Power “Plant” Burns Fat* – FucoTHIN
(Fucoxanthin)

Most people know that eating more calories than you burn is the main contributor to weight gain. While it is easy to understand that caloric intake is entirely dependent on your dietary habits, you might wonder about how the body burns those calories. Besides using energy to allow our organs to function and muscles to contract (like when working out and even for everyday activities like walking), it is also spent to produce heat via a process called thermogenesis. This literally means generation of heat, hence the term “burning” fat.

Fat is the fuel for thermogenesis, which can be amplified by compounds that make the body produce more heat, called thermogenic substances. The thermogenic substances like ephedra, ma huang and guarana can cause undesired side effects, such as jitters, increased heart rate and loss of sleep. Now research has discovered a natural non-stimulant thermogenic compound that supports burning of fat without these undesirable side effects. It is called fucoxanthin.

Fucoxanthin is a brown pigment found in some marine vegetables or seaweeds, such as kombu and wakame. It belongs to the class of compounds called carotenoids, along with beta-carotene in carrots, lycopene in tomatoes and lutein in dark green leafy vegetables. Unlike beta-carotene, which is metabolized into vitamin A in the body, fucoxanthin works by affecting the function of intracellular structures called mitochondria.

Mitochondria are often referred to as “power plants” of the cell. This is where fat burning takes place resulting in generation of heat, or thermogenesis. Research shows that fucoxanthin increases production of uncoupling protein 1(UCP1) in the mitochondria. UCP1 is a protein that causes mitochondria to make more energy that dissipates in the form of heat. This results in higher metabolic and fat-burning rate in the fat cells where the fuel is stored. This effect of a special concentrate of fucoxanthin was shown to be further enhanced by pomegranate seed oil. Two recent human clinical studies reviewed the effect of this fucoxanthin and pomegranate seed oil formulation when used in conjunction with an 1800 calorie diet. In one of the human clinical studies, this proprietary combination produced a statistically significant increase in the energy expenditure rate of 18.2% over placebo in 16 consecutive weeks. In the other clinical study the participants lost an average of 14.5 pounds, compared to 3 pounds in the placebo group. These studies are being prepared for publication in peer-reviewed journals in 2007.

The exact formula that was validated through these two different human trials is found in the all-natural weight management product, FucoTHIN™ by Garden of Life. FucoTHIN is a revolutionary whole food based supplement that is the first to contain the marine algae-derived ingredient, fucoxanthin, with a clinically proven thermogenic effect that breaks down fat.† Along with a nutritious diet and moderate exercise, FucoTHIN can be an effective addition to your healthy-weight plan and help you reach your weight management goals in 2007. Click Here for FucoTHIN product information.

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