This article was co-authored by Zora Degrandpre, ND. Dr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Garcinia cambogia (GC) is a tree that grows in Southeast Asia and produces fruit that’s used in many popular health supplements. There are all kinds of health claims about GC on the internet, so you’re probably wondering if it actually works. Unfortunately, most research shows that GC supplements aren’t useful for any particular health issues, though they might have a slight benefit for weight loss and cholesterol. As long as your doctor approves, you can use these supplements to see if they work for you. However, taking garcinia cambogia isn’t a replacement for professional medical treatment, so always visit your doctor if you’re having any specific problems that you want help with.
Steps
Reported GC Benefits
If you browse online, you’ll probably come across all kinds of reported benefits of taking garcinia cambogia. It's only natural that you'd want to try it for yourself with all these reported benefits, but not so fast. Unfortunately, most of these benefits are exaggerated or untrue, and currently doctors don’t recommend GC supplements for any particular ailments.[1] It might have some limited benefits, however, so you can see if it helps for any of the following problems as long as your doctor tells you it’s safe.
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Take GC to support a weight-loss regimen. Many garcinia cambogia products claim to help you lose weight by reducing your appetite and burning fat. If you’re trying to lose weight, then it’s only natural to look for supplements or nutrients that might help. Evidence is mixed, but some studies do show that GC can help you lose weight.[2] It may work if you want to make it a part of your weight-loss routine.
- Keep in mind that most studies showed that GC does not lead to any significant weight loss.[3]
- Even if garcinia cambogia helps you lose weight, it’s not a magic solution. If you start taking GC to lose weight, don’t rely on it completely. Pair it with a healthy diet and exercise for the best chance of success.[4]
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Try GC to lower your cholesterol. High cholesterol is a common problem, so you’re not alone if you’re looking for an effective remedy for this. There's a chance that it could prevent your body from absorbing triglycerides, or "bad" cholesterol. Most studies don’t show that GC can help lower cholesterol, but one did show a reduction in LDL cholesterol when GC was taken with Amorphophallus konjac. You can try these 2 herbs together and see if they help lower your cholesterol level.[5]
- GC isn’t always a reliable way to control cholesterol, and some studies show that it might even increase cholesterol. It’s best to talk to your doctor for the best treatment if you need to lower your cholesterol.
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Don’t rely on GC to lower your blood sugar. While some websites claim that GC can help lower your blood sugar and prevent or control diabetes, there’s unfortunately no reliable evidence for this. GC probably doesn’t help control blood sugar at all, so this isn’t a good choice for you.[6]
- If you do need to lower your blood sugar, better choices include following a healthy diet, reducing the amount of carbohydrates and processed sugars that you eat, and exercising regularly.[7]
Taking GC Correctly
Like all supplements, garcinia cambogia could have side effects and might not be right for everyone. You still have to follow a few safety steps to protect your health while you’re taking the supplement. Most importantly, always check with your doctor first to make sure GC is right for you.
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Ask your doctor if GC is safe for you. Since garcinia cambogia could have serious side effects and interacts with several different drugs, it might not be safe for everyone. Always tell your doctor if you’re thinking of taking it and ask if this is safe for you. They can give you the best suggestions for dosing and whether or not you should use the supplement.[8]
- It’s especially important to check with your doctor if you take medication regularly. Drugs that GC could interact with include insulin and other diabetes medication, statins, iron supplements, antidepressants, asthma medications, and warfarin.[9]
- If your doctor tells you that taking GC isn’t safe for you, then listen to them. This is important to protect your health.
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Do not take GC with antidepressants. GC could boost the amount of serotonin in your body, which is the same action as several antidepressant drugs. In rare cases, this could cause an overdose of serotonin. It’s best to skip GC supplements if you take antidepressants.[10]
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Get a supplement without any added chemicals. Some supplements contain added chemicals that could be harmful. Particularly, one GC supplement was removed from the market because it contained sibutramine, an illegal chemical that can cause heart problems.[11] Always check any supplements you're using to make sure there are no added chemicals. If the full ingredients aren't listed, try contacting the manufacturer to ask.
