African bush mango is scientifically referred to as Irvingia gabonensis. The tree naturally grows in Central and West Africa and can attain a height of roughly forty feet. The fruit of Irvingia gabonensis is edible and is referred to as African mangos. The seed contained in the fruit contain a lot of healthy fats, fiber and other useful phyto-nutrients.
African bush mango is frequently recommended as a weight loss supplement. The extracts of African bush mango were found to exhibit antioxidant, hypoglycemic, anti-diabetic and cholesterol-reducing properties in clinical studies.
Additional research is required to validate the effects of African bush mango pills in humans. Two human studies found that African mango promote appetite regulation and minimize the levels of blood cholesterol.
Nevertheless, these studies are not are criticized for consistency due to the fact that that they involved substandard methodologies and reporting. To be able to confirm and establish the result obtained from these trial studies, large-scale and properly structured human trials are required.
African Bush Mango Supplements
African bush mango is marketed for use in weight loss, treatment of obesity, diabetes, pain relief and a remedy for hyperlipidemia which is a condition where there is excessive concentration of lipids in the blood. It is also used for modulating blood sugar levels.
The fruits from the tree of African mango are edible and are commonly eaten fresh by the locals. The fruit is as well used in the manufacture of fruit juice. There is no history of the use of the African mango in the traditional medicine. The recent marketing of the extract of the seed of this plant has elicited plenty of research to determine how effective the supplement is.
A number of research findings on the medical use of the tree have yielded promising results. However, additional research is required to determine its exact medical effects.
We have provided below overview of the few researches conducted on the usefulness of the African bush mango supplements.
African Bush Mango and Diabetes
A 1990 study on the fibre obtained from African mango seed was found to lower the levels of blood glucose and boost the levels of lipid in type II diabetic patient.
The study made use of four gram of African mango seed fiber mixed with 100 mL of water. This resultant mixture was given to the type II diabetic patients once every day for a period of 30 days.
It was found at the end of the study that the levels of blood plasma glucose in the research participants were reduced compared to the baseline levels. The re4search also recorded great reductions in triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C or the “bad” cholesterol, extremely low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and reduced levels of the total cholesterol.
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The Use of African Bush Mango as a remedy for Hypercholesterolemia
Research also shows that African bush mango supplements decrease the levels of blood lipid in people who are overweight.
A four-week human study in which 1.05 g of I. gabonensis seed extract was given to research participants three times a day for four weeks. Participants were also placed on a calorie-restricted diet. The result obtained at the end of the study reveal the following:
- Forty-six percent lowering of the levels of the LDL cholesterol;
- Thirty-nine percent reduction in the levels of the total cholesterol;
- Forty-five reduction in the levels of the serum triglyceride;
- Forty-seven percent boosts in the levels of the HDL cholesterol as well regarded as “good” cholesterol.
Another study where a standardized extract of the African bush mango seed known as IGOB131 was given to obese participants for a period of ten weeks.
The treatment group participants were given two daily doses of 150 milligram of IGOB131. At the end of the study, it was found that the treated participants who had had normal cholesterol levels before the beginning of the study recorded a twenty-six percent drop in the levels of their total cholesterol and a twenty-seven percent drop in the levels of the LDL cholesterol.
Management of Obesity and the African Bush Mango
In introductory trial studies on the effects of the I. gabonensis on obesity, it was found to lessen the body weight of overweight individuals when it is taken in addition to a healthy a low-calorie diet.
The two scientific studies conducted on the effect on the levels of cholesterol earlier discussed in this article as well reported that the participants who were treated with African mango supplements had their weight reduced.
In the first research, overweight individuals who were given1.05 gram of three doses of African bush mango extract daily lost roughly 8.8 lbs. Both the panacea group and the treated group were restricted on a daily low fat diet of 1,800 kCal. While the treated group recorded a loss of roughly 8.8 lbs of weight the control group did not experience any significant loss of weight.
The second study that made use of the IGOB131 also found that the participants in the control group lost roughly 0.7 kg while the treated research participants recorded 12.8 kilogram loss of weight.
It was as well found that the treated group ate 400 fewer4 calories daily than the participants in the control group. This shows that the African mango can help in appetite regulation.
African Bush Mango Studies
Studies found that African mango is linked to weight reduction, regulation of appetite and regulate the levels of cholesterol levels in individuals who are overweight.
However, some of the studies are not widely accepted. Critics think they involved poor methodology and research reporting. Thus, additional scientific research is required to confirm the result gotten from the earlier studies.
Does African Bush Mango supplement constitute any side effects
The African bush mango supplement is considered as potentially safe medication in the journal of the Natural Medicines when it is taken as recommended orally.
Pros
- It is a naturally occurring supplement blend
- It is a prospective remedy for diabetes
- It normalizes the level of blood sugar
- It reduces the lipid levels in the blood and result in weight reduction
- It helps in appetite control
- It produces an extensive feeling of fullness due to the presence of fibre
- It contains high quality healthy fat like one obtained in coconut
Cons
- Users experience mild side effects like insomnia, headaches, nausea and gas
- African bush mango supplement is a bit costly compared to other related dietary supplement.
- It can have interactions with diabetic and hypertensive drugs
- It is not safe for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children. It is not safe to be used together with drugs that manage diabetes like insulin, Avandia, Actos and Amaryl.
- It is not recommended for use two weeks before a scheduled surgical operation
- It may interact with other herbal products when used together and result to the following conditions: altering of the levels of glucose like guar gum, ginseng, devil’s claw and fenugreek
Conclusions
The African mango has not been discovered to contain any bioactive content that is not found in other plants. The copious amount of fiber and good quality fat contained in the seed can be obtained from other cheaper sources.
Medium-chain fatty acids, similar to those in coconut oil, and soluble fiber are thought to be responsible for the beneficial effects of African bush mango supplements.
There are still ongoing research on the effects of the African mango on appetite control, weight loss, low levels of lipid, the regulation of blood glucose and other therapeutic effects. Do not take the supplement without recommendation of your doctor.