Chia seed does not promote weight loss or alter disease risk factors in overweight adults

Nieman, David C.; Cayea, Erin J.; Austin, Melanie D.; Henson, Dru A.; McAnulty, Steven R.; Jin, Fuxia

doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2009.05.011

« Previous Next »Nutrition Research
Volume 29, Issue 6 , Pages 414-418, June 2009

Chia seed does not promote weight loss or alter disease risk factors in overweight adults

David C. Nieman
- Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 828 262 6318; fax: +1 828 262 3138.
Erin J. Cayea
- Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA
Melanie D. Austin
- Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA
Dru A. Henson
- Department of Biology, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA
Steven R. McAnulty
- Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA
Fuxia Jin
- Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA

Received 11 March 2009; received in revised form 26 May 2009; accepted 28 May 2009.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of chia seed (Salvia hispanica L) in promoting weight loss and altering disease risk factors in overweight adults. The hypothesis was that the high dietary fiber and α-linolenic (ALA) contents of chia seed would induce a small but significant decrease in body weight and fat and improve disease risk factors. Subjects were randomized to chia seed (CS) and placebo (P) groups, and under single-blinded procedures, ingested 25 g CS or P supplements mixed in 0.25 L water twice daily before the first and last meal for 12 weeks. Ninety nondiseased, overweight/obese men and women between the ages of 20 and 70 years were recruited into the study, with 76 subjects (n = 39 CS, n = 37 P) completing all phases of the study. Pre- and poststudy measures included body mass and composition (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry), inflammation markers from fasting blood samples (C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and tumor necrosis factor α), oxidative stress markers (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity and plasma nitrite), blood pressure, and a serum lipid profile. Plasma ALA increased 24.4% compared to a 2.8% decrease in CS and P, respectively (interaction effect, P = .012). No group differences were measured for changes in plasma eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (interaction effects, P = .420 and .980, respectively). Pre-to-post measures of body composition, inflammation, oxidative stress, blood pressure, and lipoproteins did not differ between CS and P for both sexes. In conclusion, ingestion of 50 g/d CS vs P for 12 weeks by overweight/obese men and women had no influence on body mass or composition, or various disease risk factor measures.

Abbreviations: ALA, α-linolenic acid, CRP, C-reactive protein, DHA, docosahexaenoic acid, EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid, IL-6, interleukin 6, PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid, TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor α