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A new study1 has stunned experts after researchers found that New Zealand blackcurrant extract – CurraNZ® - can supercharge fat burning up to 200% and has greater effect in women who carry more body fat.
The potent berry also displayed impressive heart-health benefits by enhancing reductions in blood pressure after exercise by up 11%.
In the first comparative study of its kind, CurraNZ accelerated fat burning in the group by an average 28%, with the highest male responder of 204% and female responder of 216%.
Lead researcher on the study, Dr Matthew Cook, describes the study as a ‘watershed moment’ in blackcurrant research, saying: “The message is clear, we have proof of principle that New Zealand blackcurrant extract is powerful and reliable for increasing fat metabolism and reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as blood pressure."
Blackcurrant extract’s combination of cardio-metabolic and anti-obesity effects are leading experts to suggest it should be considered a natural, safe daily nutritional intervention to rival expensive Type 2 Diabetes drugs, such as Ozempic.
With the explosion in popularity of anti-diabetic medications used for long-term weight management, Dr Cook believes the discovery positions the high-anthocyanin berry extract as a compelling alternative to Ozempic when used with a controlled diet and exercise, but without the dangerous side effects or high cost.
He says: “A high anthocyanin blackcurrant supplement is an affordable, fast-acting intervention that is easy to use, doesn’t require a prescription, is very safe and a valuable tool for weight management. Not only that, it improves insulin responses, cardiovascular health and lowers risk factors associated with Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease.
“We’ve shown here that women who carry more fat, have the highest magnitude of change to blackcurrant. The great news is that it works for everyone, and some people respond more highly.
“This a high-impact discovery from a large dataset that had excellent controls.”
Just 7 days on the berry supplement led to the group to burn, on average, an additional 3.6grams of fat in one hour of exercise. Across a month, exercising five times a week, would equate to an average of approximately 72 grams of fat – equivalent to over 5 Tablespoons of butter.
Improvements to fat burning like this normally develop after many months, if not years, of long-duration endurance exercise training.
The supplement also led to large-to-moderate reductions in blood pressure, showcasing how the berry can amplify the heart-health benefits of exercise to a clinically-significant degree.
Dr Cook explains, “If you can increase fat burning during exercise, over a prolonged period of time, that could equate to greater fat loss.
“Applied to a population doing an exercise training program with high polyphenol intake with blackcurrant would have really important health implications.”
The anthocyanin-rich berry is becoming regarded as a high-potency, daily superfood to include in the diet, due to its fast-acting, diverse health benefits with clinical relevance.
Dr Cook was impressed by the post-exercise blood pressure responses, saying, “We observed that blackcurrant further decreased resting blood pressure values by up to 11% in the two hours after exercise.
“Every 5mmHG reduction in systolic blood pressure is equivalent to lowering the risk of cardiovascular events by 10% in adults over 60, however in the present study we saw reductions of up to 12mmHG – or 11%, in young healthy males and females.
“These values are comparable to what a doctor would seek to achieve through prescribing blood pressure medications to their patients. This is really meaningful after just one week on blackcurrant – a fantastic finding.
“It would be worth repeating the study and extending the testing window, because post-exercise hypotension can occur for 12-24 hours before returning to baseline. It would be good to see blackcurrant’s effect over this longer period.
“There is no question blackcurrant anthocyanins can deliver meaningful physiological health benefits and should be implemented as a daily dietary strategy for life – particularly for those at risk.
“It’s clear that as a population, we don’t exercise enough, or consume enough fruits and vegetables containing these high-value phytochemicals and nutrients. Consuming a nutritional supplement like blackcurrant extract shows that within a short space of time, high doses of anthocyanin can deliver measurable, repeatable benefits that can modify health outcomes.”
About the study
The study involved a large dataset of 22 healthy participants with normal blood pressure, made up equally of 11 men and women, after a week’s intake of 600mg CurraNZ blackcurrant extract. Controls were implemented to account for menstrual cycles of the women.
Two hours following their final dose, they underwent 60 minutes of moderate treadmill exercise, during which their energy metabolism (fat and carbohydrate use) were measured.
Blood pressure responses were also measured at rest in the two hours following the treadmill test.
Fat burning findings showed:
· 90% of the group displayed improvements, with an average group increase of 28%
· Women with higher body fat percentages displayed the biggest increases (153% and 216%)
· Women with the poorest rates of fat burning exhibited the highest responses
· The body fat percentage correlation to fat burning was not evident in the male cohort
· The highest male responder improved by 204%
· Fat burning effects were not influenced by an individuals’ fitness status
· The berry’s mechanisms of action may be increasing fat transporters into muscle, where fat is metabolised for energy. Women have a higher number of transporters and are more efficient at metabolising fat than men.
Cardiovascular findings showed
· Blackcurrant generated a greater post-exercise hypotension decrease at rest, compared to control and placebo
· Systolic blood pressure was reduced by an average -6mmHg
· Diastolic blood pressure was reduced by an average -3mmHG
Exercise is a well-known way of managing high blood pressure, because of its effects on reducing resting values. Elevated blood pressure is a modifiable risk factor for various diseases, and even small changes in blood pressure can have large implications for health across the lifespan.
Blackcurrants are notable for their impressive effects on improving the cardiovascular system, by relaxing blood vessels, improving blood flow and helping restore normal function.
Reference
1. Effects of New Zealand blackcurrant extract on exercising 1 substrate utilisation and post exercise hypotension in males and females, Matthew David Cook1, Yusen Shan2, Mark Elisabeth Theodorus Willems , Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2025 Jan 1:1-12. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2024-0108.
