Everything You Should Know About Garcinia Cambogia. Complete Overview of How Garcinia Cambogia Works
Garcinia cambogia is one of the hottest topics in the weight loss community, applauded for its ability to provide all-natural appetite suppression and weight loss. Those who have tried garcinia cambogia for themselves have even linked the extract to lower cholesterol, increased energy, and better mood stability.
However, before you introduce any new supplement into your health and weight loss routine, it’s important to make sure that you are ingesting something that is both safe and reliable.
In this AdvisoryHQ review, we’ll take a close look at garcinia cambogia extract to help you answer the following questions:
- What is garcinia?
- How should you take garcinia cambogia?
- How does garcinia cambogia work?
- How safe is garcinia cambogia?
- Does garcinia cambogia actually work?
If you’re wondering how garcinia cambogia works—and, more importantly, if it is a reliable weight loss supplement—read on. This review was designed specifically to help you make smart decisions when it comes to your personal health and fitness goals.
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AdvisoryHQ Garcinia Review | What is Garcinia Cambogia & How to Take It
What is Garcinia?
Even if you have heard of garcinia cambogia pills before, you may be wondering: What is garcinia? Garcinia cambogia is a fruit (called tamarind) that grows in Asia and India. It has a shape that is slightly similar to a pumpkin and is traditionally used in the kitchen as a condiment or a flavoring agent.
Although weight loss is one of the most common claimed benefits of garcinia cambogia extract, there are other ways that garcinia cambogia may help with your health. Some users have reported benefits like:
- Appetite suppression
- Fewer cravings for sugary or fatty foods
- Mood stabilization
- More energy and better ability to concentrate
- Better bowel movements
- Improved cholesterol
- Stabilized levels of blood sugar
How does garcinia cambogia really work to provide all of these benefits? The rind of the garcinia cambogia fruit has an active ingredient called HCA, or hydroxycitric acid. This acid has been linked to a wide range of health benefits, most notably weight loss through appetite suppression.
What is Garcinia?
How to Take Garcinia Cambogia?
Garcinia cambogia extract typically comes in the form of a pill, meant to be taken anywhere between one to three times a day. However, because they are a supplement and not a medication, garcinia cambogia pills are not regulated by the FDA.
This means that the percentage of HCA, additional fillers, and directions on how to take garcinia cambogia can vary greatly from one brand to the next. For these reasons, it’s important to ensure that you read the label, research each ingredient, and discuss with your doctor before taking any supplement.
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AdvisoryHQ Garcinia Review | How Does Garcinia Cambogia Work?
The most common ways that garcinia cambogia works is by supporting weight loss, decreasing appetite, lowering cholesterol, and even helping to regulate blood sugar. Below, you can find a quick overview of how garcinia cambogia works based on scientific studies and user feedback.
Weight Loss
Studies have suggested that garcinia cambogia extract may support low levels of weight loss by blocking adenosine triphosphate-citrate-lyase, an enzyme that contributes to the production of fat cells.
However, results from studies centered on weight loss have been mixed. Some users experience a slight decrease in weight, while others experience no change at all. In fact, based on feedback from users, garcinia cambogia has the opposite effect entirely, causing them to gain weight.
Even when garcinia cambogia works to help users lose weight, the difference is not always significant.
For example, in 2011, the Journal of Obesity published a study that reported an average difference of two pounds lost between those who took garcinia cambogia and those who did not. Most researchers agree that more studies are needed to fully explore how garcinia cambogia works—and whether it is reliable—when it comes to weight loss.
Does Garcinia Cambogia Really Work?
Decreased Appetite
Not everyone experiences a decreased appetite, but many users report that garcinia cambogia works for weight loss by helping them feel less hungry, cutting down on overeating or habitual snacking.
How does garcinia cambogia work for decreasing appetite? The HCA in the rind of the garcinia cambogia fruit can help suppress appetite by increasing the production of serotonin. Low levels of serotonin are linked to feelings of depression, whereas high levels of serotonin produce feelings of happiness or calmness.
