Is THIS a new miracle weight loss supplement? Scientists think it might be

A supplement derived from a flower could be a “hero” weight loss ingredient, say experts.

Native to Africa, the bright red roselle plant is packed with powerful compounds that researchers believe have “anti-obesity” properties.

Lab tests suggested that it hinders the body from forming new fat cells.

Australian scientists believe that antioxidants in the plant prevent the body from absorbing fat, causing it to be passed off as waste rather than being stored.

Professor Ben Adhikari, one of the researchers from Melbourne’s RMIT University behind the study, said the fat-fighting compounds in roselle could be made into a supplement that ‘interferes with fat cell formation’.

It would prevent the side effects of other slimming treatments, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea caused by Wegovy’s wonder shot, which was approved in the UK this week.

But other researchers are not so convinced.

Dr Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and researcher from Aston Medical School in Birmingham, said the research is at a ‘very early stage’.

He told MailOnline: ‘[It] It has not been shown to affect body weight or fat in animals, let alone humans.

Fat accumulates in the body when a person expends more energy – in the form of calories – than he expends.

Excess calories are stored as fat in specialized fat cells called adipocytes.

Adipocytes are vital for regulating the energy and sugar levels of the body.

However, overeating over time will cause adipocytes to expand or form new ones, leading to weight gain and obesity.

The study looked at how components in roselle, also known as Hibiscus Sabdariffa, might interrupt this process.

Previous studies had shown that compounds in the plant can interfere with fat buildup and obesity.

For the experiment, the researchers freeze-dried the flowers to extract antioxidant compounds (phenolic extracts) and organic acid (hydroxycitric acid).

They then treated human stem cells with phenolic extracts, hydroxycitric acid or neither compound before artificially turning the cells into fat cells.

Cells treated with hydroxycitric acid showed no change in fat content.

But those exposed to phenolic extracts — a type of polyphenol — had 95 percent less fat.

The researchers said their findings may be due to the polyphenols in the roselle, which inhibit the digestive enzyme lipase.

This enzyme helps break down fats into small pieces so that they can be absorbed by the body through the gut. The excess fats are converted into fat cells.

By inhibiting the lipase enzyme, the fat can’t be absorbed, so it’s passed through the colon as waste, the researchers said.

The team said this process is similar to how some obesity management drugs work.

Professor Adhikari claimed the results could affect obesity treatment, which currently consists of diet and exercise advice, medication or surgery.

He said, “The roselle’s phenolic extracts could help create a health food product that is effective at disrupting fat cell formation, as well as bypassing the bad side effects of some medications.”

The UK approved Wegovy for weight loss this week.

But while studies showed that those who took it lost about 12 percent of their body weight, common side effects include headaches, heartburn and fatigue.

In contrast, because the phenolic extracts of rosella — which the researchers believe cause fat loss — are plant-derived, they should cause no or fewer side effects, the researchers argue.

The team now plans to turn these extracts into ‘little spheres’ that can be consumed, for example in a drink.

Dr. Mellor noted that many foods already contain phenolic compounds and organic acids, and not all of these are absorbed well by our bodies.

“So what works in the test tube may not work well in a whole person,” he said.

Dr. Mellor said: ‘We also have to be careful about saying that polyphenols can help manage conditions like obesity without drug side effects, as some drugs are very similar to these compounds found in plants, and they have side effects.

“Just because something is natural doesn’t automatically make it healthy or less likely to cause side effects than a drug.”

He added: “It will be interesting to see how this research develops, but it’s important to remember that it’s in the earliest stages of the lab and more work is needed to test whether it’s a safe and effective treatment for humans.’

The research has been published in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology.