Diet & Fitness

The results of several clinical trials suggest that gamma oryzanol supplementation can help people with gastritis and other gastrointestinal complaints. In one study, people with chronic gastritis were given 300 mg of gamma oryzanol per day.¹ After two weeks, 23% of people taking gamma oryzanol reported that it was “extremely effective” and 55% rated it as “moderately effective.” Another study produced similar results: People with various types of gastritis received 300 mg of gamma oryzanol per day. After two weeks, more than 62% of those with superficial gastritis, more than 87% of those with atrophic gastritis, and all people with erosive gastritis experienced improvement. These results were confirmed in a large study involving approximately 2,000 people with various gastrointestinal complaints, including several forms of gastritis.² Some of these people required as much as 600 mg per day for symptoms to improve. People with gastritis wishing to take gamma oryzanol for more than six months, or in amounts exceeding 300 mg per day, should first consult with a physician.

Gamma oryzanol is a mixture of sterols and ferulic acid esters. Despite claims that gamma oryzanol or its components increase testosterone levels, stimulate the release of endorphins, and promote the growth of lean muscle tissue, research has provided little support for these claims and has also shown gamma-oryzanol to be poorly absorbed.³ A recent nine-week, double-blind trial of 500 mg per day of gamma-oryzanol in weight lifters found no benefit compared with placebo in strength performance gains or circulating anabolic hormones.⁴ However, a small, double-blind trial using 30 mg per day of ferulic acid for eight weeks in trained weight lifters did find significantly more weight gain (though lean body mass was not measured) and increased strength in one of three measures compared with placebo.⁵