Garcinia Cambogia: What Is It, Usage, Benefits, And Possible Side Effects

The world of herbs and supplements is never out of new trends and new products that offer a wide range of benefits to its users. One of the products that have the most hype on the internet right now is garcinia cambogia. This supplement is used mostly by athletic people and those who are looking to shed off unwanted weight. But what is it, where did it come from, and how does it work? Is it safe to use, and what are the possible side effects that you should know?

This article will take a closer look at garcinia cambogia and whether you should consider taking it or not.

Where Garcinia Cambogia comes from

Garcinia cambogia, or garcinia gummy-gutta, is a sub-specie of the garcinia genus, a group of flowering plants that are native to Asian countries. As a fruit, its extracts can be found from the brindle berry and Malabar tamarind. Other popular fruits coming from plants from the garcinia family include mangosteen and its many variants.

You can take garcinia in its fruit form, but for a purer and higher dosage of its extract, and for supposed best results, it is recommended that you opt to go for a supplement or a product instead. However, before purchasing one, make sure that you are aware of its uses, benefits, and possible adverse effects, too.

Uses and possible benefits of Garcinia Cambogia

There are several reported benefits of using garcinia cambogia benefits, and your decision to take on one may depend on your personal goals. Here are some of them:

Increased physical performance

It has long been believed that taking supplements with hydroxycitric acid (HCA) can help people who are working out, training, or engaging in extreme physical activity, to have longer endurance than those who do not. Since HCA is one of the main active chemical components of garcinia cambogia, and it is for this reason that it is marketed as a performance booster supplement for women, mainly.

Garcinia cambogia for weight loss

Another one of the most common reasons people buy and take the best and most affordable garcinia supplements is that it is believed to help a lot in weight loss.

How does it work? One of the active ingredients in the rind of the garcinia fruit, hydroxycitric acid, or HCA is also believed to block an enzyme that is mainly responsible for making body fat, which is citrate lyase. Additionally, it is said to help raise the hormone serotonin levels, which give the feeling of fullness. Thus, garcinia is said to help you make feel less hungry for a longer time and as a result, it helps you have an overall decreased caloric intake. However, some people have an adverse bodily reaction where increased serotonin can instead lead to overeating.

Most pieces of evidence for the effectiveness of garcinia for weight loss are empirical rather than clinical. This means while there a good number of people who reported to have had satisfactory results in weight loss after taking garcinia supplements, it was not clear if the results were due solely to the effects of the supplements, or is a combination of diet management and exercise along with it.

Treating joint pain

If you are experiencing joint pains due to over workout or any other causes, garcinia supplements may help alleviate its pain. However, be careful not to take this supplement alongside any pain medications.

Might help with intestinal conditions

The best garcinia supplements are also said to effectively alleviate symptoms of schistosomiasis, and possibly other intestinal diseases caused by parasitic worms. It can also help ease constipation and diarrhea.

Lower blood sugar levels

Certain studies have claimed that garcinia may help lower the blood sugar levels of its user. However, it is known to have adverse reactions with medications for diabetes, which is why your doctor or pharmacist may not recommend thinking about it if you have diabetes pills or insulin shots on your list as well.

Are there any side effects in using garcinia cambogia?

In 2017, The US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to the public, warning them of the possible side effects of using garcinia. However, this is not to outright ban or discourage the public about using the said supplement. Since garcinia cambogia products are considered as herbs and supplements, it can be sold and approved by the FDA without any clinical proof for its effectiveness.

One of the most important things you should remember about possible side effects of taking garcinia is that it has been reported to have caused severe adverse reactions to people with existing liver problems and some who did not have any existing conditions. Whether the reactions were solely due to the intake of garcinia or due to other factors was not determined.

In addition to this, it has been reported that in some cases, garcinia may have a negative interaction when taken along with some diabetes medications, insulin-based products, several types of pain pills, and medications for psychiatric conditions. This is also why people who are taking maintenance for diabetes are discouraged from taking it along with garcinia.

Before you go

Regardless of where you intend to use garcinia cambogia supplements for--be it to improve your athletic performance, or to help you lose some unwanted pounds, or to help ease up some symptoms you are experiencing--know that while there are promising benefits that it can offer you, there are several things you have to consider first as well.

First off, know that there is no definitive clinical evidence to any of these claims, and there are possible side effects that it can cause you, with the possibility of worsening some existing conditions. In cases like this, it is always best to seek guidance from your doctor first for proper professional medical advice.