Ingredient Spotlight: Salaretin (Salacia reticulata)
This week’s supplement spotlight is back with another HUGE role player in our product GlycoShield. Salacia reticulata, or the registered form we use in GlycoShield, Salaretin, has numerous benefits in regards to weight regulation, fat burning, and glycemic control. Not to mention this ingredient also has strong anti-oxidant properties and currently has numerous studies being worked with regards to cholesterol control and beneficial effects to vital organs. This compound is derived from a plant located in dry zones of southern Asia, specifically Sri Lanka. While the plant produces flowers and seeds that do resemble almonds in size and shape, the real useful ingredient is derived directly from the plant itself rather than the fruit it bears. So, what exactly makes this product so important in a GDA like GlycoShield? In short, Salaretin has an amazing ability to manipulate your blood glucose and insulin after meals, especially ones containing a large amount of carbohydrates. Let’s dive in to what makes Salaretin such a special ingredient and one of our all-timefavorites to supplement with!
Salaretin’s Blood Glucose Control:
Salaretin’s biggest and most beneficial property is its ability to reduce the body’s absorption of carbohydrates and reduce the spike in blood glucose and insulin following a meal. A 2005 study used all non-diabetic individuals to test how the Salacia plant would affect blood glucose levels after a relatively high meal. The study concluded that after consuming the meal (14g fat, 82g of carbohydrates, and 20g of protein) the individuals who were administered Salacia reduced their blood glucose levels 23% and serum insulin levels 29% (1)! On the flipside of this, when tested on individuals who had diabetes, a dosage of just 240mg of Salacia had lowered blood glucose levels and insulin response 14%(2). Here is a quick rundown of why this is important. When we consume a meal or carbohydrates in general, your blood glucose levels rise. This rise in blood glucose causes your body to release insulin into the blood stream which travels to cells and enables them to open up and accept glucose. When the glucose enters cells, it can be used for energy in the muscles, body functions, or stored to be used for later. The more carbohydrates that are consumed, the more insulin needs to be released in order for the cells to absorb them and use them as energy later. There comes a point when the body cannot use those 250g of carbohydrates you just ate and then the remaining glucose is stored, generally as fat if not within the muscles. Due to Salaretin’s ability to both prevent absorption of excess carbohydrates(glucose) as well as its ability to then manipulate how high your blood glucose levels are, it can aid in the prevention of excess glucose being stored as fat. In short, Salaretin makes sure that your carbohydrates are sent to where they need to get to, and anything extra is not being absorbed in the small intestine. This brings us to the other reason that Salaretin is such an awesome ingredient:
Salaretin’s direct effect on obesity and “carb blocking” ability.
So, we have established that Salaretin has the ability to manipulate your blood glucose and insulin levels by moving excess glucose through the body without distributing it into the blood stream, but did you know it can actually BLOCK absorption of excess carbohydrates? Salaretin has the ability to act as a glucosidase inhibitor to prevent absorption of carbohydrates in the small intestine. A specific study on Salaretin has shown that the extract has the ability to inhibit an enzyme called amylase (amylase breaks down complex carbohydrates like starches) and prevent the digestion of starches in the small intestine (3). If complex carbohydrates are not broken down in the small intestine they continue to pass along the intestinal tract and eventually are excreted from the colon. Essentially, Salaretin will not only help you get the most out of your carbohydrate meal by shuttling glucose into the muscles and cells that use it for energy, but once your body is full it will continue to pass those carbohydrates through your body to be excreted at a different time. Because of this carbohydrate controlling property, Salaretin plays a key roll in preventing obesity in otherwise healthy adults. A 2014 study showed that during a study of Salacia’s effect on obesity and metabolic disorders, Salacia Reticulata produced a reduction in body weight, mesenteric fat accumulation (fat around the mesentery webbing of intestines), an improvement in abnormal glucose metabolism, and an increase in adiponectin (a protein hormone that regulates glucose and fatty acid breakdown) in blood plasma (4). All of these benefits directly impact your ability to burn fat, as well as keep fat off, especially during periods where you may be bulking. Other studies have shown that in as little as 4 weeks, individuals supplementing with a dose of 600mg per day and using regular exercise showed a reduction of 6.1% weight loss and 4.5% reduction in bodyfat(5). This study just shows how potent combing Salaretin can be when coupled with exercise—in fact, the study did not even note that changes were made in eating habits (how cool is that?)!
The bottom line is, we love Salaretin for everything it does, and continues to do. It has so much science backing up the claims and is evident in so many user trials. In fact, our CEO and numerous consumers of GlycoShield have taken time lapse photos of their blood glucose levels to prove the effects that Salaretin has after meals! It is certainly a strong ingredient, even at a modest dose. Not only have we seen users who have controlled glucose and insulin levels after huge meals but we have had numerous individuals comment on unexpected weight loss without any changes in their diet. Some individuals have even lost weight during what they thought was a bulking phase! All this and more is possible with Salaretin. If you haven’t fallen in love with this ingredient yet, feel free to take a look at some of these websites and our favorite studies to learn more about one of our favorite ingredients in GlycoShield. If you’relooking to indulge in a few guilt free cheat meals every month, prime your body with fuel for a tough workout, making sure you’re cementing those hard-earned gains, or looking to drop a little extra body fat without needing to start a fad diet, Salaretin has a benefit for you. Just another way you can #BeatTheCheat with HPS Supplements.
http://salaretin.com/nutra.htm
https://examine.com/
Studies:
1-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.
2-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.
3- http://salaretin.com/