[Effects of Coleus Forskohlii] What is ‘This’ Ingredient that is Known as “Red Diet?”

Dec 03, 2023Sunhyo Kim

[Effects of Coleus Forskohlii] What is ‘This’

Ingredient that is Known as “Red Diet?”

Coleus Forskohlii

What are the Red Leaves that Help Break Down Fat?

This content is health information about ingredients and not directly related to a specific product.

Effects of Coleus Forskohlii

1. Reduces body fat
2. Increases bone mass
3. Improves insulin resistance

Hello, I am Jinny, a pharmacist.

The material we will introduce today is a herb called ‘Coleus forskohlii.’ Coleus forskohlii extract’ began to receive attention as a diet ingredient after the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety recognized its functionality as ‘can help reduce body fat.’ It is also an ingredient used in the so-called ‘red diet’, which is gaining popularity recently.

Coleus forskohlii has been used in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, since ancient times. In modern times, it has been discovered that ‘Forskolin’, discovered in the roots of Coleus forskohlii, activates lipase, an enzyme that decomposes fat, and increases cAMP, a substance that promotes fat decomposition and metabolism. Let’s take a look at academic research papers together.

1. Reduces Body Fat

Obesity refers to the accumulation of excess fat in the body more than necessary. Therefore, it can be said that determining how much body fat is accumulated rather than the weight itself is a more accurate method of diagnosing obesity. The standard body fat content for healthy adults is known to be 15-18% for men and 25-30% for women.

According to a paper published in Obesity Research in 2005, when overweight or obese men consumed Coleus forskohlii extract, their body fat percentage and body fat mass decreased.

“Forskolin was shown to induce desirable changes in body composition by significantly reducing body fat percentage and body fat mass as determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) compared to the placebo group.”

Reference : Godard, M. P., Johnson, B. A., & Richmond, S. R. (2005). Body composition and hormonal adaptations associated with forskolin consumption in overweight and obese men. Obesity research, 13(8), 1335–1343.

2. Increases Bone Mass

Parathyroid hormone increases cAMP and calcium levels in bone cells. cAMP and calcium are used in bone repair and bone formation. However, it has been found that similar to parathyroid hormone, forskolin can also increase bone mass by increasing cAMP and calcium.

In this regard, the same paper reported that consuming Coleus forskohlii extract increased bone mass.

“In this study, forskolin was shown to increase bone mass.”

3. Improves Insulin Resistance

When our body's response to insulin is reduced compared to normal levels, we say we have increased insulin resistance. The more obese you are, the more likely you are to develop insulin resistance.

A 2015 paper published in Nutrients found that consuming Coleus forskohlii extract improved insulin resistance.

“The experimental group (group taking Coleus forskohlii extract) showed good improvement in insulin concentration and insulin resistance compared to the placebo group.”

Reference : Loftus, H. L., Astell, K. J., Mathai, M. L., & Su, X. Q. (2015). Coleus forskohlii Extract Supplementation in Conjunction with a Hypocaloric Diet Reduces the Risk Factors of Metabolic Syndrome in Overweight and Obese Subjects: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 7(11), 9508–9522..

Today, we looked at the benefits of consuming Coleus forskohlii extract, known as the ‘red diet’. Although it is a diet ingredient that has not only been verified in academia but is also very popular among the public, there are some people who need to be careful about its intake. If you are taking anticoagulants or blood pressure regulators or have low blood pressure, be sure to consult a specialist before taking this product.

I hope you have a healthy day both physically and mentally. This was Jinny.

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