Effectiveness of Rice Germ Supplementation on Body Composition, Metabolic Parameters, Satiating Capacity and Amino Acid Profiles in Obese Postmenopausal Women
Effectiveness of Rice Germ Supplementation on Body Composition, Metabolic Parameters, Satiating Capacity and Amino Acid Profiles in Obese Postmenopausal Women
Rice germ (RG) may be a safe and effective dietary supplement for obesity in menopause,
 considering its high protein content and considerable amounts of essential amino acids, good
 fatty acids, and fiber. This pilot randomized, blinded, parallel group, placebo-controlled
 pilot trial investigated the effectiveness of four weeks of RG supplementation (25 g twice a
 day) on body composition, measured by Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA), as primary
 outcome, and metabolic parameters, amino acid profiles and satiating capacity, as secondary
 outcomes, in obese postmenopausal women following a tailored hypocaloric diet (25-30% less
 than daily energy requirements). Twenty-seven women were randomly assigned to the
 supplemented group (14) or placebo group (13). There was a significant interaction between
 time and group for body mass index (BMI) (p<0.0001), waist (p=0.002), and hip circumference
 (p=0.01), total protein (0.008), albumin (0.005), Homeostasis Model Assessment index
 (p=0.04), glycine (p=0.002), glutamine (p=0.004), and histidine (p=0.007). Haber's means over
 time showed a clearly greater feeling of satiety for the supplemented compared to the placebo
 group. These findings indicate that RG supplementation in addition to a tailored diet
 counterbalanced the metabolic changes typical of menopause, with improvements in BMI, body
 composition, insulin resistance, amino acid profiles and satiety.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  obesity (BMI 30-40 kg/m2)

 -  age 50-65

 -  menopause

 -  sedentary women and non-smoking,

 -  women who did not drink more than six glasses (one glass: 125 mL) of wine a week and
 did not drink hard liquor (alcohol content at least 20% alcohol by volume)

 -  women who agreed not to take part in any other weight loss program

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  evidence of heart, kidney or liver disease

 -  women who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-V) criteria for a current
 diagnosis of major depressive disorder

 -  taking any medications for weight loss

 -  control of cholesterol and triglycerides for anti-inflammatory purposes

 -  pregnancy

 -  lactating

 -  Type 1 diabetes mellitus, irritable bowel disease, celiac disease, chronic
 pancreatitis

 -  antibiotic use in the last three months

 -  probiotic/prebiotic treatment in the last four weeks.