AFRICAN MANGO CAN LOWER LDL

   Yes, that is what we hear from Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., medical director of the Integrative Medicine Program at the Columbia University Medical Center and host of the Dr. Oz Show.  And while it’s lowering cholesterol it delivers a science-backed benefit of energy while optimizing health.  Stellar results are being reported from his clients.  On a recent episode he expanded on his knowledge about African mango, “Irvingia gabonensis.” Two studies cited on DoctorOz.com reveal that subjects who supplemented with African mango seed extract, lost up to 10 pounds in four weeks without making other lifestyle changes.  Women have reported losing even more, as much as 11 pounds in 7days.  The latest research reveals the fascinating ways in which African mango fights fat: In a study published in the journal Lipids in Health and Disease, researchers discovered that its extract reduces the action of a gene (PPAR- gamma) that’s recognized as a “master regulator” of fat cell growth.  In doing so, African mango enhances the activity of a hormone (leptin) that plays a crucial role in controlling appetite and optimizing metabolism.

    “We know that leptin controls food intake and energy expenditure by activating receptors in the brain’s hypothalamus,” explains study author Julius Oben, Ph.D.,an associate professor of nutritional biochemistry at the University in Cameroon.  But leptin levels increase as fat stores increase.  Too much leptin interferes with brain cells’ ability to receive the hormone’s appetite-suppressing signals.  That’s where African mango comes in:  It helps ease this hormone overload so the brain can receive these slimming signals.  “Plus the extract is high in antioxidants that sooth internal inflammation – a key benefit,” says Oben, “since inflammation can interfere with leptin’s ability to dial down hunger.”  Dr. Oz announced on air that he’s also a fan of “miracle” African mango for its cholesterol-lowering properties and actually acts like a super-potent fiber.  Because of that, it’s highly effective in sequestering cholesterol and taking it out of your body.”  That same research reveals African mango’s waist-whittling power shows that it triggers major cholesterol improvements by 46 percent and raised the good cholesterol (HDL) by 47 percent in four weeks.  Patients who dosed with 150 mg twice a day (before lunch and dinner) their bad LDL fell by 27 percent and their total cholesterol dropped by an average of 26 percent in 10 weeks.  For additional information: check at drugstore.com.  It sells for $21 for 60 capsules.  Oz advises taking a multivitamin and a B vitamin daily.