Abstract

ALVES, Mariana Catarina Ribeiro  and  CAPELA, João Paulo. Dietary supplements for weight loss with synephrine: risks and toxicity. Acta Port Nutr [online]. 2019, n.16, pp.36-46. ISSN 2183-5985.  https://doi.org/10.21011/apn.2019.1607.

Introduction: Synephrine is the main active compound present in Citrus aurantium. It is found in many dietary supplements that advocate the promotion of weight loss, despite the limited availability of studies that prove the thermogenic effect and safety of synephrine. Several international food safety authorities issued recommendations on the maximum daily levels. Objectives: Study the composition of dietary supplements containing synephrine and/or Citrus aurantium available in the Portuguese market and analyze the adverse effects associated with their synephrine daily doses. Methodology: To find dietary supplements for weight loss with synephrine, it was carried out a research at local stores and internet websites, between March 2018 and April 2018. Results: 37 supplements containing synephrine and/or Citrus aurantium were found, but it is only possible to infer about the amount of synephrine in 16 supplements. It was assessed that the Citrus aurantium daily dose recommended by the producer and/or distributor corresponds to a median value of 200 mg, with a minimum value of 6 mg and a maximum value of 840 mg. The median amount of daily synephrine recommended is 12 mg, with a maximum value of 60 mg and a minimum value of 0.6 mg. Anhydrous caffeine and synephrine were combined in 9 supplements. Several supplements exceed the daily dose limits of synephrine recommended by food safety authorities, of note that 13 of the 16 supplements, where it was possible to estimate the daily dose of synephrine, exceed the limits recommended by the German BfR authority. Conclusions: Synephrine daily levels present in various supplements can be dangerous to health consumers. The cardiovascular risk of synephrine is increased in combination with caffeine. Consumers should be alerted to the levels of these compounds present in dietary supplements.

Keywords : Citrus aurantium; Body weight; Synephrine; Sietary supplement; Thermogenesis; Cardiovascular toxicity.

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