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Supplement May Melt Belly Fat in Seniors
(HealthDayNews, 11/9/04)
Belly fat—which is associated with medical conditions
like heart attack and diabetes—tends to accumulate with age.
Now scientists have tested the effect of
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on this fat. Dr. Dennis T.
Villareal of Washington University in St. Louis and
co-researcher, Dr. John O. Holloszy, conducted a
double-blind study in which 56 non-exercising seniors took a
daily dose of either 50 mg-of DHEA, a natural adrenal
hormone, or a placebo. After six months, the DHEA group lost
about 6 % of visceral fat from deep within the belly;
whereas the placebo group did not lose weight. In addition,
the insulin activity of the DHEA subjects improved, possibly
because of the reduction in abdominal fat cells, which can
release fatty acids that block insulin action. But DHEA may
not be without risks and scientists are cautious about its
possible effects on people who have hormone-sensitive
malignancies, like breast or prostate cancer.
(Journal of the American Medical
Association, Nov. 10, 2004) |
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