St. John's Wort as PPAR-gamma antagonist?

[BringnIt]

25.08.2009




St John?s Wort makes fat cells resistant to insulin

It?s perhaps not a good idea for people with diabetes-2 to use Saint John?s Wort, but for healthy athletes looking to reduce fat it may be an interesting supplement. We reached this conclusion after reading about a test tube study that biochemists at Louisiana State University did, the results of which will soon be published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.


Hyperforin


Saint John?s Wort is best known as a herb that works well against mild depression, but regular readers of Ergo-Log will also know that the plant has other interesting properties too. St John?s Wort increases the production of growth hormone, reduces the production of prolactin and speeds up the breakdown of estradiol. An important component of St John?s Wort is probably hyperforin [formula shown above].

Because Saint John?s Wort is a popular supplement and because increasing numbers of people are fighting obesity, the researchers thought it would be a good idea to study the effect of the plant on fat cells. They exposed fat cells of mice to extracts of the roots, leaves and flowers of the plant and measured how much glucose the fat cells were then capable of absorbing. The tests resulted in the figure shown below.



The graph shows the effect of extracts of the flowers of Saint John?s Wort. These are also found in supplements. Root extracts of the plant had little effect. Extracts from the leaves, which are also found in supplements, were as effective as the flower extracts. The researchers exposed cells to a 25-microgram/millilitre concentration of the extract. The cells, which were also exposed to insulin, absorbed less glucose as a result.

When the researchers determined the protein production of the fat cells, they got the figure shown below. The extract had deactivated PPAR-gamma, the molecular sensor with which fat cells observe fatty acids. CTL & V = control groups.



"A current hypothesis is that Type 2 diabetes can be viewed as a failure to appropriately expand fat mass in the context of a positive energy balance", the researchers write. "In light of this notion, the ability of Saint John's Wort to inhibit adipogenesis may not be metabolically favorable."

Maybe not for people with diabetes-2. But for fighting fit athletes, it may be a different matter.

http://www.ergo-log.com/stjohnswortfatcell.html

[Robboe]

25.08.2009




St John?s Wort makes fat cells resistant to insulin

It?s perhaps not a good idea for people with diabetes-2 to use Saint John?s Wort, but for healthy athletes looking to reduce fat it may be an interesting supplement. We reached this conclusion after reading about a test tube study that biochemists at Louisiana State University did, the results of which will soon be published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.


Hyperforin


Saint John?s Wort is best known as a herb that works well against mild depression, but regular readers of Ergo-Log will also know that the plant has other interesting properties too. St John?s Wort increases the production of growth hormone, reduces the production of prolactin and speeds up the breakdown of estradiol. An important component of St John?s Wort is probably hyperforin [formula shown above].

Because Saint John?s Wort is a popular supplement and because increasing numbers of people are fighting obesity, the researchers thought it would be a good idea to study the effect of the plant on fat cells. They exposed fat cells of mice to extracts of the roots, leaves and flowers of the plant and measured how much glucose the fat cells were then capable of absorbing. The tests resulted in the figure shown below.



The graph shows the effect of extracts of the flowers of Saint John?s Wort. These are also found in supplements. Root extracts of the plant had little effect. Extracts from the leaves, which are also found in supplements, were as effective as the flower extracts. The researchers exposed cells to a 25-microgram/millilitre concentration of the extract. The cells, which were also exposed to insulin, absorbed less glucose as a result.

When the researchers determined the protein production of the fat cells, they got the figure shown below. The extract had deactivated PPAR-gamma, the molecular sensor with which fat cells observe fatty acids. CTL & V = control groups.



"A current hypothesis is that Type 2 diabetes can be viewed as a failure to appropriately expand fat mass in the context of a positive energy balance", the researchers write. "In light of this notion, the ability of Saint John's Wort to inhibit adipogenesis may not be metabolically favorable."

Maybe not for people with diabetes-2. But for fighting fit athletes, it may be a different matter.

http://www.ergo-log.com/stjohnswortfatcell.html

Does SJW build up in fat cells when taken orally, or is it excreted fairly rapidly?

[BringnIt]

Does SJW build up in fat cells when taken orally, or is it excreted fairly rapidly?

I'm not certain, I have never seen anything on that. I believe standard dosing suggestions based on prior clinicals for depression are to take it three times a day which I would assume would indicate it is excreted fairly quickly, but then again the study's set up could have just chosen that dosing method arbitrarily.


Does anyone have the full-text for this?

http://journals.lww.com/jpharmacogen...erforin.6.aspx

[BringnIt]

1: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 Oct 9;388(1):146-9. Epub 2009 Jul 30.Click here to read Links
St. John's Wort inhibits adipocyte differentiation and induces insulin resistance in adipocytes.
Amini Z, Boyd B, Doucet J, Ribnicky DM, Stephens JM.

Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA.

