Dietary supplements and a wide variety of weight loss formulas contain garcinia extract to inhibit fat production and suppress appetite. Let’s check what is really true and whether scientific research really supports these claims.
What is Hydroxycitric acid (Garcinia cambogia)?
Hydroxycitric acid (HCA) is the active ingredient extracted from the rind of a little pumpkin-like fruit, Garcinia cambogia, from India and Southeast Asia. HCA was first isolated in the late 19th century, and in the 1960s it was discovered to be a potent competitive inhibitor of the enzyme ATP-citrate-lyase. This enzyme converts citrate, a product of carbohydrate breakdown in the Krebs cycle, into acetyl coenzyme A. Acetyl coenzyme A is a substrate for fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis. Because of this biological action of HCA, some scientists theorized that HCA may inhibit fat synthesis.
Food sources
Carcinia cambogia is not an ingredient or component of food in Western cultures. In India, the dried fruit and rinds of the fruit are used in cooking.
What are the supposed benefits of taking Hydroxycitric acid (Garcinia cambogia)?
Media and marketing claims are as follows:
How does (in theory) Garcinia cambogia promote weight loss?
Hydroxycitric acid can inhibit an enzyme in cells, citrate lyase, which is needed for the conversion of carbohydrates into fat. In the cell, carbohydrates are broken down into citrate compounds, which are then converted (by citrate lyase) into another compound, acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl CoA) -the metabolic building block for fat synthesis. By blocking the conversion of citrate into acetyl CoA, hydroxycitric acid can suppress fat synthesis. Acetyl CoA is further converted into malonyl CoA, a compound that may block the actions of carnitine acyltransferase in shuttling fatty acids into the mitochondria to be burned (and cause HCA to promote fat burning).
It is important to note, however, that the citrate lyase enzyme is only significantly active under conditions of carbohydrate overconsumption. If you’re chowing down on low-fat, high-carb foods at every meal, then your glycogen stores will be overflowing and your citrate lyase enzymes are going to be working overtime converting those excess carbs to fat.
Now that you’ve blocked the fat production, you have to do something with those excess carbs. They can’t be stored as glycogen because those stores in the liver and muscle are already full, so it is thought that the body disposes of them by increasing carbohydrate oxidation (burning them). As a result of these fully loaded glycogen stores, some researchers have suggested that a side effect of HCA supplementation may be a suppression of appetite – which would reduce food intake and promote weight loss.
What does scientific research say about Garcinia cambogia?
In conclusion, although some early research has reported beneficial effects on body composition, these trials have been criticized for poor design, and for using the herb in combination with other ingredients. The most recent clinical data shows that HCA has very little effect on weight loss or metabolism.
Dosage information/bioavailability
Garcinia cambogia extract is sold in tablets, and capsules. and powders standardized to approximately 50% HCA. Manufacturers recommend taking from 250 to 1,500 mg HCA per day (500 to 3,000 mg Garcinia cambogia) 30 to 60 minutes before eating. Some suggest that a high-fiber diet may inhibit the absorption of HCA. Excessive levels of calcium (used to stabilize HCA) and low solubility in water are also factors that may reduce the bioavailability of HCA and that exist in some commercial HCA extracts.
Safety & side effects
As with many, if not most dietary supplements, more data is necessary in order to determine Garcinia cambogia’s safety and efficacy.
Replacement supplements
Recommended readings
Conclusion
Producers of garcinia cambogia often cite its potential slimming qualities, as well as the fact that it has fewer side effects than some central nervous system stimulants. While it is true that HCA does not affect the central nervous system, it also does nothing to affect metabolism or weight control. Significant fat loss can only be achieved by lifestyle modifications in diet, behavior, and exercise patterns. Therefore, we’d consider this a second-string supplement, but if you want to try it, take 250 milligrams of HCA three times a day with meals. Because Garcinia cambogia is eaten as a food in India, it has a very good safety profile. Realistically, expect nothing.
