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- Theory
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- The theory behind Coleus forskohlii as a dietary
supplement is that its content of forskolin can be used to stimulate adenylate cyclase
activity, which will increase cAMP levels in the fat cell, which will in turn activate
another enzyme (hormone sensitive lipase) to start breaking down fat stores. The problem
with this theory is that cAMP regulates the activity of hundreds of enzymes in each cell
– and those enzymes can be quite different from cell to cell. For example, we know
that in cell cultures (test tube studies), adding forskolin to fat cells will increase
cAMP levels and stimulate lipolysis (breakdown of stored fat into fatty acids). Add that
same forskolin to muscle cells, however, and the primary effect is to stimulate
glycogenolysis (breakdown of stored glycogen into glucose units). Add forskolin to liver cells and you get a stimulation of
gluconeogenesis (synthesis of blood glucose from amino acid precursors).
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- Scientific Support
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- There are no published trials showing that the
supplement promotes either weight loss or increased lean body mass, though writers for the
company (Sabinsa) that markets the Coleus extract (ForsLean) have briefly alluded (in a
Health Food industry publication) to an uncontrolled “trial” of 6 overweight
women in whom 500mg of the supplement per day for 8 weeks caused a loss of body weight and
fat, while lean mass increased. This data is completely useless to us, as there was no
blinding of subjects or a placebo control group, so there is no way to determine whether
or not the weight loss was due to the supplement (which is highly unlikely).
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