Call it garcinia cambogia, Malabar tamarind, red mango, brindle berry or garcinia gummi-gutta, the headline for this medicinal plant is the same:
Are the health benefits worth the risks?
Few medicinal plants have been scrutinized so intensely or exist under so many different aliases (we’ll stick with garcinia cambogia). For several years now, the controversy surrounding garcinia cambogia centers around weight loss. Its advocates claim this is a miracle weight loss medicinal plant while its naysayers insist it comes with considerable risks and isn’t really all that impactful at shedding pounds anyway.
Let’s take a closer look:
Garcinia cambogia is a small to medium tropical dicotyledonous tree native to Asia and Africa. Garcinia cambogia fruit is about the size of a tomato and pumpkin-shaped. It can be yellow, green, red or purple.
The dried fruit rind has been used for centuries in Asian countries for culinary purposes as a condiment and flavoring agent. It possesses a distinct sour taste and is used as an alternative to tamarind or lemon in curries and other ethnic food preparations. Fruit rind is also eaten raw at meals as an appetizer in parts of India.
The dried fruit rind of garcinia cambogia combined with salt and other organic acids can lower pH. Consequently, garcinia cambogia has also been used for its bacteriostatic effect of curing fish.
Extracts from garcinia cambogia fruit have been used for hundreds of years in the treatment of ailments in traditional ayurvedic system of medicine. For example, a decoction of fruit rind is given as a purgative in the treatment of quite a few conditions such as intestinal parasites, dysentery, rheumatism, angina, rickets, spleen enlargement, healing of bone fractures and treatment of tumors.
However, in the Western World, garcinia cambogia is best known for promoting weight loss. That’s because the active ingredient in the fruit’s rind, hydroxycitric acid, or HCA, may block an enzyme called citrate lyase, which your body uses to make fat. Theoretically, the fat would instead be burned as calories.
HCA is also believed by many to raise levels of the brain chemical serotonin, which may make you feel less hungry.
The hydroxycitric acid in garcinia cambogia is also believed to lower blood sugar, which could be beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes.
There are few medicinal plants with more concerns than garcinia cambogia. It comes with a LOT of red flags. In fact, in 2009 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a consumer warning cautioning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut (a popular dietary supplement weight loss aid that contained HCA) after reports of jaundice and extreme liver damage in people who used Hydroxycut surfaced. Hydroxycut was removed from the market, reformulated and reappeared in 2010.
However, in all fairness, it should be pointed out that Hydroxycut contains several ingredients, and the FDA never pinpointed HCA as being the cause of the liver damage.
Additionally, side effects of garcinia cambogia may include headache, nausea, dizziness and dry mouth. There are also warnings for diabetics, people with dementia, people taking pain medications or if you’re pregnant or nursing.
Also, there is evidence that garcinia cambogia may interact badly with diabetes medicines (including pills and insulin), pain medicines and prescriptions for psychiatric conditions.
Yet, keep in in mind, that many researchers feel that garcinia cambogia in the recommended dosages is safe for healthy people.
Nonetheless, this is one of those medicinal plant products you most definitely want to discuss with a health professional before taking.
You can generally find garcinia cambogia in tablets, capsules, powders, liquids and tea blends. Whichever form you choose, it’s recommended that you buy from a reputable manufacturer and obtain a form that contains 50 to 60% HCA.
Dosages will likely vary between brands. The important thing is that you always follow the instructions. A common dosage recommendation is to take 550 mg three times a day, 30 to 60 minutes before meals.
Garcinia cambogia is available at health food stores, pharmacies and online.
Research results are all over the board with garcinia cambogia. Animal and human research studies have examined the effects of garcinia cambogia on weight loss and obesity. Animal studies suggest that HCA is associated with weight loss.
However, human research is less definitive. The pooled results from nine studies involving more than 450 overweight or obese adults was published in the December 2010 issue of the Journal of Obesity. The researchers found that people taking an HCA supplement daily for two to three months lost about 2 pounds more than people not taking HCA.
Other studies have been more favorable. A six month study published in 2018 of 214 overweight or obese individuals found that garcinia cambogia does live up to its weight loss reputation by decreasing weight, fat mass, visceral fat, glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol levels together with an increasing basal metabolic rate – all this without having any adverse effect.
Other studies have shown that in addition to weight loss, garcinia cambogia may also help to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes because it can reduce inflammation, improve blood sugar balance and increase insulin sensitivity.
Both animal and human studies have also provided some evidence that garcinia cambogia enhances athletic ability in that it can prevent athletes from feeling exhausted too quickly.
Obesity affects 36.5% of all American adults. Lifestyle modifications like dieting and exercising are effective, but difficult, so people struggling with their weight often try dietary supplements to more quickly and easily lose weight. However, the risks can be high as illustrated by another statistic: Emergency room visits due to supplement intake shows that over 25% of the cases involved a weight loss product.
There is sufficient evidence that garcinia cambogia can help with weight loss – the exact amount of weight loss is debatable.
Before taking the garcinia cambogia plunge, see your doctor and be sure to discuss dosage.
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