Obesity is a major health concern affecting the lives of millions around the world. Apart from being a cosmetic concern, it is a condition that poses numerous health risks to the body. The complexity of the disease depends on the amount of excess body fat.
The usual benchmark for obesity in adults is a BMI of 30 or more. The causes of obesity may vary from person to person. It can be the result of genetic, hormonal, or metabolic influences on the body. Moreover, unhealthy lifestyles, medications, stress, or socioeconomic factors can also lead to weight gain.
Impact Of Luteolin On Weight Management
Excess fat is stored in the body when the amount of fat intake is much greater than the amount of fat burned. The excess body mass builds up in the body affecting the normal functioning of different organs. This can even progress to a stage where it can put lives at risk.
Weight management ways can differ in people according to the cause of obesity. A healthy diet, physical activity, and behavioral changes can help lose weight in some people, whereas some might need medications and additional weight-loss procedures to be done.
In this article, we will discuss how Luteolin, a dietary flavonoid, helps in weight management. Luteolin is a plant-derived flavonoid, naturally found in parsley, celery, spinach, peppers, and many more. It is rich in antioxidants and has shown many health benefits including weight loss. Let’s find out how luteolin helps in maintaining a healthy weight and the ways to utilize it.
What Is Luteolin?
Luteolin is a naturally occurring flavonoid abundantly found in many plants, vegetables, and fruits. It exhibits several health-beneficial properties like antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and even anti-cancer effects. Luteolin-rich plants were used in herbal medicines globally to treat inflammation, strengthen the immune system, and even fight cancer.
Excess fat storage has major health risks including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, sleep disorders, heart attacks, digestive issues, and cancer. According to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, luteolin was shown to activate adipose browning and thermogenesis, two processes involved in fat burning and heat dissipation.
Sources Of Luteolin
- The major source of luteolin is green leaves like parsley, celery, oregano, olive leaves, rosemary, sage, peppermint, dandelion, and onion leaves.
- Several fruits are also rich in luteolin flavonoids. Watermelon, kiwi, berries, pomegranates, guava, and citrus fruits like orange, lemon, and grapefruit are some of them.
- Luteolin-rich vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, peppers, carrots, chrysanthemum flowers, and pumpkins
- Millets, olives, and honey are also good sources of Luteolin.
- However, the amount of luteolin that is absorbed through diet is unclear. In case you are seriously looking for weight loss through luteolin, there are luteolin-enriched supplements available in the market as powders, pills, and chewable tablets.
How Does Luteolin Help In Weight Management?
Luteolin is a natural flavonoid that minimizes fat storage and increases heat dissipation. Studies show that luteolin stimulates the process of recruiting brown fat cells and thermogenesis, which are co-dependent factors in the fat-burning process. Slight differences in body mass can have great results in the functioning of the body and reduce risks of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and many such.
An experiment conducted at Hefei’s University of Technology had a significant impact on heat dissipation and subsequent fat burn in mice. The results showed that luteolin reduced obesity and insulin resistance in mice which affirms its efficacy in assisting weight management.
Scientific Evidence
Several scientific studies have shown that luteolin tremendously assists in weight loss by reducing fat accumulation in the body. This includes an experiment that was conducted on mice which affirmed that luteolin reduces obesity by heat dissipation and fat storage.
It was seen that dietary luteolin supplementation progressed energy dissipation by upregulating thermogenic genes in Brown adipose tissue.
Studies show that the brown fat function that can counter obesity was enabled by the presence of luteolin in tissues. These outcomes produced from scientific experiments prove that increasing the function of Brown adipose tissue can be suggested as a remedial option for human obesity and can be attained through luteolin supplements and natural foods containing it.
Benefits Of Luteolin
- Antioxidants
- Anti-inflammation
- Anti-depression
- Anti-cancer
- Anti-microbial
- Protects brain and nerves
- Treats Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, allergies
Cons Of Luteolin
- Might cause irritation in children with autism
- Blocks the effects of progesterone
- Worsens colitis
- Pregnant women and children should avoid luteolin supplements.
Conclusion
Here, we have looked into the potential benefits of Luteolin in weight management for people suffering from obesity due to physical, emotional or lifestyle issues. Luteolin-enriched foods are found in nature as herbs, fruits, veggies, grains, and fruits.
In order to have track of the amount of luteolin intake, you can use luteolin supplements that can aid in faster weight loss. If you or anyone you know is overweight and nothing seems to work, you can try out luteolin in its natural forms or as supplements to lend a hand in your weight loss journey.
