Motherwort helps menopausal women manage their weight

Motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus), a popular functional food and medicinal herb, has been known to be beneficial for women, especially older women. In a study published in the Journal of Natural Medicines, it was found that motherwort can help menopausal women manage their weight and prevent weight gain.

• Menopausal women are more likely to gain weight because of estrogen deficiency, which could induce lipid metabolic abnormalities in body fat.
• Researchers from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Republic of Korea looked at the inhibitory effects of motherwort on obesity after menopause in mice.
• To induce obesity, the researchers fed female ovariectomized mice with a high-fat diet for 12 weeks.
• After that, they gave the mice motherwort extracts for six weeks.
• The researchers, then, measured the mice’ body, uterine, and visceral fat weights as well as levels of glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
• The results revealed that the motherwort treatment significantly decreased the total body weight, visceral fat weight, and the fat infiltration of the mice’s livers.
• It also reduced levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol.
• In addition, it increased the expression of hormone-sensitive lipase and adipose triglyceride lipase. This indicates that motherwort could regulate lipid metabolism by increasing lipase expression.

The findings of the study indicate the motherwort could be a potential functional food to prevent weight gain after menopause.

To read more stories on natural ways to enhance menopausal women’s health, visit WomensHealth.news today.

Journal Reference:

Kim J, Kim MH, Choi YY, Hong J, Yang WM. INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF LEONURUS SIBIRICUS ON WEIGHT GAIN AFTER MENOPAUSE IN OVARIECTOMIZED AND HIGH-FAT DIET-FED MICE. Journal of Natural Medicines. July 2016; 70(3): 522-530. DOI: 10.1007/s11418-016-0971-7