Study finds fat burning benefits of New Zealand blackcurrant extract increase with prolonged use

 CURRANZ has emerged as a natural intervention to burn more body fat during exercise, and now, new evidence shows that it is only effective with daily use – and may be more effective in overweight individuals.

The 30-minute brisk-walking study found that CurraNZ® New Zealand Blackcurrant extract, taken daily over 14 days, increased fat burning in all participants by 17% - and 21% in the responder group.

The berry extract was also more effective in individuals with a higher body mass index (BMI), and therefore considered overweight and obese.

This study involved 16 male participants with BMI ranging from 19.5-38.1. The participants took 600mg (two capsules) of CurraNZ® and were tested after 7 days, 14 days and every second day for 14 days. Findings showed:

• An average of 11% increase in fat oxidation after week one
• An average 17% increase in fat oxidation (fat burning) after week two
• An average 21% increase in the group who responded to blackcurrant after week two
• Highest responder showed improvements of up to 66% at seven days and 106% after 14 days, this in the same person
• The four highest responders showed fat burning increases of 27% to 106%. Their BMIs ranged between 19.5 to 38.1
• Over 50% of participants increased their fat burning by more than 10% between day seven and 14 of daily intake
• No effect on fat oxidation when taken intermittently (every second day). The supplement must be taken every day for fat burning benefits
• Participants felt the brisk walk to be less intense

Cycling and running studies have shown that one week of blackcurrant can have an unprecedented effect on improving fat burning in trained and untrained men and women in exercise durations up to two hours, in normal and hot conditions.

This is the first 30-minute brisk walking study, using individuals who habitually exercise once or twice a week, to show how blackcurrant can enhance the outcomes of a common form of activity in the general population.

Mark Willems, Professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of Chichester, describes these findings as “exciting”.

Excitingly, the ‘fat burning effect’ may be more pronounced in unhealthy and overweight individuals, who have a reduced capacity for fat burning compared to healthy people.

This is the first study to support that theory, with the highest responder having the second-highest BMI and highest percentage of body fat of the subject group, but the lowest value for fat burning without blackcurrant.

The biggest responders to blackcurrant had the highest BMIs in the participant group, and were classified as ‘overweight’ and ‘obese’.

Professor Willems says: “We were hoping to see a difference with longer intake – in clinical studies you see dosing protocols of three months – so we are just starting to think about the effects of longer-term duration intake.

“This isn’t an in-your-face difference from week one to week two, but the fact that we have shown an increase from 11% to 17% between the two relatively short time points is encouraging. After one week the fat oxidation effects are just getting started, but if you take it for longer, then blackcurrant effects become even more beneficial.”

A survey of participants’ daily anthocyanin consumption highlighted that taking blackcurrant every day will deliver benefits, irrespective of an individual’s high or low habitual anthocyanin intake.

Participants also noted lower perceived exertion with blackcurrant, a finding supported by other studies showing the berry, a powerful blood flow-promoter, reduces cardiovascular stress and can make the act of exercising easier.

Professor Willems says: “This study adds to the building picture that New Zealand blackcurrant is beneficial for health and fitness when combined with exercise.

“It may help as well with adherence to exercise programs, plus general weight management, so a good public health implication.

“Plus, it is fairly unique for a natural product and a berry to achieve these levels of increases in such a short space of time.”

Daily and Not Every-Other-Day Intake of Anthocyanin-Rich New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Alters Substrate Oxidation during Moderate-Intensity Walking in Adult Males, was published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, October 2020, https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2020.1841356

Intake Duration of Anthocyanin-Rich New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Affects Metabolic Responses during Moderate Intensity Walking Exercise in Males was published June 2020 in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2020.1783421