Pomegranate vinegar beverage reduces visceral fat accumulation in association with AMPK activation in overweight women: A double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial

Recent studies on animals have suggested that vinegar consumption may confer an antiobesity effect through the activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. However, mechanisms of action in humans remain largely unknown. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed to examine whether a pomegranate vinegar (PV) beverage alleviates adiposity in overweight subjects, with emphasis on AMPK activation. Seventy-eight overweight women (BMI ≥ 25) were randomly assigned to receive either PV (1.5 g acetic acid and 700 μg ellagic acid/200 mL/day) or a placebo for 8 weeks. The PV reduced visceral adipose tissue, as measured by computed tomography (P = 0.037), and enhanced AMPK phosphorylation (P = 0.013) compared with the placebo group. The PV tended to suppress downstream gene expression, such as that of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c and acetyl coenzyme carboxylase, in adipose tissue. Together, these data suggest that PV is an excellent AMPK activator and may exert beneficial effects on adiposity.