3H Labs’ steamed ginger extract brings weight loss and metabolic health benefits

A new controlled clinical study has found that steamed ginger (Zingiber officinale) extract could help support weight loss. It used 3H Labs’ formulation, Zinoact, which other studies have shown also benefits joints, metabolic wellness, and gastric health.

The researchers from 3H Labs and several Korean universities highlight that Zinoact reduced body fat and total weight while also improving cholesterol levels in participants.

Customers can learn more about the ingredient at the upcoming Vitafoods Europe 2026 event in Barcelona, Spain, where it will be introduced.

Amplifying ginger’s power

Ginger has been used in traditional health and is the most widely used spice globally, notes 3H Labs. Apart from culinary uses, ginger is used for wellness benefits, such as relieving fever, flu, nausea, and digestive discomfort, to easing joint pain and reducing inflammation.

The spice’s chemical profile is also valuable, adds 3H Labs. Its bioactive phenolic compounds include volatile essential oils as well as non-volatile oleoresins, including gingerols, shogaols, paradols, and zingerone. A wealth of studies has shown that these compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

However, the company notes that ginger compounds are unstable and prone to degradation, especially during processing and storage, leading to differences in their variability and efficacy. 

To overcome this challenge, 3H Labs used a controlled steaming process, designed to boost ginger’s benefits, bioavailability, and bioactive potency. Afterwards, it is dried before extraction.

“By applying a special steaming process to ginger prior to extraction, key bioactive compounds — such as 1-dehydro-6-gingerdione — are increased up to 10 times compared to untreated ginger,” comments Jerry Bae, CEO and founder of 3H Labs. 

“This allows the extract to deliver maximized anti-inflammatory and antioxidant efficacy. Our patented steaming process not only can help boost functional efficacy and bioavailability but also improves shelf stability and the flavor profile of the extract.”

Zinoact is sourced via direct collaboration with selected farms for a sustainable supply that is secure and consistent, 3H Labs points out.

3H Labs testing has confirmed its ginger extract content contains at least 0.9 mg/g of thermally stable 1-dehydro-6-gingerdione, which is tied to ginger’s beneficial effects. This concentration is not typically present in raw ginger.

Weight-loss and metabolic benefits

The study in Nutrients was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted at Santosh Hospital, Bangalore, India, that enrolled 80 overweight adults with a high body mass index (BMI).

3H Labs used a controlled steaming process, designed to boost ginger’s benefits, bioavailability, and bioactive potency.Participants consumed a daily 480 mg dose of Zinoact or an identical placebo while maintaining their usual diets and physical activity routines. 

After 12 weeks of Zinoact supplementation, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry revealed that participants had reductions in weight, body fat percentage, and body fat mass compared to the placebo group.

Zinoact-supplementing participants also experienced decreased BMI, waist circumference, and hip circumference.

Additionally, they had significantly lower blood triglycerides and total cholesterol levels compared to the placebo. Since no adverse reactions were reported, 3H Labs suggests Zinoact was well-tolerated.

“It is known that obesity raises the risk of developing other metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, unhealthy fat levels, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease,” explains Ryan Lee, Ph.D., research director of 3H Labs. 

“This study demonstrated the potential of our highly concentrated ginger extract to exert a positive impact not only on weight management but also on metabolic function.”

How Zinoact works

The same positive effects of Zinoact were seen in preclinical assessments on mice fed a high-fat diet.

3H Labs explains the mechanisms of Zinoact in preclinical models, which revealed it activated the specific protein adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). This protein reduces the body’s need to make and store fat.

Zinoact-supplementing participants experienced decreased BMI, waist circumference, and hip circumference.Zinoact also more effectively helps muscle cells absorb and use glucose by increasing the activity of key proteins involved in insulin signaling and glucose transport, 3H Labs explains. This process improves and enables cells to respond to insulin and regulate blood sugar levels.

Joint pain, inflammation, and endurance benefits 

Previous clinical and animal studies on Zinoact reveal it can help mitigate symptoms of osteoarthritis, such as alleviating joint pain and inflammation. 

A human trial of 100 participants with mild knee osteoarthritis showed the ingredient led to an almost five-fold reduction in pain and over 60% reduced stiffness and loss of knee function.

“Ginger extract’s ability to relieve pain in osteoarthritis patients is well documented, yet a generous dose is required to achieve this effect, which can overwhelm the digestive system,” says Bae. 

“Zinoact was developed to provide increased beneficial effects at modest doses while being gentle on the gut.”

Moreover, Zinoact has shown to help boost exercise endurance and pain threshold while reducing exercise endurance and pain threshold by preserving type II collagen and aggrecan (found in cartilage) in the joints.

Previous research identified an energy pathway in cancer cells that can be inhibited by a natural compound found in kencur ginger, offering new insights into cancer metabolism and potential therapeutic targets.