α-Cyclodextrin as a food ingredient to reduce fat absorption

New approaches are needed to reduce the prevalence of obesity. One approach for limiting weight gain or facilitating weight loss may be to use food ingredients that reduce the absorption of dietary fat. One such ingredient may be alpha-cyclodextrin (α-CD), which has been shown to bind fat in vitro. Although animal studies have been inconsistent in demonstrating a reduction in body weight with α-CD feeding, a clinical trial found that α-CD halted weight gain in obese diabetics. Further, animal studies support a reduction in fat absorption with α-cd feeding. Thus, α-CD shows promise as a food ingredient to reduce fat absorption and warrants further study in this regard.