Does Garcinia cambogia really help obese people lose weight?

Obesity and overweight are serious problems the world over, but a study in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine may have revealed an unlikely ally in garcinia cambogia, with results indicating that it can help in weight loss.

The study, led by researchers from the University of Cordoba in Spain, looked at the effects of garcinia cambogia and glucomannan on a person’s weight. In particular, they studied how administering the two can help overweight or obese people lose weight. In the clinical trial, researchers recruited 214 people who were all noted to be overweight or obese. They were then provided with 500 mg of garcinia cambogia and glucomannan, which they took twice a day for a period of six months. Researchers also examined the weight, fat mass, visceral fat, basal metabolic rate, lipid profiles, and glucose blood profiles of the participants. These were taken before and after the trial periods for comparison.

Researchers found that supplementing with garcinia cambogia and glucomannan reduced the fat mass, visceral fat, lipid profiles, and sugar blood profiles of the participants, as well as increased their basal metabolic rates. These changes resulted in weight loss among the participants. However, the effect was found to be weak in participants who carry genetic variations such as PLIN4, FTO, Trp64Arg – which researchers suggested future studies to examine these further. Participants also reported no adverse side effects after the tests.

In conclusion, the findings revealed that garcinia cambogia and glucomannan were an effective and safe treatment to help overweight or obese people lose weight by reducing fat mass, visceral fat, lipid profiles, and sugar blood profiles while increasing basal metabolic rate. (Related: Garcinia Cambogia Extract Weight Loss Review Debate.)

More on garcinia cambogia

Garcinia cambogia is a plant native to Indonesia, but it’s also grown in India, Southeast Asia, and West and Central Africa. It’s described to be a small and pumpkin-shaped fruit that is either colored yellow or green. It’s generally not eaten fresh because of its extreme sourness, and it’s used instead to bring a sour flavor in cooking.

Garcinia cambogia supplements are derived from the extracts of the fruit’s peel. Its peel is rich in hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which is an active substance that has been shown to exhibit some weight loss properties. For the most part, the supplements help with weight loss in two ways – by reducing appetite and by blocking fat production and reducing belly fat. Studies in mice have demonstrated that those who received garcinia cambogia supplements were more likely to eat less. Likewise, some studies in humans have shown that the supplement can suppress appetite and induce a feeling of fullness. It suppresses appetite by inhibiting serotonin uptake in the brain.

Furthermore, animal and human studies have shown that garcinia cambogia may decrease high levels of fat in the blood and reduce oxidative stress in the body. Another study has also suggested that it may be particularly effective at reducing the build-up of belly fat in people.

In addition to weight loss, garcinia cambogia provides other health benefits. It aids in the prevention of diabetes, decreases inflammation, improves blood sugar control, and increases insulin sensitivity. It may also benefit the digestive system as it was found to help protect against stomach ulcers and damage to the digestive tract, according to animal studies.

Read more news stories and studies on alternative medicines by going to AlternativeMedicine.news.

Sources include:

Science.news

BMCComplementAlternMed.BiomedCentral.com

Healthline.com