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Limited evidenceWeight management

African Mango (Irvingia)

Seed extract of Irvingia gabonensis, marketed on the back of trials reporting dramatic weight loss. Those trials came almost entirely from one research group and have serious methodological problems.

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What the science says

  • Body weight and waist Limited evidence

    A systematic review and meta-analysis reported reductions in body weight and waist circumference with Irvingia gabonensis extract, but the pooled trials were few, small and largely from a single source. Effect sizes were implausibly large for a plant extract.

  • Quality of the evidence Limited evidence

    An independent systematic review of randomized controlled trials concluded that the trials had methodological weaknesses and that the evidence for Irvingia in overweight and obesity is not convincing. Independent replication is absent.

  • Lipids and metabolic markers Limited evidence

    A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of the IGOB131 extract reported improvements in body weight and metabolic parameters over 10 weeks. It shares authorship and site with the other positive trials, so it does not provide independent confirmation.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseTrials used 150 mg twice daily of the IGOB131 extract before meals, or 1.05 g three times daily of cruder preparations, for 4–10 weeks.
SafetyReported side effects in trials were mild: headache, flatulence, sleep disturbance. Because it is claimed to affect blood glucose and lipids, people on diabetes or lipid medication should monitor. Data in pregnancy and breastfeeding are absent, and product identity and dose vary widely between brands.

How to take it

TimingTaken 30 minutes before meals, which is how every trial dosed it.
With food?Take it before eating, not with the meal.
Worth knowingOnly the IGOB131 extract has trial data behind it, and those trials come from a single research group — check what the label actually contains.

Interactions

With medications

  • diabetes medication

    The extract is claimed to lower blood glucose, which could add to insulin or oral hypoglycaemics. monitor blood glucose and talk to your doctor before combining

With other supplements

  • berberine, chromium and other glucose-lowering supplements

    Potentially additive blood-sugar lowering. monitor rather than stacking blindly

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Does African mango (Irvingia) work for weight loss?

African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) has limited evidence: trials report weight and waist reductions, but they are few, small, largely from one research group, and implausibly large. An independent systematic review concluded the evidence for Irvingia in obesity is not convincing.

How much African mango extract should I take?

Trials used 150 mg of the IGOB131 African mango extract twice daily, 30 minutes before meals, or 1.05 g three times daily of cruder preparations, for 4–10 weeks. Only the IGOB131 extract has trial data, so check what the label contains.

Does African mango have side effects?

African mango trials reported mild side effects: headache, flatulence and sleep disturbance. If you take diabetes or lipid medication, monitor your levels, since Irvingia is claimed to affect blood glucose and lipids.

Scientific references

Related in Weight management

Herbal medicines: what the evidence says (335)