Fat Burning
Garcinia cambogia works to target fat burning by regulating
the production of cortisol, a steroid hormone that is released
by the adrenal gland in response to stress. It is also classed as
a glucocorticoid, a hormone that increases blood sugar levels.
Abdominal fat is a long-term side-effect of having high levels
of cortisol. It is therefore thought that regulating and keeping cortisol levels steady should reduce the amount of abdominal fat in the body. Cortisol is also thought to trigger the fat burning process whenever it is secreted in response to stress.
An In Depth look at Garcinia Cambogia
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Carb Blocking
Garcinia cambogia is known to block carbohydrates. It is in fact HCA, a key component of garcinia, which is responsible for blocking carbohydrates, as well as garcinia’s other effects. HCA inhibits the production of citrate lyase, a naturally occurring enzyme that the body needs in order to convert carbohydrates into fats. Not all carbohydrates are converted, however. The carbohydrates that are converted are changed into energy instead of fat; this results in the user putting on less weight because fewer calories are being consumed.
Appetite Suppression
It is the HCA in garcinia cambogia that is directly responsible for suppressing appetite. HCA secrets serotonin, a hormone that plays a key role in brain functions and acts as a neurotransmitter. This hormone is used in a number of diet pills to enhance the user’s mood. Many antidepressant medications also use this particular hormone because low levels of serotonin have been linked with anxiety and depression. One of the reasons why people become overweight is because of depression, so targeting depression and elevating can have a positive effect on a person’s weight; people who are depressed are more likely to eat for comfort, have larger portions and crave sugary foods. Increasing levels of serotonin suppresses the need to eat food because of low moods or stress.
Clinical Studies On Garcinia Cambogia
There have been quite a few clinical studies carried out on garcinia cambogia to determine its effects on weight loss. According to WebMD, the general consensus is that research into these effects is developing, though the evidence for its weight loss claims suggests that weight loss is unlikely when taking it.
On Drugs.com, however, there is more information given on clinical studies, with overviews of several studies provided. Results from these studies are on the whole quite mixed. For example, this study was carried out to determine garcinia cambogia’s potential role as a potential antiobesity agent. For this study 135 overweight individuals were recruited and split into two groups. Both groups stuck to a high-fibre, low-calorie diet for the duration of the study. The first group received 3g garcinia cambogia extract in three different doses half an hour before each main meal, while the second group had a placebo instead. The results from this study showed that the placebo group actually lost more weight and had an overall lower body fat percentage than the garcinia group. However the difference between the average amount of weight lost for each group was deemed statistically insignificant because the gap was so small. It was suggested that the weight loss may have been because of the diet.
While that study’s results were not that promising, the results of this study do show some promise. For this study 89 overweight females were recruited and over the course of 12 weeks one group took garcinia cambogia extract while the other took a placebo. After the study had finished, it was discovered that the group that had been taking garcinia cambogia extract lost on average 1.3kg more than the placebo group. The problem with this study is that it was only overweight females who took part. For a better, more accurate set of results, a more diverse collection of participants should have been recruited.
Most of the studies that have been carried out on garcinia cambogia involve obese or overweight participants. While you would expect diet pills and weight loss supplements to be used mostly by obese and overweight people, there are some people who are not obese or overweight who choose to use weight loss products to lose a bit of weight or to maintain their weight. A good number of studies have been carried out on garcinia cambogia to mixed results, though it would be good to see the participants of these studies be more varied.
Side Effects Associated With Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia cambogia is said to be safe to take orally for a period of no longer than 12 weeks. It is unknown how safe garcinia cambogia is if it is taken regularly for a period of longer than 12 weeks. According to Drugs.com, a review of 15 clinical studies collectively involving over 900 participants has shown that garcinia cambogia can cause adverse reactions, but these are only mild. Some of these side-effects include dizziness, digestive tract discomfort, headaches, dry mouth, diarrhoea and nausea.
