Garcinia Cambogia – Weight Loss Miracle or Gimmick?
What is Garcinia Cambogia?
Garcinia Cambogia extract has been touted to be beneficial for weight loss. It comes from a fruit native to India, Myanmar, and Indonesia. This fruit, also known as the Malabar tamarind, grows into the shape of a baseball-sized pumpkin, the skin ripening to a yellow or red. It’s been made into tablets, capsules, tea, snack bars, and powder for consumption.
History of Garcinia Cambogia
The rinds of the Malabar tamarind have been used to flavor fish dishes, preserve food, create chutneys or curries, and have been helpful with stomach issues. In the 1960s, scientists discovered it held potential health benefits.
What is Garcinia Cambogia purported to do?
Garcinia Cambogia’s active ingredient, hydroxycitric acid (HCA), is purported to suppress the appetite by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. HCA may also inhibit citrate lyase, which is a key enzyme used by the body to produce fat from carbohydrates. Other claims include a decrease in cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides and an increase in HDL. Supposedly, it decreases belly fat and increases lean muscle mass. I say “supposedly” because, at this time, most of the research has been done on animals. More on that in a bit.
Some people have used Garcinia Cambogia as a dietary supplement for rheumatism or intestinal problems.
What evidence shows that Garcinia Cambogia works for weight loss?
Celebrities have praised Garcinia Cambogia for its health benefits, including its “magical property” to banish fat from the body, but this claim is still under debate. So far, it’s had a positive effect on weight loss and appetite suppression in mice and rats. But in human studies, the evidence was not conclusive. In one study involving 135 participants over a twelve-week period, no weight loss difference was seen between those taking the Garcinia Cambogia and those taking a placebo. In a much smaller study, overweight women who took Garcinia Cambogia for 60 days found their triglyceride levels decreased by almost one-third. However, their HDL, LDL, and weight did not lessen. In yet another study, 86 overweight men and women were randomly assigned to take a natural supplement that either contained Glycine max leaves extract (EGML), Garcinia Cambogia extract (GCE), or a placebo for ten weeks. This study resulted in no change in weight or triglyceride levels for its participants. However, the group that had consumed the EGML had lower total cholesterol compared to those taking the placebo, and their HDL had been raised.
If we look at the animal studies, however, the Garcinia species Atrivirdis showed a decrease in lipid composition levels. In rats, Garcinia Cambodia appeared to suppress fat accumulation, although it was toxic to the rats’ testes. In mice, studies showed that they lost weight, ate less, and produced less fat from sugar. Mice that had a high intake of this supplement interfered with sperm production and produced testicular atrophy.
It’s possible a person’s diet may affect the supplement’s potency. Researchers found that it worked better when people consumed a higher-fat, lower-carbohydrate diet. A high-fiber diet may reduce its effectiveness. Also, the efficacy can vary depending on the brand.
Possible side effects of Garcinia Cambogia
Although consuming the fruit in its natural state seems to have no ill effects, taking Garcinia Cambogia as a supplement may cause headaches, nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, lower blood sugar, upper respiratory problems, skin rash, and digestive issues.
Other more serious side effects have been observed. It’s suspected that HCA created serotonin toxicity for a female when she combined it with a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Some people experienced life-threatening liver problems after taking Hydroxycut, which contained Garcinia Cambogia. It also has the potential to interact with diabetes medication, causing blood sugar levels to drop. People suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia should not take Garcinia Cambogia supplements because it can worsen their condition. It’s not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers because there have not been enough studies conducted on the supplement’s safety for this population. Anyone who has had past liver or kidney damage should not take Garcinia Cambodia.
Conclusion
If I had to make a determination, I would say that Garcinia Cambogia is yet another waste of money for consumers who are looking for a quick-fix to their weight issues. But I would love to hear from people who have had success in taking this supplement.
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