# Body Recomposition Effects of Long-Term Glycyrrhizin Consumption in Nonobese Individuals: From the Clinic to the Bench

## TL;DR

Glycyrrhizin may help nonobese people reduce body fat and increase muscle mass by inhibiting fat cell development.

## Contribution

This study is the first to show glycyrrhizin's body recomposition effects in nonobese individuals through clinical and experimental data.

## Key findings

- Higher glycyrrhizin consumption correlated with lower body fat and higher fat-free mass in nonobese adolescents.
- Glycyrrhizin reduced adipose tissue weight and increased muscle weight in mice.
- Glycyrrhizin inhibited adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation in preadipocytes.

## Abstract

Non-nutritive sweeteners
are used for obesity management, but their
benefits and risks are unclear. Artificial sweeteners may harm cardiovascular
health, while natural sweeteners like glycyrrhizin offer potential
benefits. This study examined long-term glycyrrhizin consumption’s
effects on body composition in adolescents and mice, comparing obese
and normal-weight individuals and exploring underlying mechanisms.
Data from the Taiwan Pubertal Longitudinal Study (TPLS) (n = 1641) were analyzed, and experiments with C57BL/6 mice and 3T3-L1
preadipocytes were conducted. Higher glycyrrhizin consumption correlated
with lower body fat and higher fat-free mass in adolescents, especially
nonobese individuals. In mice, glycyrrhizin supplementation reduced
adipose tissue weight and serum leptin and cholesterol levels and
increased muscle weight and MyoG mRNA expression. Cell experiments
showed that glycyrrhizin inhibited adipocyte differentiation and lipid
accumulation in preadipocytes. The mechanism involved reduced expression
of mRNAs such as C/EBPα, GLUT4, leptin, and adiponectin. Glycyrrhizin
consumption may reduce adiposity and increase muscle mass in nonobese
individuals by inhibiting adipocyte differentiation. These findings
suggest that glycyrrhizin influences body composition by reducing
fat mass and increasing muscle mass in nonobese individuals, warranting
further clinical studies.