White Kidney Bean Extract Effects
Taking white bean extract supplements 15 minutes before each meal led to a reduction in both weight and waist circumference compared to taking a placebo in a study published in The Journal of Applied Research in 2010. A few other studies have shown similar results, but further, longer-term research is necessary to verify these benefits and determine the most effective dose.
White Beans and Body Fat
One potential concern when people try to lose weight is how to maintain their lean body mass, or muscle, so that most of the weight lost consists of unwanted body fat. White bean extract may be able to help with this. A study published in the International Journal of Medical Sciences in 2007 found that people who took this supplement while eating a carbohydrate-rich diet lost more weight, and more of that weight came from body fat, than those who followed the same diet but took a placebo. To further minimize the loss of lean tissue, participate in both resistance training and cardiovascular exercise while trying to lose weight. Otherwise, about 25 percent of any weight you lose will come from lean muscle instead of fat.