Anthocyanins, found abundantly in berries, may reduce abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Regulation of adipocyte function by anthocyanins; possibility of preventing the metabolic syndrome.
J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Feb 13;56(3):642-6. Epub 2008 Jan 23. PMID: 18211021
Obesity is defined as the accumulation of excess adipose tissue resulting from various metabolic disorders. Adipocyte dysfunction is strongly associated with the development of obesity and insulin resistance. Metabolic syndrome is characterized by a group of metabolic risk factors in one person. Abdominal obesity and adipocyte dysfunction play an important role in the development of this syndrome. Anthocyanins are used as a food coloring, and they are widely distributed in human diets including berries, suggesting that large amounts of anthocyanins are ingested from plant-based foods. This study shows that anthocyanins have a significant potency of antiobesity and ameliorate adipocyte function in in vitro and in vivo systems and also that they have important implications for preventing metabolic syndrome.