Successful weight management is now a global health concern as more than 43% of adults are categorized as overweight or obese. Long term weight management requires lifestyle modification but often includes higher-force interventions such as pharmaceutical or surgical care. Pharmaceutical interventions are usually designed to reduce food intake by manipulating appetite; however, these interventions have long-term feasibility or safety concerns. Naturally derived compounds, with favorable safety profiles and the ability to powerfully suppress appetite and cravings, represent an appealing option for ongoing weight management. Appetite regulation is orchestrated by a complex network of physical and chemical signals, with enteroendocrine hormones serving as some of the most powerful drivers of hunger and satiety. Under normal physiology, orexigenic hormones such as ghrelin rise during fasting and between meals, while anorexigenic hormones including GLP-1, CCK and PYY are released after eating. Specialized enteroendocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract release these hormones in a dose- and time-dependent manner in response to nutrient intake. In 2010, the New Zealand government funded a large grant to investigate the appetite suppressive effects of bitter plant compounds as a potential treatment option for weight management. After investigating over 1,000 different plant compounds in vitro, the researchers concluded that a native New Zealand hops extract produced the strongest TAS2R stimulation and consequential enhanced release of anorexigenic (GLP-1, CCK and PYY) hormonal response, indicating the strongest appetite suppressant effect. The researchers named the extract Amarasate®, derived from Latin, meaning “bitter satiation.” Patients should begin Calocurb® CLINICAL using the Starter Pack. This pack onboards the body to the increased activation of natural satiety hormones, preparing it for the higher doses of the Calocurb® CLINICAL Maintenance Pack.