- Always use caution because the FDA doesn't regulate or inspect dietary supplements.
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Follow the dosing directions for the product you use. Different GC supplements might have different dosages. Always check the directions and follow the directions provided so you don’t take too much.
- Clinical studies use a range of doses for GC, but the upper limit is usually 1,500 mg per day. Don’t take more than this.[12]
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Expect minor side effects like nausea or headaches. Like all supplements, GC can cause side effects. Most of these are minor, and the most common ones are nausea and a headache, but you might also experience minor digestive or respiratory effects.[13] If the side effects seem serious, then stop taking the supplements and contact your doctor.
- In rarer cases, some people get liver damage from taking GC supplements. If you experience severe stomach pain, vomiting, confusion, and jaundice, stop taking the supplements and get medical help right away.[14]
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Take the supplement for 12 weeks or less. GC has only been studied for short-term use, and it’s unclear if long-term use is safe. To avoid complications, only take the supplement for 12 weeks at a time.[15]
- Remember that you might still experience side effects even with short-term use. Watch out for any negative effects and stop taking GC if you experience any.
Medical Takeaways
You might get excited reading about all the health benefits of garcinia cambogia. Unfortunately, most of these benefits aren’t proven, and GC really doesn’t have huge benefits for any particular health problems. If you’d like to try it for yourself, just make sure you check with your doctor first and follow all the necessary safety steps. It’s also best to visit your doctor if you need treatment for particular issues instead of relying on GC supplements.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow many capsules should I take?Zora Degrandpre, NDDr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.
Natural Health DoctorYou should follow the directions on the bottle. The number of capsules you should take every day depends on how much garcinia is in each capsule. The total amount taken each day should be around 1500 mg. So, if each capsule contains 500 mg, you can take 3 capsules a day—take 1500 and divide it by the amount of mg in the capsule to get the number of capsules per day—in this example it would be 1500/500= 3. As another example, if you get a supplement that contains 1000 mg of garcinia, you would divide 1500 by 1000 (1500/1000) and get 1.5. In this case, you should round the number down and take 1 capsule a day to be safer. -
QuestionCan I take 3 tablets at a time, instead one tablet 3 times a day?Zora Degrandpre, NDDr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.
Natural Health DoctorNo—just as you are digesting foods throughout the day and utilizing the energy from those digested foods all day, you should be taking the garcinia throughout the day as recommended—that way the garcinia will be working all throughout the day as well. -
QuestionCan I take garcinia with tamoxifen?Zora Degrandpre, NDDr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.
Natural Health DoctorThere isn’t a lot of research telling us exactly what herbs may interact with prescription medications, unfortunately. Right now, there are currently no known interactions between garcinia cambogia and tamoxifen, but you should always talk to your physician and pharmacist before using any herbs or supplements while on tamoxifen.
References
- ↑ https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/garcinia-cambogia
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3748738/
- ↑ https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/garcinia-cambogia
- ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/03/garcinia-cambogia-is-no-miracle-weight-loss-pill/index.htm
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/garcinia-cambogia.html
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/garcinia-cambogia.html
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-management/art-20047963
- ↑ https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/garcinia-cambogia
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/garcinia-cambogia.html
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4252288/
- ↑ https://www.fda.gov/drugs/medication-health-fraud/public-notification-fruta-planta-life-garcinia-cambogia-premium-contains-hidden-drug-ingredient
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/npp/garcinia-hydroxycitric-acid.html
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/pdf/factsheets/WeightLoss-Consumer.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5143754/
- ↑ https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/garcinia-cambogia
About this article
Before taking garcinia cambogia, make sure to get your doctor's approval since garcinia cambogia is not recommended for people with certain medical conditions. Your doctor may recommend taking the supplement in 500 mg doses three times a day, an hour before each meal. Try to eat a healthy diet of mostly lean meats and leafy greens and avoid processed foods for the best results. Additionally, limit the amount of high-fiber foods you eat while you’re taking the supplement to increase your weight loss, especially around your waist. For tips from our Naturopathy reviewer on how to find high-quality garcinia cambogia supplements, read on!
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