The oxidized bitter part of stored hops, taken as a capsule or alcohol-free drink at one small daily dose. It appears to act on bitter sensors in the gut wall, not on tissue directly. Abdominal-fat and attention changes are small and unconfirmed outside the manufacturer, which funded nearly every human study. Safety looks reassuring at the tested dose. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Waist circumference | < 80 cm women, < 90 cm men | Cheapest proxy for the trial's visceral fat endpoint |
| Visceral fat area or body fat percentage | Visceral fat area < 100 cm²; body fat 21–33% women, 8–20% men | Primary and secondary endpoints of the fat trial |
| Body weight and body mass index | Body mass index 18.5–24.9 kg/m² | Detects the small weight change alongside fat loss |
| Resting heart rate and heart rate variability | Resting heart rate 50–70 bpm; heart rate variability tracked against personal baseline | The mechanism runs through the vagus nerve; vagal tone shifted acutely |
| Blood pressure | < 120/80 mmHg | Raises sympathetic nerve traffic in animals; the human trial showed no rise |
| Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase | Both < 25 U/L women, < 30 U/L men | Liver enzymes; safety marker for a novel botanical |
| Fasting glucose and glycated haemoglobin | Glucose 75–86 mg/dL; glycated haemoglobin < 5.4% | The fat trial showed no change; a rise points elsewhere |
| High-sensitivity C-reactive protein | < 1.0 mg/L | General inflammation marker; no human anti-inflammatory effect shown |
Cadence: Baseline first; waist and body composition at 4, 8, and 12 weeks, attention task at 6 and 12 weeks; six-monthly thereafter.