Ashwagandha May Help Treat Obesity by Increasing Cellular Energy Expenditure

by | Apr 20, 2020 | 2020, Ashwagandha, Botanicals, Obesity

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Study demonstrates that ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) reduces diet-induced obesity by increasing thermogenesis in adipose tissue of high fat diet-fed male mice.

ashwagandha - botanicalsObesity is caused by an excess of energy intake, relative to energy expenditure. One approach to treating obesity is to increase energy expenditure, specifically through adaptive thermogenesis 1. Adaptive thermogenesis refers to the body’s regulated production of heat and occurs mainly in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and skeletal muscle 2. BAT are thermogenic and generate heat by burning calories through a process involving uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1, protein in the inner membrane of mitochondria, organelles involved in cellular energy production) 3. In colder temperatures, skeletal muscle may also engage in adaptive thermogenesis by inducing shivering 4. Metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, are correlated with mitochondrial dysfunction 5, and newer studies suggest that by increasing mitochondrial thermogenesis in adipose tissue, it may be possible to ameliorate obesity 6. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), a popular traditional Indian herb, demonstrates the ability to suppress weight gain 7 and potentially improve muscle strength and mass 8. Phytochemicals in Ashwagandha have also been suggested to promote BAT mass 9. To explore this, researchers in Korea (2020) tested the energy expenditure-enhancing effect of Ashwagandha and its mechanism of action in obese mice 10.

A litter of 40 four-week-old male mice were divided into four groups: a control group that was fed a standard rodent diet; a group that was fed a high fat diet (HFD, 45% fat); a group that was fed a HFD plus 0.25% of Withania somnifera root extract (WSE) (HFD + low-dose WSE); and a group that was fed a HFD plus 0.5% WSE (HFD + high-dose WSE). After 10 weeks of dietary treatment, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was administered and blood was collected. Mice were sacrificed in order to analyze liver, muscle, and adipose tissues. A variety of techniques were employed, including immunoblotting, immunofluorescence staining, and mass spectrometric analyses, to measure energy expenditure, UCP1 protein expression, mitochondrial activity, and oxygen consumption in BAT and skeletal muscle.

At Week 10, both WSE groups demonstrated significantly lower body weight gain (p < 0.01 for low-dose, p < 0.001 for high-dose, respectively), greater muscle mass per body weight (p < 0.05 for both), and reduced lipid accumulation in liver and adipose tissue (p < 0.05 for both), relative to the HFD group. Both WSE groups also showed increased energy expenditure (based on oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production levels), relative to HFD (p < 0.05 for both). The high-dose WSE group also showed significant reduction in glucose level on the OGTT, compared to HFD (p < 0.05). Relative to HFD, WSE (both low and high dose) was associated with increased protein expression of UCP1 in BAT; increased protein expression related to mitochondrial complex IV in BAT (p < 0.05, p < 0.01); and increased mRNA expression of BAT-specific genes (UCP1) in subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) (p < 0.05 for both).

Findings confirm the anti-obesity properties of Ashwagandha, suggesting that its ability to enhance energy expenditure through adaptive thermogenesis may be responsible for its therapeutic effect. By enhancing mitochondrial function in both skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, WSE was seen to significantly increase oxygen consumption and lead to lower body weight gain and greater muscle mass. At higher doses, WSE was even shown to improve insulin resistance in rodents. Based on increased mRNA expression of BAT-specific genes in WAT, researchers also suggest that WSE may promote the differentiation of WAT into BAT-like adipocytes. Overall, data suggest the potential for Ashwagandha supplementation to be utilized in the clinical treatment of obesity. Replication of current findings in human subjects, however, is first warranted.

Source: Lee D, Ahn J, Jang Y, et al. Withania somnifera extract enhances energy expenditure via improving mitochondrial function in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Nutrients. 2020; 12: 431. DOI: 10.3390/nu12020431.

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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Posted April 20, 2020.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity. http://www.naturalhealthresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Angeline.jpg

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