Caralluma fimbriata extract supplementation may provide minor benefits for body measurements, but not appetite suppression Original paper

Caralluma fimbriata is an edible cactus traditionally used in India to suppress hunger. While a limited number of clinical trials have examined the potential appetite-suppressing and antiobesity effects of Caralluma fimbriata extract, a meta-analysis pooling the available data was needed to evaluate the overall effects of the supplement.

This meta-analysis of 4 randomized controlled trials examined the effects of Caralluma fimbriata extract, compared to placebo, on the following measurements in a total of 269 adult participants with overweight and obesity:

Anthropometric indices

• Body weight, 4 trials
• BMI, 4 trials
• Waist circumference, 3 trials
• Hip circumference, 3 trials
• Waist:hip ratio, 2 trials

Markers of appetite

• Feeling of fullness, 3 trials
• Hunger, 3 trials
• Desire to eat, 3 trials
• Thoughts of food, 2 trials

Blood lipids and blood glucose

• Total cholesterol, 2 trials
• HDL cholesterol, 2 trials
• LDL cholesterol, 2 trials
• Triglycerides, 2 trials
• Blood glucose, 2 trials

The participants were 18 to 70 years old. In all 4 trials, participants took 1 gram of Caralluma fimbriata extract per day. The intervention duration ranged from 8 to 12 weeks.

Supplementing Caralluma fimbriata extract reduced waist circumference by 1.6 cm (0.63 inches) and waist:hip ratio by 0.06, but did not affect any of the other outcomes, compared to placebo.

All trials were of good methodological quality.

Most of the analyses included only 2 or 3 trials. This reduces confidence in the results.