groups with reference to changes in the neurological score and the Barthel and Sunna as activities of daily living index scores after 3 and 12 months. Regarding the Nottingham Health Profile, the no acupuncture group had somewhat fewer mobility problems. No differences in health care and social services were found between the groups. Conclusions: The present study does not give support to the previous studies, which indicates that acupuncture treatment may have a beneficial effect on acute stroke patients' ability to perform daily life activities, their health-related quality of life, and their use of health care and social services.
Heymsfield SB, Allison DB, Vasselli JR, Pietrobelli A, Greenfield D, Nunez C. Garcinia cambogia (hydroxycitric acid) as a potential antiobesity agent: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1998; 280: 1596-600. Context: Hydroxycitric acid, the active ingredient in the herbal compound Garcinia cambogia, competitively inhibits the extra mitochondrial enzyme adenosine triphosphate-citrate (pro-3S)-lyase. As a citrate cleavage enzyme that may play an essential
role in de novo lipogenesis inhibition, G cambogia is claimed to lower body weight and reduce fat mass in humans. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of G cambogia for body weight and fat mass loss in overweight human subjects. Design: Twelve-week randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled trial. Setting: Outpatient weight control research unit. Participants: Overweight men and women subjects (mean body mass index [weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters], approximately 32 kg/m2). Intervention: Subjects were randomized to receive either active herbal compound (1500 mg of hydroxycitric acid per day) or placebo, and both groups were prescribed a high-fiber, low-energy diet. The treatment period was 12 weeks. Body weight was evaluated every other week and fat mass was measured at weeks 0 and 12. Main outcome measures: Body weight change and fat mass change. Results: A total of 135 subjects were randomized to either active hydroxycitric acid (n = 66) or placebo (n = 69); 42 (64%) in the active hydroxycitric acid group and 42 (61%) in the placebo group completed 12 weeks of treatment (P : 0.74). Patients in both groups lost a significant amount of weight during the 12-week treatment period (P < 0.001); however, between-group weight loss differences were not statistically significant (mean [SD], 32 [3.3] kg vs 4.1 [3.91 kg; P = 0.14). There were no significant differences in estimated percentage of body fat mass loss between treatment groups, and the fraction of subject weight loss as fat was not influenced by treatment group. Conclusions: Garcinia cambogia failed to produce significant weight loss and fat mass loss beyond that observed with placebo.
Kaptchuk T J, Eisenberg DM. Chiropractic: origins, controversies, and contributions. Archives of Internal Medicine 1998; 158:2215-2224. Chiropractic is an important component of the US health care system and the largest alternative medical profession. In this overview of chiropractic, we examine its history, theory, and development; its scientific evidence; and its approach to the art of medicine. Chiropractic's position in society is contradictory, and we reveal a complex dynamic of conflict and diversity. Internally, chiropractic has a dramatic legacy of strife and factionalism. Externally, it has defended itself from vigorous opposition by conventional medicine. Despite such tensions, chiropractors have maintained a unified profession with an uninterrupted commitment to clinical care. While the core chiropractic belief that the correction of spinal abnormality is a critical health care intervention is open to debate, chiropractic's most important contribution may have to do with the patient-physician relationship.
Lee CK, Chien T J, Hsu JC, Yang CY, Hsiao JM, Huang YR, Chang CL. The effect of acupuncture