Melon Juice Extract May Reduce Cellulite in Thighs

Cellulite occurs when fat lobules expand in the skin and change connective tissue fibers into fibrosis. It occurs on 85-98% of all women who are past puberty. A recent study suggests that melon juice concentrate may reduce cellulite on the thighs but not the stomach.

Participants in the study included 41 healthy women between the ages of 31 and 50 with an average Body Mass Index (BMI) of 23-30. They were given either the dry melon juice supplement or a placebo for 56 consecutive days.

The researchers assessed cellulite severity using laser-scanned images. They found that the dry melon juice supplement was associated with an average 9.5% reduction on the thighs by day 28 and an average 11.3% reduction by day 56. Those reductions were observed in 71% of subjects by day 28 and 67% by day 58. However, it was not associated with a significant decrease in fat nodules on the stomach.

Researchers from Bionov in France conducted the study. It was published online ahead of print on September 29, 2015, in Phytothérapie.

Previous studies suggest that losing weight, caffeine, and collagen may also help reduce the appearance of cellulite.