Hops Used in Beer Reduce Weight Gain in Diabetes and the Obese

A class of compounds found in hops reduces weight gain in obese and diabetic mice, according to a published study. Eight weeks of treatment with the compounds, called tetrahydro iso-alpha acids, also reduced gut permeability and normalized insulin sensitivity markers in the mice, among other beneficial metabolic effects. Hops have been known to contain anti-inflammatory compounds with potential medicinal uses for metabolic disorders, like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, which are associated with low-grade inflammation. These new results suggest a novel mechanism contributing to the positive effects of the investigated treatment, the authors write. The work was led by Patrice Cani of the Université catholique de Louvain in Brussels, Belgium. Published Mar. 28 in the open access journal PLoS ONE