The Town Drunk

It seems like every week or so there is yet another exotic fruit or plant from the deep within the jungle that we find is a weight loss/fountain of youth/natural viagra/regrow your hair/cure cancer miracle. Well, here’s yet another to add to the list – African Mango. Strangely enough, this one actually does what it claims!

On September 13, 2010, Oprah’s favorite doctor – Dr. Oz – revealed that Irvingia Gabonensis, also known as African Mango Diet pills, may help with weight loss. He doesn’t claim it will melt the fat off, like many of the people pushing Acai Berry pills. Nor is it part of an extreme weight loss regimen like HCG. Rather, it is supposed to be taken daily as a natural cleanser – better than eating a pile of prunes, and not as harsh as a pharmaceutical laxative. Ok, that makes sense.

As a part of a segment on the Dr. Oz show where viewers are urged to try to lose 10 pounds in order to improve their overall health, Dr. Oz recently considered the use of an alternative therapy as a part of a weight loss program. One of the things Dr. Oz mentioned to be used as a weight loss supplement was Irvingia Gabonensis, AKA African Mango pills.

What is Irvingia Gabonensis / African Mango Extract?

Irvingia Gabonensis is getting a lot of attention by people interested in weight loss.

Studies show that it helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels in addition to aiding in weight loss. Irvingia Gabonensis is a tree found in West and Central Africa. It is also called wild mango or bush mango in addition to the more popular African Mango. The yellow fruit of the tree is eaten by natives, but it is the fiber from the seed that is used to aid in weight loss.

While discussing ways to lose 10 pounds with alternative therapy, Dr. Oz said: “There are brand new studies that have come out showing that African Mango actually acts like a super-potent fiber. And because of that, it’s highly effective in sequestering cholesterol and taking it out of your body. That’s why fiber is so important for any diet that you’re on. That’s why breakfast is important, because it’s got fiber in it.”

It is important to note that Oprah Winfrey nor Dr. Mehmet Oz have ever mentioned or sponsored any particular brand of African Mango, so beware of any website that makes such claims as they are most likely a scam.

Does the African Mango Diet Work?

Since Irvingia is so new to the weight loss scene, there is a lot of false information being thrown around, much like the Acai Berry was in 2010. While there is a lot of interest in the potential benefits, it is too early to tell how much impact it will have. It is a positive sign that studies indicate Irvingia is completely safe and potentially useful as a weight loss aid. Studies have also shown that the African Mango pills can be beneficial for overall health by lowering and balancing cholesterol levels and helping maintain blood sugar levels. It seems likely that African Mango will be following in the footsteps of Acai as a healthy supplement that may also aid in weight loss.

Some of the many benefits African Mango pills could provide include:

Suppresses Appetite – In clinical studies, researchers found that Irvingia can delay stomach emptying, which can reduce and suppress the appetite.

Burns Fat – Because African Mango has been shown to improve weight loss (in studies it helped participants to lose an average of 12.3 pounds in 28 days), fat burning is absolutely a possibility.

Controls Leptin – Leptin is a hormone that plays a central role in fat metabolism. Although it has not yet been discovered what exactly it does, injections of Leptin have been found to cause dramatic weight loss effects. Irvingia Gabonensis has been found to increase the amount of Leptin in the bloodstream of those who use it as a supplement, and therefore help with weight loss.

Detoxifies the Body – While no clinical studies have found African Mango to have detoxifying properties, losing weight and toxic fat from the body is always a great way to start the detox process.

Reduces Cholesterol – Irvingia can provide benefits to help lower bad LDL cholesterol, while raising good HDL cholesterol levels. By binding to bile acids, Irvingia carries cholesterol from the body and helps lower cholesterol levels and other blood lipids. The high fiber content removes cholesterol from the body.