Irvingia extract is a dietary supplements that may promote weight loss by possibly reversing the symptoms of leptin resistance.
The Irvingia gabonensis plant is more commonly known as African mango and is used worldwide for weight loss and weight maintenance goals.
It has been shown in clinical studies to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol levels.
It also lowers triglyceride counts and promotes the effective breakdown and assimilation of fatty acids throughout the body.
Irvingia gabonensis extract may be able to reduce appetite and help control hunger cravings. It is a safer alternative to stimulant-based diet pills that can often cause unwanted side effects.
By supressing the appetite in obese and/or overweight individuals naturally, this supplement makes it easier to reach and maintain healthy weight levels. Results will be best when combining Irvingia extract with a nutritious diet and regular exercise.



- Helps control the appetite
- Increases leptin sensitivity & adiponectin
- Improves blood sugar & cholesterol
Irvingia Extracts, Leptin and Adipocytes
Irvingia extracts are believed to increase the sensitivity of the brain to levels of leptin within the body.
Leptin is a hormone that hormone regulates appetite by signaling the hypothalamus in the brain to regulate hunger sensations. It acts on these receptors to control hunger and maintain healthy weight levels.
It also stimulates the sympathetic nervous system to more efficiently burn fatty tissues for energy production purposes. Leptin is produced in Adipocyte cells throughout the body.
Adipocytes are specialized fat storage cells that are found in the connective tissues. What we think of as fat on our bodies is actually white adipose tissue. Adipocytes gather up free circulating fatty acids in the bloodstream, and then store them to have fuel available when the body needs it.
Adipocytes use leptin to communicate to the brain about how much fuel they have stored and to signal the brain when it is time to eat and replenish these fat stores.
Leptin and Appetite
When leptin levels are high, it tells the brain that our needs have been satisfied after the ingestion of nutritious foods. When we eat and receive needed nutrients to accommodate metabolism, adipocytes synthesize and release leptin into the bloodstream. The hypothalamus recognizes the leptin increases and shuts down the signal for hunger.
In normal circumstances, when an individual eats a meal, leptin is released and hunger diminishes. However, in order for this to occur, the message to the hypothalamus must be received and appropriated recognized.
If the chemical message carried by leptin is not recognized by the brain, then the hunger signal remains active. The individual will continue to eat without ever receiving any rewarding feelings of satiation.
Some individuals are naturally less sensitive to the effects of leptin. This may be why some people can eat large quantities of food and never feel full – because the hypothalamus does not respond normally to the presence of leptin and the feeling of “fullness” is never signalled to the brain.
These individuals may continue to eat because their brain has not received the signal that they do not need to consume more calories in order to meet daily energy needs. In these situations, the use of Irvingia Extract may help normalize leptin sensitivity to improve appetite control.
Improving Leptin Resistance
Irvingia Extracts work because they make the brain more responsive to the presence of leptin. In rodent tests, increased levels of leptin has been shown to diminish tendencies to overeat and develop obesity.
However, when leptin was administered to obese humans, unexpected results occurred. It was hypothesized that obese individuals would be low in leptin. With low leptin levels, the brain would not be receiving the satiation cues, and therefore continue signaling hunger.
Researchers found instead the majority of obese individuals have excessively high levels of leptin. As the number and sizes of adipocytes continue to, so does the leptin production. The adipocytes release high amounts of leptin when food is consumed.
However, because of the excessive levels of this hormone, the hypothalamus become desensitized to it effects. Receptors for this hormone are downregulated and now require even higher levels in order to be activated.
In most obese individuals, the body has sufficient leptin circulating, but the hypothalamus has become resistance to it. While there is no definitively recognized causes for leptin resistance, there are two primary hypotheses to consider.
First is that the leptin circulating in the blood is not reaching the proper hunger center receptors in order to properly regulate the appetite. Second is that the receptors themselves have stopped functioning properly. In either case, the individual is left with consistent hunger sensations. If these sensations cause the individual to overeat, weight gain is an inevitability.
This can result in increased risk factors for developing numerous diseases and conditions including diabetes mellitus type ii, stroke, cancer, heart disease, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and many others.
Irvingia Extract Reduces Leptin Resistance
Extracts from the Irvingia gabonensis plant have been found in multiple studies to improve parameters related to leptin sensitivity.
It is unclear the specific mechanism of action by which this occurs, however some studies have shown that it downregulates the expression of leptin, which may serve to restore normal levels of sensitivity to the receptors in the hypothalamus.
African Mango extract is also observed to inhibit adipogensis, which is the formation of new adipocytes. This supplement also stimulates the expression of adiponectin, which is a hormone that is involved in lipid metabolism and glucose regulation. Population studies show that high levels of adiponectin are correlated with low bodyweight.
In research trials, taking Irvingia gabonensis supplements results in significant weight loss, particularly when combined with Cissus quadrangularis. Using an Irvingia seed extract at a dosage of 1.05 grams three times a day in combination with a 1800 kcal per day diet resulted in average weight loss of 4 kg over 4 weeks. In contrast, the placebo group did not lose weight on this protocol.
In another study, a standardized extract from the African Mango plant, IGOB131, resulted in 12.8 kg, of weight loss over 10 weeks, compared to only 0.7 kg in the placebo group. The subjects were given 150mg of this high-potency extract twice a day for 10 weeks.
The patients receiving Irvingia extract also reduced their average caloric intake by 400 calories per day compared to the placebo group. This shows that African Mango is effective as an appetite suppressant, even among individuals who are not consciously making a choice to restrict their calories.
Irvingia Supplement Benefits
Clinical experimentation on Irvingia gabonensis extracts continues to uncover the plant’s benefits, including:
- Reversing the causes of leptin resistance and restoring healthy appetite control;
- Elevating good HDL cholesterol;
- Decreasing bad LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol;
- Promoting the metabolism of fatty acids in the bloodstream;
- Significantly decreasing mortality expectations of obese individuals with 2 or more inches of abdominal obesity;
- Decreasing synthesis of inflammatory proteins like interferon;
- Decreasing triglyceride levels;
- Efficiently utilizing glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase to break down blood lipids;
- Accommodating successful weight loss, and inhibiting subsequent weight gain.
Irvingia Extract Side Effects and Safety
Irvingia supplements are reported to cause very few side effects, Mild and temporary nausea, headaches and fluid retention may result. Those who are pregnant, nursing, diabetic or scheduled for surgery are not recommended for Irvingia gabonensis supplementation.
Talk with your doctor about supplementing with this product before beginning. Irvingia extract can help promote weight loss results, but it should be used as part of a well thought out diet and exercise plan for best results.
Article last updated on: May 5th, 2018 by Nootriment