Effects of probiotic and alpha-lipoic acid supplements, separately or in combination on appetite in overweight individuals: A double blind randomized clinical trial

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of probiotic and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplements, on appetite in overweight people.

This study included two phases of weight loss (8 weeks) and weight maintenance (16 weeks). Eighty-eight overweight people were randomly divided into 4 groups: Isocaloric diet with probiotic (500mg), isocaloric diet with ALA (600mg) and probiotic, isocaloric diet with ALA and isocaloric diet with placebo groups. In the second phase, the participants received normal diet with the above - mentioned supplements. At the beginning and end of the first phase and at the end of the second phase, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), body fat percentage, C-reactive protein (CRP), and appetite were evalauted. We used SPSS software for statistical analysis. Independent sample t-test and ANOVA were used to compare the alterations in the mean values among the groups.

At the end of the first phase, the level of anthropometric changes, inflammatory factor and appetite were significant in the intervention groups, but these changes were higher in the probiotic + ALA group than in the other groups (P <0.05). At the end of the second phase we found significant changes only in the probiotic + ALA group (P<0.05).

Addition of probiotic and ALA supplements to the normal diet can be effective in appetite and weight management and also maintainance of weight loss which may be due to decreased inflammation.