My training to date has provided me with a solid understanding of the behavioral, psychosocial, and environmental factors that contribute to eating behavior and weight management;however, my understanding of physiology and the biological mechanisms regulating eating behavior and body weight remains to be improved. Therefore, I seek to increase my knowledge of the physiological aspects of age- related metabolic conditions, and the potential role botanical extracts may have in affecting physiology, eating behavior, body weight, and oxidative stress levels. This knowledge, coupled with my previous training, will provide an ideal foundation from which I can build a unique and independent line of research investigating alternative and adjunctive treatments involving botanicals for age-related metabolic conditions (obesity, type 2 diabetes). My immediate career goals are to 1) obtain a R01 grant to further examine the potential effects of different doses of the selected botanical compounds on food intake, body weight, and oxidative stress levels and 2) increase my understanding of the effects that botanicals have on physiological processes related to food intake. My long-term career goal is to become an independent investigator focused on developing safe and effective alternative or adjunctive interventions involving natural compounds for the treatment of obesity and other metabolic conditions. The proposed line of research will explore the role that botanical compounds have in affecting food intake, neuroendocrine signals, satiety, weight loss, and oxidative stress levels. Study 1 will investigate the effects of two promising botanicals (garcinia cambogia derived hydroxycitric acid, and glucomannan) on food intake, satiety, and weight loss using a double-blind, placebo controlled design. Based on the findings from study 1, the botanical with the most significant effects on food intake will be used in a 24-week, placebo controlled calorie restricted weight loss trial. In addition to body weight, this trial will examine the effects of the selected compound on: 1) food intake, 2) self-reported satiety, 3) postprandial neuroendocrine signals (i.e., CCK, GLP-1, insulin, and leptin), and 4) oxidative stress levels (i.e., DNA and RNA oxidation).
Botanicals represent important sources of potential new adjunctive therapies for obese and insulin resistant individuals and may enhance the health benefits of weight loss interventions by reducing systemic oxidative stress levels.
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