Garcinia cambogia is the umpteenth food supplement to hit the market under the miraculous fat burning label, promising to be a way to lose weight without spending your life suffering with dieting and exercising. But to what extent is it true? In this article we reveal if garcinia cambogia is really useful for weight loss or if it is a fraud.
What is garcinia cambogia?
Garcinia cambogia extract is derived from a tropical fruit that grows in India and Southeast Asia. The active substance it contains has been identified as hydroxycitric acid (HCA). In principle, this acid blocks the absorption of fat and generates a feeling of satiety that prevents us from continuing to eat. This is achieved, in theory, by increasing serotonin and inhibiting citrate lyase. Serotonin would take care of the satiating effect, and citrate lyase (a key enzyme the body needs to transform fat into carbohydrates) to block fat absorption.
It therefore seems that garcinia cambogia not only helps you lose weight , but also improves your overall health. According to its distributors, it reduces abdominal fat, controls the anxiety that causes the dreaded “binges” and changes the body’s composition by increasing muscle mass. It also lowers “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides by 10-30% and increases “good” cholesterol (HDL).
Garcinia cambogia contraindications
According to the experts’ recommendations, it is not advisable to take garcinia cambogia in pregnant or breastfeeding women. It is also not recommended for those who suffer from Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia, as it can make it worse. Diabetics should take it under medical supervision as it can cause hypoglycemia. It should also be used with caution in those taking cholesterol medications, as it can increase the risk of side effects such as rhabdomyolysis or muscle necrosis.
Does garcinia cambogia work?
According to the indications of the brands that market it, the mechanism of garcinia cambogia is simple. The recommended dose is 500-1000 mg in the form of potassium salt, since it is believed to be more effective than the rest of the presentations. Consumers are advised that the pills they buy contain at least 60% garcinia cambogia extract, as less than that does not produce the same effects. To do this, just take a pill half an hour before meals, and with that “you will triple your weight loss” thanks to its satiating and fat burning effect.
However, the available scientific data on garcinia cambogia states the opposite . The National Institute of Medicine and Health of the national library of the United States published a systematic review of all the studies and clinical trials carried out on the subject. The results of this report concluded that while garcinia may cause some weight loss in the short term, the magnitude of this loss is statistically insignificant when only rigorously conducted clinical trials are considered. The clinical relevance of the rest of the studies is questionable since they were carried out in animals (guinea pigs and rats). These trials showed a certain tendency to lose fat, but the few studies conducted in humans did not provide conclusive results .
There are no magic supplements: losing weight takes effort
Therefore, from a scientific point of view, garcinia cambogia is not the “miracle” that it claims to be . It has not been clinically proven that its use in humans is effective to lose weight quickly and without effort. It has also not been found to be harmful. Taking it can have a positive placebo effect helping those who take it to feel motivated and satiated. But, if one thing is clear, it is that the only way to lose weight with guarantees is to eat healthy and exercise regularly.
