A natural extract from the dried rind of the tamarind fruit, called Garcinia cambogia, to be a “revolutionary fat buster”. He went on to say that this extract may possibly be “the magic ingredient that lets you lose weight without diet or exercise.” This whipped the media and dieters into a frenzy, which they’ve remained in ever since.
Garcinia cambogia has yielded hundreds of success stories from the public, as well as from celebrities like Britney Spears and Kim Kardashian. Does this extract and its active ingredient, hydroxycitric acid (HCA), deserve Dr Oz’s praise? Or is this just another case of “if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is too good to be true”? Let’s take a look at the scientific evidence behind the claims of Dr Oz and Dr Julie Chen, an integrative medical doctor and guest on The Dr Oz Show.
Garcinia cambogia increases weight loss by 2-3 times, compared to what people would lose through diet and exercise alone.
One randomized placebo-controlled study (the gold standard study type) got 60 overweight participants to eat and exercise as usual. During the two-month study, half of them were given Garcinia cambogia and the other half received a placebo pill. The group who took the Garcinia cambogia supplement lost, on average, seven times more body weight than those in the placebo group. Only 3% of the placebo group lost over 3kg, compared to 77% of those given Garcinia cambogia.
In fact, one person who was taking the extract lost a whopping 16kg. Is this study alone in its miraculous findings though? In 2011, a study examined all of the past research on people taking Garcinia extracts or HCA for weight loss. It concluded that although HCA does work in the short term, its effects are modest at best.
Garcinia cambogia is safe
No adverse effects were reported in the two-month-long 2001 study. And other human and animal studies supported Garcinia cambogia’s good safety profile — usually reporting no side effects, or only mild ones like stomach upsets and headaches. That is, until a study published early last year showed toxic liver effects in rats. A review published later that year refuted these damning results though, showing that, ¡f anything, HCA has liver-protective effects.
Another 2013 review concluded that Garcinia, and HCA, is generally safe to be consumed. HCA’s weight-loss benefits appear to be dose-dependent. Dr Oz’s suggested dose of 500-1 000mg errs on the conservative side, as most human studies used daily doses of 1 000-2 800mg. Dr Chen correctly cautions people not to take doses higher than 3 000mg without clearing it with a physician first. Considering that we don’t know enough about Garcinia cambogia’s safety at high doses or over the medium to long term, it’s prudent to only take it at doses below 2800mg for up to three months.
Garcinia cambogia has dual weight-loss action: it inhibits the production of fat in the body, while also melting away fat and retaining Muscle
It’s very possible that Garcinia cambogia does have the dual weight-loss action Dr Oz speaks about. Preliminary
research indicates that HCA may inhibit fat synthesis and accumulation and enhance fat breakdown. Some human studies show that HCA supplementation improved body composition by reducing fat mass and increasing muscle mass.
Also read: Scientific Research and Empirical Evidence of Mangosteen Skin
Garcinia cambogia is good for emotional eaters, as it increases the “feel good” brain chemical Serotonin
Carbohydrate-rich comfort food boosts serotonin levels in the brain. It’s been found that Garcinia cambogia also raises serotonin levels, so supplementing with the extract may reduce your need to eat sweet treats for their mood boosting effects.
Garcinia cambogia suppresses appetite
Animal studies generally agree that HCA can significantly reduce appetite and energy intake. However, only some studies on humans corroborate this effect. It’s possible that the underwhelming human results stem from doses being too low. HCA appears to reduce high insulin levels, which are known to promote fat storage and rebound hunger. It’s also linked to reduced levels of the hunger-suppressing hormone leptin — high levels of which are associated with obesity and resistance to the hormone’s satiating effect. Together with HCA’s serotonin-boosting benefits, it’s no wonder many studies reveal a reduction in appetite.
Garcinia Cambogia has additional health benefits.
It’s true that HCA has added health benefits. Most human studies found that Garcinia cambogia extract has positive effects on blood cholesterol, fat and insulin levels — risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. It may also increase the amount of energy you burn and appears to improve exercise performance.
If you’re going to give Garcinia cambogia a try, it’s important to avoid common pitfalls that may make this supplement ineffective. Make sure the Garcinia cambogia extract you choose contains at least 50% HCA.
The HCA should be bound to mineral salts (like potassium or calcium) for improved bioavailability and activity, instead of being in its unstable free form or less active lactone form. Take the supplement on an empty stomach, 30-60 minutes before you eat, to ensure it has the desired effects. And remember, the effective dosage is 1 000-2 800mg daily.
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