Supplementation of psyllium husk and selected herb mixture improves cardiovascular disease risk factors in female adults

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effects of the psyllium husk and selected herbs mixture supplementation consisting of Garcinia cambogia, Quercus infectoria, Pueraria mirifica, Piper betle, Labisia pumila, astaxanthin, marine collagen, ginger, and honey on health indicators among the female adults. A total of 24 female subjects were included in this randomized controlled study. The dosage of the supplement was 25 g/day for the supplement group (n = 12), while no supplement was given to the control group (n = 12) for 1 month. There was a significant decrease in body mass index (BMI) and total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in the supplement group as compared to the control group (p < 0.05). A significant increase in aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase was observed in the supplement group (p < 0.05); however, the increases were within the normal range. In conclusion, 25 g/day of psyllium husk and selected herb mixture supplementation were able to demonstrate a beneficial effect on BMI in female adults. However, there was an undesirable effect on liver function tests, indicating potential liver toxicity after long-term consumption. Further studies should be carried out to verify this effect.