For some users, stabilized mood levels through improved serotonin production can reduce cravings for unhealthy food, decrease their appetite, and effectively support their weight loss plan.
Decreased Cholesterol
How does garcinia cambogia work to lower cholesterol? Well, some studies suggest that there is a small opportunity for HCA to lower triglycerides and raise HDL (or “good” cholesterol).
If you are looking for ways to use garcinia cambogia to lower your cholesterol, however, it is important to know that garcinia cambogia may not be safe for use for those already on high cholesterol medication.
According to WebMD, garcinia cambogia is not recommended for those on medication, as the supplement doesn’t really work for those who are already being treated.
However, for those who have not yet received treatment or been officially diagnosed with high cholesterol, it is possible for garcinia cambogia to have a small effect on lowering cholesterol as part of a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Stabilized Levels of Blood Sugar
Studies suggest that how garcinia cambogia works to stabilize blood sugar is through improving the way cells convert sugar into energy. This may have an effect on how the body responds to insulin.
However, if you are planning to use garcinia cambogia to manage your blood sugar, it’s important to do so safely and consult with your doctor first. This is especially important when considering that, for some people, garcinia cambogia works by producing the opposite effect, dropping blood sugar levels down too low.
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AdvisoryHQ Garcinia Review | Is Garcinia Cambogia Safe? (Side Effects, Drug Interactions, and Reviews)
Before you add any new supplement to your health and wellness routine, you should always make sure that you know the risks and possible side effects. Is garcinia cambogia safe?
Opinions are divided on whether garcinia cambogia is safe for widespread use. A significant portion of the medical community believes that garcinia cambogia is not safe for daily use. According to Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, DC, CNS, serious side effects that have been reported after long-term use include: liver damage or failure, anxiety, fatigue, dizziness, and digestive problems.
Part of the trouble with the safety of garcinia cambogia is that it is not regulated, and therefore is easy to misuse. Depending on the manufacturer, users could be instructed to take high doses each day for weeks, which decreases the safety of garcinia cambogia.
See the sections below for a quick overview of the side effects and possible drug interactions that could make garcinia cambogia unsafe for you to take.
Is Garcinia Cambogia Safe? | Side Effects
When asking whether garcinia is safe, it’s important to first consider the potential side effects. These include:
- Feeling weak
- Low blood sugar
- Fatigue or brain fog
- Skin rashes
- Lowered immune system
- Dry mouth and bad breath
- Headaches
- Digestive issues like stomach upset or nausea
Depending on your existing physical health, these potential side effects may mean that garcinia is not safe for use. This can be particularly true for those who are taking the supplement over long periods of time, as prolonged use can increase the severity of negative side effects.
Is Garcinia Cambogia Safe? | Potential Drug Interactions
Garcinia cambogia can interact poorly with existing medications or physical conditions, meaning that the supplement may not be safe for everyone. According to WebMD, garcinia cambogia is not safe for those who are:
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Have existing kidney or liver damage
- Taking medications for allergies or asthma
- Taking diabetes medication and insulin
- Using iron supplements (typically those who are anemic)
- Using pain medications
- Taking medications for mental disorders, like depression and anxiety
- On statin drugs to treat high cholesterol
- On blood thinners
How Safe is Garcinia Cambogia?
Is Garcinia Safe? | Reviews from Users
What about actual users who have tried garcinia cambogia? Do they say that garcinia is safe?
For the most part, reviews on garcinia cambogia either report miraculous weight loss and health changes, or no changes at all. A few users have said that taking garcinia cambogia gave them negative side effects like joint inflammation, headaches, chest pain, urinary tract issues, and digestive upset.
