New Zealand blackcurrant extract has been shown to significantly boost fat burning during exercise, lower blood pressure, and potentially make arteries '10 years younger' in as little as seven days, according to new research.
Fat-Burning Properties
A major new systematic review and meta-analysis pooled 15 studies and 226 participants, confirming that the berry extract shifts the body's fuel use towards fat during exercise while cutting carbohydrate burn. In another trial, just seven days of dosing with two capsules lifted fat burning by an average 28% during an hour of exercise.
Researchers found that women with greater fat mass were the biggest responders, with the top female hitting 216% and the top male 204%. The same study also reported reductions in blood pressure after exercise by up to 11%.
Expert Insights
Lead researcher Dr Matthew Cook said: "We have proof of principle that New Zealand blackcurrant extract is powerful and reliable for increasing fat metabolism and reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as blood pressure."
Interestingly, you don't even need to move. University of Chichester research found that two weeks of daily blackcurrant extract increased whole-body fat oxidation during supine rest—that's 20% more fat burning, lying down.
The berry works in both sexes, but Dr Cook notes: "We've shown that women who carry more fat have the highest magnitude of change to blackcurrant."
Artery Age Reversal
Japanese scientists observed that a week of supplementation reduced arterial stiffness in the carotid and femoral arteries in the elderly. It also significantly lowered central blood pressure in older adults.
Professor Mark Willems, who led much of the UK research, said: "The extract reduced the age of the arteries equivalent to ten years – somehow it's making arteries and blood vessels younger – an exciting finding."
Dr Cook added: "Reductions in up to 10mmHg in blood pressure over lifespan reduces cardiovascular mortality risks equivalent to 20 per cent. These are sensible decreases to blood pressure and New Zealand blackcurrant extract could be considered a nutritional strategy to manage resting blood pressure in physically active older adults."
Blood Sugar and Weight Management
Liverpool John Moores University found that eight days of supplementation improved whole-body insulin sensitivity by 22%, lowered C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, and reduced post-meal blood sugar responses by 8–9% in overweight and obese volunteers.
