ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Why is Garcinia Cambogia Good For You and How Do You Take It?

Updated on January 28, 2019

What Is Garcinia Cambogia?

Garcinia cambogia is a pumpkin-shaped fruit found between West and Central Africa and across the Southern and Southeastern regions of Asia. It is a traditional ingredient in curries and chutneys and has a reputation for making meals more filling when added to a recipe. For example, in Malaysia the fruit is commonly used in soups to reduce one’s appetite before meals. Due to this evidence this fruit has undergone research for its beneficial weight loss properties.

Today, garcinia cambogia extract has become readily available as an affordable weight-loss supplement. The natural chemicals that make the consumer feel fuller encourage healthier eating habits compared to supplements that simply shed the fat but not the dietary behaviors. Taking this supplement in meals, along with proper exercise and dieting, has helped people lose weight, lose fat, and get into a better shape – a lifestyle that is sustainable given adherence to the regimen.

How Does It Work?

Garcinia cambogia contains a chemical known as hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which researchers claim speeds up the weight loss process by prohibiting fat production while reducing an individual's appetite.

Simply put, HCA blocks fat by preventing the liver from turning carbohydrates and sugars into fat, which helps when consuming carbs in a meal like bread, rice, etc. In addition to blocking and reducing fat, HCA suppresses appetite by increasing serotonin levels.

“Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in your brain that makes you feel good. It’s a target of many antidepressant medications. Having low levels of serotonin may make you feel depressed or anxious; it drives many people into emotional or reactive eating. By increasing serotonin levels, HCA improves mood and suppresses the drive to react to stressful situations with food. As you eat less, your body senses this and it releases stored fat in your fat cells.” -The Dr. Oz Show

As the body releases stored fat in an individual’s body the weight is then shed naturally. And with the added effect of preventing fat from being processed through the liver, HCA assists in maintaining a steady loss of weight over time.

How Is Garcinia Taken?

Garcinia cambogia extract is readily available as a supplement found in health food stores or online. What you want is “Garcinia cambogia” or “GCE”. It is recommended to take 500-1000 mg before each meal and no more than 3000 mg per day to avoid any side effects. Experts say to look for at least 50% HCA, but a more personal study claims that 60% is more effective:

One of the most significant HCA studies was conducted by Georgetown University and, after 8 weeks of observed HCA supplementation, discovered:

  • body weight and BMI decreased by 5.4%,
  • low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides levels were reduced by 12.9% and 6.9%, respectively
  • high-density lipoprotein levels increased by 8.9%
  • serum leptin levels decreased by 38%
  • serotonin levels increased by 44.5%
  • urinary excretion of fat metabolites increased by 32-109%

It’s important to note that results like these are only possible with Garcinia supplements that contain a minimum of 60% HCA.

When taking this supplement, remember this is strictly a weight loss aid. Just taking the garcinia cambogia extract alone will not lead to weight loss. In other words, this is a healthy, natural solution to prohibiting fat production and storage and controlling appetite that will work effectively given a proper diet and exercise routine.

What Brand Is Most Reputable and Where Should I Buy Garcinia Cambogia?

Again, to get real results from the supplement it is recommended to use a brand with at least 60% HCA. Among consumer favorites that contain the specified amount are available from these manufacturers, which are found at Amazon: NatureWise, Premium Nutra Source, Omega Soul TM, and SuppleSense, LLC.

Additional Recommended Sources

I also recommend ProSource for purchasing supplements. They are a well established retailer that I've found to have some of the best prices on the Internet for Garcinia as well as most other supplements.

What About the Side Effects?

The fruit itself has been used as an ingredient in dishes for years and has played its part as a natural filler to make meals more satisfying. Other than a few cases of nausea, digestive tract discomfort, and headaches, the supplement is found to be safe as long as HCA is taken as prescribed. If you are taking diabetic medication, consult with your doctor before using garcinia cambogia as it may lower your blood sugar levels. Individuals taking a statin should not use this either, as it can increase the effects ofrhabdomyolysis or muscle degradation.

Those with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia should not take HCA as it may make the dementia worse. And if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have health issues it is recommended that you consult a physician prior to taking this supplement. In general, as with most vitamins, minerals, or supplements, it is advisable to consult your doctor before consuming any product.

Summary

Garcinia cambogia extract is an option available to individuals in search of an effective weight loss supplement. Although not a primary source of burning fat the HCA chemical found in the extract can reduce body fat, is known to suppress one’s appetite, and encourages positive dietary habits. Coupled with proper exercise and a healthy diet GCE helps promote weight loss and fat reduction.

© 2014 TotalHealth

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)