D&E Appress

Both the group taking Appress and the group on placebo ate a diet low in refined carbohydrates but not calorie restricted. Both groups exercised three times a week for twenty minutes of light to moderate aerobic exercise, and two times a week for ten minutes of resistance training. There were no major adverse events that required IRB reporting. The results of the clinical study show there was a statistically significant reduction in body fat between the groups at six weeks at a P value of 0.01. The average weight loss for those on Appress was 1.5 pounds per week and they lost almost two times as much as those on placebo.

For those on Appress, there was a 39.6% reduction in serum blood glucose level one hour after a glucose challenge after six weeks of product compared to 12.3% for the placebo group, a statistical difference at a P value of 0.08. Significant glucose control was defined as greater than 50% improvement (reduction) in serum glucose level one hour following an oral glucose challenge after six weeks as compared to baseline. Of the group taking Appress, 60% showed significant glucose control as compared to 14.3% of those taking placebo. Complete glucose control was defined as greater than 85% improvement (reduction) in serum glucose level one hour following an oral glucose challenge after six weeks as compared to baseline. Of the group taking Appress, 30% showed complete glucose control as compared to none of those taking placebo.

Participants also rated their subjective level of hunger and their highest amount of energy through the study period. 70% of those taking Appress rated their average amount of hunger as improved compared to 28.6% of those taking placebo. 50% of those taking Appress rated their highest amount of energy as improved, compared to 14.3% of those taking placebo.

These results demonstrate Appress, in conjunction with the diet and exercise regimen above, was effective in reducing body fat in this population. It also demonstrated a relevant improvement in serum glucose control, reduction in hunger levels and improvement in subjective energy levels. In conjunction with the absence of adverse events, this product is both safe and effective when used in the manner described above.

Serum Glucose Levels and Weight Loss

Weight loss can be extremely difficult in the face of widely fluctuating serum glucose levels. While the exact mechanism of what we feel as "hunger" is an interplay of a variety of factors, large peaks and valleys in serum glucose levels can make it extremely difficult to lose weight and keep it off which leads to a weight loss resistant state.

In the face of a rapid and high rise in serum glucose, a burst of insulin is released from the pancreas. This insulin drives glucose into the cells. The priority storage areas are in the liver and muscle, where the glucose is converted into glycogen. Once these reserves are full, the glucose is converted into fat in our fat cells to be used as a longer term energy supply depot. Furthermore, it is felt that the liver and muscle cells become resistant to insulin more quickly and to a greater degree than fat cells.

For a given level of insulin in the blood, the relative effect promoting uptake of glucose will be greater for the fat cells than for the liver and muscle cells. This leads to the fat cells taking in a higher amount of glucose more quickly and storing it as fat. As the body develops an increasing fat level, insulin resistance worsens and the cycle continues, making weight loss extremely difficult.