By and large, the most common critical reviews from garcinia cambogia users suggest that the supplement doesn’t work at all. Still, there are plenty of highly rated garcinia products for potential shoppers to choose from. Here is a quick overview of customer ratings from some of the top brands available on Amazon:
- NatureWise—Over 14,200 reviews and an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars. In total, 59 percent of garcinia cambogia reviewers gave a full 5-star rating.
- New Life Botanicals—Nearly 500 reviewers and an overall rating of 3.1 stars out of 5. Twenty-nine percent of users gave a full 5-star rating, while 31 percent gave only 1 star.
- Nutratech Garcinia Plus—Approximately 500 reviews and an overall rating of 4.3 stars out of 5. Eighty percent of users gave their experience a full 5-star rating.
- Quality Encapsulations—Over 11,200 reviewers gave an overall rating of 4.1 stars out of 5. Fifty-six percent gave a 5-star rating, while 16 percent gave only a 1-star rating.
While the majority of these reviewers would say that yes, garcinia is safe for use, potential users should consider that there is reason to believe that these reviews are not always accurate.
For example, in the case of Nutratech Garcinia Plus, Fakespot suggests that as much as 20 percent of reviews are fake based on the analysis of patterns and content quality. Additionally, both Nutratech and NatureWise have been shown to offer users free bottles of garcinia cambogia in exchange for positive reviews, casting doubt as to whether their 5-star reviews are truly genuine.
Is Garcinia Safe? | Reviews from Experts
What does the medical community say about the safety of garcinia supplements? By and large, scientific and medical publications are quick to point out that there have simply not been enough unbiased tests to fully determine the safety and efficiency of garcinia cambogia.
For example, an examination on whether garcinia is safe for long-term use, Diet Pills Watchdog concludes that there is not enough scientific proof to back up the claims that garcinia can safely and effectively boost weight loss and suppress appetite, saying:
In fact, supplementing with Garcinia Cambogia can be counterproductive, especially if you do not know how to take it. Therefore, it is better to avoid it and pay more attention to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Remember, you will lose weight when you eat less and exercise more.
Similarly, in an interview with Women’s Health, medical weight-loss expert Sue Decotiis, MD, says:
Most brands of garcinia cambogia extract diet pills, including big names, have failed independent laboratory quality and quantity testing…Also, there have been no large-scale trials comparing garcinia to placeboes or other supplements. There probably will never be any objective data on garcinia.
Without a significant body of scientific research and objective data, it is difficult to confidently say that garcinia cambogia is safe and effective—or that garcinia cambogia really works as advertised. While many users have reported seeing results in appetite suppression and weight loss, there are plenty of others that raise significant questions as to whether garcinia is safe for long-term use—or if it works at all.
Ultimately, determining whether garcinia is safe should be done on an individual, case-by-case basis by gaining a holistic understanding of your current health and partnering with you doctor to ensure that you will not be putting yourself at risk while taking garcinia cambogia.
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AdvisoryHQ Conclusion: Does Garcinia Cambogia Actually Work?
If you’re planning on trying garcinia cambogia for yourself, can you expect to see results? Does garcinia cambogia actually work? Some users have seen great results by adding garcinia into their daily regimen—but the medical and scientific community is largely unified in recommending against it.
The few scientific and medical studies that exist do show a faint correlation between garcinia cambogia, better health, and weight loss—but this has become exaggerated over time by manufacturers, leading users to believe that the supplement is much more effective than it actually is.
Unfortunately, because garcinia cambogia diet pills are not regulated by the FDA, it is much easier for the supplement to be misused and overused, increasing the likelihood of negative side effects. In fact, when taken improperly, side effects like kidney or liver damage can raise significant long-term health risks, earning garcinia cambogia extract diet pills an overall 2-star rating out of 5.
Could garcinia cambogia work for you? When taken under the supervision of your doctor and in appropriate doses, this supplement may work for you—but keep in mind that research surrounding the effectiveness of garcinia cambogia is largely inconclusive. As such, there are no guarantees that this supplement will produce measurable results in your weight loss plan.
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