Garcinia cambogia side effects and health benefits

garcinia cambogia side effects, garcinia cambogia benefits
garcinia cambogia extract, weight loss, dosage and review August 17, 2011

Obesity is a global public health problem, with about 315 million people worldwide
estimated to fall into the WHO-defined obesity categories. Traditional herbal medicines
may have some potential benefits in managing obesity. Botanical dietary supplements
often contain complex mixtures of phytochemicals that have additive or synergistic
interactions.

Garcinia cambogia benefits - antiobesity
The dried fruit rind of Garcinia cambogia, also known as Malabar tamarind, is a unique
source of (-)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which exhibits a distinct sour taste and has been
safely used for centuries in Southeastern Asia to make meals more filling. [3] Garcinia
extract has been used as anti-obesity agent. In cell studies, Garcinia extract has been
shown to inhibit the cytoplasmic lipid accumulation and adipogenic differentiation of
preadipocytes. [2]

HCA is also a popular supplement for weight management. [1]
HCA is a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme ATP citrate lyase, which catalyzes the
conversion of citrate and coenzyme A to oxaloacetate and acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl CoA)
in the cytosol. Acetyl CoA is used in the synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol and
triglycerides, and in the synthesis of acetylcholine in the central nervous system. [4]

Recently, researchers have developed a derivative of HCA, known as HCA-SX or Super
Citrimax to weight management or obesity prevention. They found low-dose oral HCA-SX
altered the body weight and abdominal fat gene expression profile of Sprague-Dawley rats.
[3] Basically, HCA-SX is suggested that it can promote fat oxidation, enhance serotonin
release and availability in the brain cortex, normalize lipid profiles, and lowes serum leptin
levels in obese subjects. or in hematology, clinical chemistry, and histopathology. [4]

Garcinia Cambogia Benefits - Antioxidative Activities
Garcinol and guttiferone K extracted from Garcinia cambogia have some protective effects
against lipid and protein oxidation, based on an in vitro study. [Platelets. 2009
Nov;20(7):487-92.]

Garcinia Cambogia Benefits - on colitis
Garcinia administration to colitic rats significantly improved the macroscopic damage and
caused substantial reductions in increases in MPO activity, COX-2 and iNOS expression.
In addition, garcinia extract treatment was able to reduce PGE(2) and IL-1beta colonic
levels.[Phytother Res. 2009 Mar;23(3):324-9.]

Garcinia Cambogia Side Effects
Garcinia Cambogia did not show serious side effects in certain animal studies. A study of
rats show the treatment of HCA, an extract from Garcinia cambogia, over a period of 90
days results in a reduction in body weight, but did not cause any side effects on hepatic
and testicular lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation, or histopathological changes. [1] In
another study of rats, the administration of HCA-SX (dosages up to 2500 mg/kg/day) for a
period of 90 days caused a significant decrease in body weight and reduction in feed
consumption without any serious side effects. [5]

However, in a study of male Zucker obese rats, high dosages of Garcinia cambogia
extracts caused potent testicular atrophy and toxicity. And so, there is a growing number of
case reports of hepatoxicity from the widely marketed weight-loss supplement Hydroxycut,
which contains the botanical ingredient Garcinia cambogia. [World J Gastroenterol. 2009
Apr 14;15(14):1786-7.] Thus, users must discuss with their medical officers on the potential
benefits and side effects of Garcinia Cambogia before use.

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY. CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED 2011 ZHION.

REFERENCE:
[1] Shara M et al, Dose- and time-dependent effects of a novel (-)-hydroxycitric acid extract on body weight,
hepatic and testicular lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation and histopathological data over a period of 90
days. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003 Dec;254(1-2):339-46. [2] Kim MS et al, Anti-adipogenic effects of Garcinia
extract on the lipid droplet accumulation and the expression of transcription factor. Biofactors.
2004;22(1-4):193-6. [3] Roy S et al, Body weight and abdominal fat gene expression profile in response to a
novel hydroxycitric acid-based dietary supplement. Gene Expr. 2004;11(5-6):251-62. [4] Shara M et al,
Physico-chemical properties of a novel (-)-hydroxycitric acid extract and its effect on body weight, selected
organ weights, hepatic lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation, hematology and clinical chemistry, and
histopathological changes over a period of 90 days. Mol Cell Biochem. 2004 May;260(1-2):171-86. [5] Soni MG
et al, Safety assessment of (-)-hydroxycitric acid and Super CitriMax, a novel calcium/potassium salt. Food
Chem Toxicol. 2004 Sep;42(9):1513-29. [6] Saito M, High dose of Garcinia cambogia is effective in
suppressing fat accumulation in developing male Zucker obese rats, but highly toxic to the testis. Food Chem
Toxicol. 2005 Mar;43(3):411-9.