– What was once traditionally used to add sour flavor to meals, garcinia cambogia has become a wildly popular
weight loss supplement. But how effective is it? That's the topic of this video. Garcinia cambogia is a tropical fruit also known as Malabar tamarind. The skin contains a large
amount of hydroxycitric acid, which is the biologically active substance thought to be responsible for its effects. The supplement extract
is taken from the skin after it has been dehydrated. Manufacturers primarily claim it helps by blocking the fat-producing
enzyme citrate lyase. This makes it harder for
the body to produce fat. Theoretically, it may
also reduce food cravings. But does it actually work
when put to the test? Fortunately, garcinia cambogia has been tested many times in humans. The best evidence available
is a review of nine studies that specifically looked at
its effects on weight loss. These were all randomized,
controlled trials, which compared garcinia cambogia against placebo or dummy pills. The graph shows the weight loss results from these nine human studies. The blue bars represent the
garcinia cambogia group. The orange bars represent
the placebo groups. As you can see, some studies
didn't find any difference, but quite a few studies
showed significantly greater weight loss in the
garcinia cambogia groups.
The average weight loss
caused by garcinia cambogia was only two pounds, or 0.88 kilos, greater than the placebo groups. But many of the studies were small. They had a number of
design flaws, and were short in duration, typically
a maximum of 12 weeks. Interestingly, the single largest study, with 135 participants, found no effects of garcinia cambogia supplementation, so both groups, the placebo
and the supplement group, lost the same amount of weight. So if it does really work for weight loss, then the effect is fairly small, unreliable, and only lasts for
a very short period of time. On the positive side, a
2012 review of the safety of garcinia cambogia did not
find any serious side effects.
However, people who take it
are about twice as likely to experience digestive problems. In any case, you should
consult with a doctor before taking it if you
have a medical condition or are taking any medications. Also avoid taking it if you
are pregnant or breastfeeding. The reality is that this
supplement, at best, is going to help you lose
an additional two pounds, or almost one kilo, after 12 weeks, so it's pretty underwhelming
when you consider just how much it's going to cost you
for that period of time. But is it really that surprising? As with most weight loss supplements, it's not going to be particularly
effective on its own. You're still going to have to consistently eat healthy, exercise
more, and sleep better, and do that for the long
term, because short term diets and pills will only give
you short term results.
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