Is Anyone Taking Ashitaba (AKA Angelica Keiskei) Or Gynura Procumbens?

[Living-by-the-beach]

Hello Everybody

I am curious to know if anyone is taking Ashitaba (AKA Angelica Keiskei) or Gynura Procumbens? I am currently growing both but am only consuming the Gynura at the present. I'd love to hear of other people's experiences..

& thanks in advance for your input

JM

 

[Living-by-the-beach]

That's the funny thing about these plants. Across the USA on Craigslist (& eBay) there are many vendors selling plants. I was hoping that someone here had been taking some teas or some such..

 

[Living-by-the-beach]

I found this study.

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jcam/9/1/9_1_49/_pdf

Quite interesting ??

 

[ButtterflyLady]

I found this study.

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jcam/9/1/9_1_49/_pdf

Quite interesting ??

This study doesn't really tell us much about whether this plant helps with metabolic syndrome or any medical condition.

• It's very small (only 8 people).
• It's not placebo-controlled, so we have no way of knowing whether any effects would have happened if the subjects were taking a sugar pill instead. Placebo control is important because in a study like this the subjects could have changed their eating habits if they believed it would mean the study showed the plant was effective. Their beliefs about the plant may also have affected the result, and without placebo control, this can't be ruled out.
• The finding of the study was that it's "possible" the plant can prevent metabolic syndrome. Well, anything is possible, and the study doesn't really add to our knowledge of the plant. The study doesn't show that the plant prevented metabolic syndrome. It showed that the subjects lost weight, but we don't know if that was because of the plant or something else.
• Another point to note is that the study was not published in a major journal. Major journals have more robust processes for including studies, including peer review.

All these points taken together suggest that this study does not provide strong evidence that this plant prevents metabolic syndrome. The plant might have this effect, but this study doesn't reliably tell us that. More studies are needed.

 

[RuthW]

Yes, it's interesting. They did show that it reduced visceral fat in their subjects. I want some!

 

[Living-by-the-beach]

I found this study (or maybe its the same study)

http://www.jbsl-net.com/english/products/chalsap.pdf

too.. The picture is very impressive but it maybe complete balderdash as some might say.. Anyways I am off to pick up some more of these plants.. Even in the warmth of So. California these are tricky to cultivate and grow..

Nice thing to note though was there were two professors that are mentioned as "Co-authors" of this albeit small randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study