Impact of a fibre and herbal extract nutritional supplement programme on individual quality of life

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are common conditions in developed countries and are associated with adverse effects on health and quality of life (QoL). Nutritional supplements are known to assist in efforts to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and improve QoL. In this study we evaluated the effects of a programme of nutritional supplements consisting of a supplement containing glucomannan (a water-soluble dietary fibre), magnesium and saffron (Arbonne Evolution Full Control, Watermelon Kiwi Flavor Supplement Powder) and a herbal supplement containing Svetol® green coffee extract, green tea extract, natural caffeine and quercetin (Arbonne Evolution Thermobooster Supplement Tablet) combined with a calorie-controlled diet, adequate protein intake and moderate exercise. Adult subjects (n=77) who were overweight or obese were tested for QoL improvement using a validated questionnaire (SF-36). After 16 weeks, the subjects completing the study (n=66; 86%) reported improvements in general health (97.0% responded positively to a question assessing current general health compared with 69.7% at baseline, while 60.7% responded positively to a question assessing improvement in health during the past year compared with 21.2% at baseline). An improvement was also seen with regard to energy (83.3% responded positively to a question assessing current energy level at week 16 compared with 68.2% at baseline). Improvements were seen in seven of eight subscales of the SF-36. The supplement programme was well tolerated and well accepted by users. Statistically significant improvements versus baseline in body composition parameters, including weight, were observed at some intermediate time points. A statistically significant improvement in waist/hip ratio (–2.0%) was observed at week 16. This combination of nutritional supplements is well accepted by consumers and may help to improve QoL when used as part of an ongoing programme to maintain a healthy weight.