Adipocytes are insulin sensitive cells that play a major role in energy homeostasis. Obesity is the primary disease of fat cells and a major risk factor for the development of Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. Obesity and its related disorders result in dysregulation of the mechanisms that control adipocyte gene expression and function. To identify potential novel therapeutic modulators of adipocytes, we screened 425 botanical extracts for their ability to modulate adipogenesis and insulin sensitivity. We observed that less than 2% of the extracts had substantial effects on adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. Two of the botanical extracts that inhibited adipogenesis were extracts from St. John's Wort (SJW). Our studies revealed that leaf and flower, but not root, extracts isolated from SJW inhibited adipogenesis as judged by examining PPARgamma and adiponectin levels. We also examined the effects of these SJW extracts on insulin sensitivity in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Both leaf and flower extracts isolated from SJW substantially inhibited insulin sensitive glucose uptake. The specificity of the observed effects was demonstrated by showing that treatment with SJW flower extract resulted in a time and dose dependent inhibition of insulin stimulated glucose uptake. SJW is commonly used in the treatment of depression. However, our studies have revealed that SJW may have a negative impact on adipocyte related diseases by limiting differentiation of preadipocytes and significantly inducing insulin resistance in mature fat cells.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19646953

[BringnIt]

The absorption and elimination of hypericin extract have been researched in healthy volunteers.8 After oral ingestion, plasma levels were measurable within two to three hours. A steep cumulative rise in plasma levels was seen during the first three days; however, a more gradual rise continued for several weeks. The elimination half-life was 24 to 48 hours.8

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20051201/2249.html

[BringnIt]

Does anyone remember when caffeine/citrus aurantium/St John's Wort was promoted as a fat loss combo? I think Ripped Fuel had (has?) it in it. Then synephrine and octopamine and things were pretty much debunked as fat-burners.

Could the St. John's Wort actually have been a contributing factor?

[neuron]

Does anyone remember when caffeine/citrus aurantium/St John's Wort was promoted as a fat loss combo? I think Ripped Fuel had (has?) it in it. Then synephrine and octopamine and things were pretty much debunked as fat-burners.

Could the St. John's Wort actually have been a contributing factor?

It was probably added because it is also a weak MAO-A/B inhibitor.

[Guardian]

Couldn't it maybe be favorable for fat cells to have insulin resistance, as long as muscle cells aren't effected?

[BringnIt]

Couldn't it maybe be favorable for fat cells to have insulin resistance, as long as muscle cells aren't effected?

Yeah, and way back when sesamin was all the rage people kept looking for PPAR-gamma antagonists to stack with the alpha agonism because it was thought that the oxidation of trigs. in the liver increased by the sesamin would help to decrease some of the cons of insulin resistance caused by the gamma antagonism.

[Robboe]

I'm not certain, I have never seen anything on that. I believe standard dosing suggestions based on prior clinicals for depression are to take it three times a day which I would assume would indicate it is excreted fairly quickly, but then again the study's set up could have just chosen that dosing method arbitrarily.

Probably not applicable then. Bathing fat cells in a solution is nothing like oral-administration. Unless you can find some human studies where oral SJW causes significant fat loss?

Couldn't it maybe be favorable for fat cells to have insulin resistance, as long as muscle cells aren't effected?

Absolutely. If insulin can't do its job then the fat cell storage process is severely fkd up.

[JBerto]

Are there any supp in bb.com store with St. John's Wort?

[Robboe]

Are there any supp in bb.com store with St. John's Wort?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bodybuilding.com+st+john%27s+wort

[take3]

i thought this stuff was bad to take with 90% of the supps bodybuilders take....

[Guardian]

i thought this stuff was bad to take with 90% of the supps bodybuilders take....

Then im ****ed

[take3]

Then im ****ed

"Avoid the following substances when using St.-John's-wort: Amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine; amphetamines; asthma inhalants; beer, coffee, wine; chocolate, fava beans, salami, smoked or pickled foods, and yogurt; cold or hay fever medicines; diet pills; narcotics; nasal decongestants. They all contain chemicals that react adversely to hypericin, causing high blood pressure and nausea. "

http://www.personalhealthzone.com/stjohnswort.html

not really a super reputable source but still...lol

tyrosine, coffee, salami, yogurt are pretty common for many people on here

[BringnIt]

"Avoid the following substances when using St.-John's-wort: Amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine; amphetamines; asthma inhalants; beer, coffee, wine; chocolate, fava beans, salami, smoked or pickled foods, and yogurt; cold or hay fever medicines; diet pills; narcotics; nasal decongestants. They all contain chemicals that react adversely to hypericin, causing high blood pressure and nausea. "

http://www.personalhealthzone.com/stjohnswort.html

not really a super reputable source but still...lol

tyrosine, coffee, salami, yogurt are pretty common for many people on here

That's just because of general recommendations with MAOI. I have never heard of anyone actually having issues with St. John's Wort, even the most common one of increased susceptibility to UV exposure.

[Mike83]

Ive been using it for almost 2 months, im going to keep using for awhile, its a good supplement , i think it helps my mood alittle bit and helps while dieting. Not sure, if it does anything for bodycompostion or fat loss. Redline does contain st.johns wort and some other products like it.