## 4 Discussion  
In the current study, we have demonstrated that a single daily intake of 300 mg of a botanical blend (under the trademark name Metabolaid(r)) can contribute to help lose body weight through the loss of fat mass, especially in the upper body region, after 90 days, with significant results observed as early as during the first month of treatment. Also, the subjects reported higher levels of satiety, especially post-meal. Lastly, a reduction in cholesterol levels was observed. Overall, the subjects taking the experimental product lost an average of almost 3 kg after 3 months, which was approximately 3.5% of their total body weight. When analyzing body fat mass by DEXA scan, around 2.5 kg of body fat was lost, while no changes in muscle or bone mass were observed. Water content also remained unchanged. Therefore, it can be concluded that the vast majority of the body weight lost was due to fat mass loss. When analyzing localized fat, it was observed that upper body fat mass was the location where the most fat was lost (approximately 10% upper body fat loss compared to baseline values). These results are in absence of diet or exercise. An interesting observation that has been assessed in previous studies is the effect of the ingredient on satiety [15,20]. In the present study, the participants were instructed to consume a set breakfast within 30 min. A validated VAS questionnaire was used,  
Figure 9: Heatmap depicting the correlation analysis of the bio-parameters measured. **(A)** Heatmap of placebo and experimental groups. **(B)** Heatmap regarding body weight of placebo and experimental groups. where the participants answered the same questions before, immediately after and 1 h after the breakfast. The questions were How hungry do you feel?, How full do you feel?, How satisfied do you feel?, and How much could you eat right now? Based on these questions, the most noticeable results were observed in the experimental study group in the questions answered after breakfast, both immediately and 60 min afterwards. The most significant answers in the after breakfast questions were to How full do you feel? and How satisfied do you feel? This suggests that the ingredient has a noticeable effect in managing appetite during and after a meal, with less noticeable effect in fasting conditions (although significant effects were observed after 90 days). These effects were also noticeable 1 h after breakfast. Therefore, the observed weight loss could be due to not only the direct effect of the ingredient on AMPK activation and fat metabolism but also on appetite management. Other less noticeable results were observed in blood markers and blood pressure. Specifically, a slight but significant reduction in cholesterol was observed. Systolic blood pressure was also significantly lowered. However, in these cases, the reduction was very low, and may possibly be due to the decreased body weight loss, and not so much the direct effect of the ingredient. This evidence is similar to the results observed in previous publications [14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19; 20; 21; 22], although in those studies, a 500 mg daily dose was provided. With respect to the previous publications, the major differences reside in the lack of response in blood pressure and glycemic marker levels, and that overall, the results are not as remarkable (up to twice as much body weight loss was observed in previous studies, for example). Despite this, there are numerous advantages for the use of a lower dose. First of all, a 500 mg dose means that the product must be taken in at least two capsules, as opposed to 300 mg, which fits in a single one. Pill fatigue is a matter of concern, with over half of patients not adhering adequately to long-term treatments [29]. This is even more pronounced in the case of dietary supplements and can have deleterious effects in cases where there exists a severe condition that can be accompanied by a nutritional deficit [30; 31; 32; 33].