Participants completed weekly a medical safety/side effect report that was analyzed by the lab research nurse. Dietary intervention All subjects followed the Curves® exercise and weight loss program (Curves International,

Waco, TX) that is designed to improve fitness and promote weight loss in women [30]. Participants were assigned to follow isoenergetic low fat diets with higher protein (HP) or higher carbohydrate (HC) macronutrient content based on their responses to a carbohydrate Compound C supplier tolerance questionnaire as per diet guidelines. GANT61 cost In both diets, participants were instructed to consume 1,200 kcals/d for 1-week (Phase I) and 1,600 kcals/d for 9-weeks (Phase II) during a 10-week active weight loss period. Participants following the HC diet were instructed to consume a diet containing 55% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 30% fat. Subjects in the HP group were asked to follow a diet containing 7% carbohydrate, 63% protein, and 30% fat during Phase

I of the diet and 15% carbohydrate, 55% protein, and 30% fat during Phase II of the diet. The final 4-weeks of the diet (Phase III) served as a weight maintenance period. Participants were instructed to consume 2,600 kcals d-1 consisting of 55% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 30% fat and to follow their respective Phase I diet (1,200 kcals/d) for 2-days only if they gained 1.35 kg (3 lbs) during the maintenance period. Participants were given diet plans and menus to follow at the start of the study and met with a registered dietitian and/or exercise physiologist Epothilone B (EPO906, Patupilone) at each testing session and every two weeks Selleckchem Sepantronium during the course of the study to discuss diet and exercise compliance. Previous research has demonstrated that this 14-week program promoted a 3-5 kg weight loss while maintaining resting energy expenditure in sedentary obese women [20–23]. Supplementation protocol Participants were randomly assigned to ingest in a double-blind manner caplets containing a commercially available supplement containing GCM (Curves Joint and Connective Support™, Curves International, Waco, TX) or a similarly prepared dextrose containing

placebo (P) for double blind administration. The GCM supplement provided a total of 1,500 mg/d of glucosamine (from d-glucosamine HCL), 1,200 mg/d of chondroitin sulfate (from chondroitin sulfate sodium), 120 mg/d of niacin, 120 mg/d of sodium, 45 mg/d of zinc, 900 mg/d of MSM, 300 mg/d of boswellia serrata extract, 180 mg/d of white willow bark extract, and 15 mg/d of rutin powder. Participants ingested three caplets in the morning and the remaining three caplets in the evening 30-min before a meal for 14-weeks. The supplements were prepared in caplet form and packaged in generic bottles for double blind administration by Nutra Manufacturing (Greenville, SC). The dextrose placebo was prepared with a similar base material and color coated in order to have a similar appearance and aroma as the GCM supplement.