Garcinia Cambogia is also known as Garcinia Gummi-Gutta. It is a tropical fruit native to Indonesia. Its extract is the most common natural weight loss product. In addition, many patients with type II diabetes and high cholesterol also take Garcinia Cambogia health supplements.
What is Garcinia Cambogia?
Garcinia cambogia is the fruit of a small to medium-sized tree species (about 5 cm in diameter) of the Garcinia cambogia family, native to Southeast Asia, India and Africa. Garcinia cambogia fruits are almost the same size as oranges, and the outer surface is very similar to pumpkin, often with several longitudinal grooves, and the taste is sour. Although the fruit is edible, it is usually not eaten raw, and the pulp and peel have long been used in Asian countries as a condiment and food preservative.
The chemical constituents of Garcinia Cambogia extract include xanthones, benzophenones, amino acids and organic acids, the most important of which is hydroxycitric acid, which has the ability to inhibit ATP citrate lyase The inhibition of ATP-citrate lyase can regulate the production of cholesterol and fatty acids, and promote gluconeogenesis and glycogen production.
What are the recommended effects (benefits) of Garcinia Cambogia? (Does it really help with weight loss?)
- Help in weight loss
When people ingest sugars, these sugars are broken down into glucose, carried into the muscles and converted into calories. But if the calorie intake is greater than the consumption, the excess glucose will be converted into fat and stored, which is the cause of obesity.
The main active ingredient of Garcinia cambogia is hydroxycitric acid on the peel, and the main function of hydroxycitric acid is to hinder the synthesis of fat. It can regulate fat metabolism in the human body, and store too many nutrients that are not consumed as heat by the body in the form of glycogen in the muscles and liver. If garcinia cambogia extract HCA is taken before meals, it can prevent the conversion of glucose into fat, and promote its conversion into glycogen, which can be easily used as heat, thus preventing obesity.
- Suppress appetite
Energy intake is largely controlled by an individual’s appetite (appetite), which in turn is influenced by many physiological, psychological, and social factors. Therefore, satiety and hunger can predict an individual’s ability to control weight, and increased appetite becomes an important cause of weight loss failure.
Garcinia cambogia extract can also stimulate the satiety center, making it difficult for the human body to feel an empty stomach, and the appetite will naturally decrease. At the same time, it can also hinder the synthesis of ATP citrate lyase and citrate. It can stabilize the glucose concentration in the blood and effectively suppress hunger.
- Beneficial for blood lipid regulation
Hyperlipidemia can be defined as blood lipid levels above the normal range, and individuals may have abnormal triglycerides (>200 mg/dL), total cholesterol (≥240 mg/dL), and low-density lipoproteins (> 130 mg/dL) and HDL (<40 mg/dL).
In a randomized placebo-controlled trial (60 days in 43 overweight women), garcinia cambogia extract helped reduce triglyceride levels (by 28%).
- Reduce visceral fat accumulation
Visceral fat has unique biochemical properties that affect several pathological processes in the human body. Abnormally high deposition of visceral adipose tissue is called visceral obesity. This body composition phenotype is associated with diseases such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and some malignant tumors. Tumors, including prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers.
A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study (16 weeks in 44 participants aged 20 to 65 years with a visceral fat area >90 cm2) indicated that administration of Garcinia Cambogia extract significantly reduced visceral, subcutaneous and total Fat area.
Does Garcinia Cambogia Have Any Side Effects?
Up to now, the reported side effects or adverse reactions are: nausea, headache, dizziness, dry mouth, diarrhea, gastrointestinal discomfort, headache, rash, cold symptoms, etc.
Safety precautions (9 contraindications for use):
- Do not use in combination with serotonergic drugs, commonly used in antidepressants, analgesics, and antitussives. Garcinia cambogia may increase the concentration of endogenous serotonin. If used together, it may cause serotonin toxicity. Related cases have been reported, and possible symptoms include: headache, spontaneous clonus, sweating, tremor, hyperreflexia, restlessness, altered mental status, diarrhea, physical incoordination, fever, arrhythmia.
Common serotonergic agents include: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): citalopram (citalopram), fluoxetine (fluoxetine), paroxetine (paroxetine), sertraline (sertraline), venlafaxine (venlafaxine) Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (NSRIs): trazodone (trazodone), bupropion (bupropion)
Others are: l-tryptophan (L-tryptophan), linezolid (linezolid), moclobemide (moclobemide), selegiline (propargyl amphetamine), Methylphenidate (methyl meth), mirtazapine (mirtazapine) , Triptans, Dihydroergotamine, fentanyl, tramadol, pethidine, dextromethorphan, imipramine , ondansetron (ondansetron), granisetron (granisetron), buspirone (buspirone), pethidine (guanidine), lithium (lithium). - Pregnant women, lactating women and children should not use it (due to unknown safety).
- Please stop taking 2 weeks before surgery as it may affect blood sugar levels and coagulation function
- Do not use in patients with abnormal liver and kidney function (due to unknown safety
- Diabetic patients or taking hypoglycemic drugs should not use it, it may interact with diabetes drugs. Taking this supplement can actually cause a diabetic’s blood sugar to drop to dangerously low levels.
- There have been several rare cases of acute liver injury caused by the use of Garcinia cambogia-related products. Patients usually develop symptoms of fatigue, nausea, elevated serum aminotransferase levels and jaundice 1 to 4 weeks after starting use, and some cases are more severe. lead to acute liver failure and even liver transplantation
- Rare cases of visual impairment after use have been reported in patients with symptoms of increased myopia and macular swelling
- Rare cases of acute necrotizing eosinophilic myocarditis have been reported following use
- Not to be used in patients with bipolar disorder, as it may worsen symptoms of bipolar disorder (possible symptoms include: irritability, decreased need for sleep, restlessness, arrogance, grandiosity, overspending, stressful speech).
Garcinia cambogia supplements do pose some health concerns, but the fruit itself is safe to eat and has been used in cooking for a long time. Garcinia cambogia has a sour taste and can be eaten raw or pickled. The fleshy peel of Garcinia Cambogia, whether fresh, dried or smoked, is a popular condiment added to curries, or used in many dishes as tamarind, lemon and mango replacement.