The Effect of Dietary Supplements Containing Green Tea, Capsaicin and Ginger Extracts on Weight Loss and Metabolic Profiles in Overweight Women: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

<b><i>Background:</i></b> This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplements containing green tea, capsaicin and ginger extracts on weight loss and metabolic profiles among overweight women. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was implemented among 50 overweight women. Participants were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A received dietary supplements containing 125 mg green tea, 25 mg capsaicin and 50 mg ginger extracts (<i>n</i> = 25) group B received placebos (<i>n</i> = 25) twice with lunch and twice with dinner daily for 8 weeks. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Compared with placebo, taking dietary supplements containing green tea, capsaicin and ginger resulted in a significant decrease in weight (-1.8 ± 1.5 vs. +0.4 ± 1.2 kg, respectively, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and body mass index (BMI; -0.7 ± 0.5 vs. +0.1 ± 0.5 kg/m², respectively, <i>p</i> < 0.001). In addition, subjects who received green tea, capsaicin and ginger co-supplements had significantly decreased serum insulin concentrations (-2.6 ± 3.9 vs. -0.6 ± 2.0 µIU/mL, <i>p</i> = 0.02), homeostatic model of assessment for insulin resistance (-0.5 ± 0.8 vs. -0.05 ± 0.6, <i>p</i> = 0.01), and increased quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (+0.01 ± 0.01 vs. +0.001 ± 0.01, <i>p</i> = 0.008) and plasma glutathione (GSH) levels (+73.8 ± 120.6 vs. -28.3 ± 193.4 µmol/L, <i>p</i> = 0.03) compared with the placebo. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Our study indicated that taking green tea, capsaicin and ginger co-supplements for 8 weeks among overweight women had beneficial effects on weight, BMI, markers of insulin metabolism and plasma GSH levels.