Description
What is Garcinia cambogia?
Garcinia cambogia is a tropical plant from India and South-East Asia.
The skin of the Garcinia cambogia fruit has a chemical in it called hydroxycitric acid (HCA). This chemical is promoted as being able to help you lose weight.
Garcinia cambogia is sold as a dietary supplement. It is available as a powder or pill. It is sold under many different names— garcinia, garcinia cambogia extract, cambogia garcinia, garcinia diet supplement, garcinia gummi-gutta, garcinia complex or brindleberry.
What is Garcinia cambogia used for?
Garcinia cambogia has been advertised as being able to help you lose weight without needing to exercise or go on a diet. The HCA chemical can have different effects on your body, such as suppressing your appetite.
Some studies suggest that Garcinia cambogia helps animals lose weight. However, current research has found that it probably does not help people lose weight. If Garcinia cambogia does help with weight loss, the effect is very small. Garcinia cambogia is not a breakthrough supplement, as some advertisements claim.
Are there any side effects or risks to Garcinia cambogia?
Garcinia cambogia can cause side effects including:
- headaches
- upset stomach including — vomiting, nausea, stomach pains
- tiredness
- liver failure
Doctors don’t fully understand how Garcinia cambogia causes liver failure.
If you are taking Garcinia cambogia, it’s important to remember that it can have negative or unwanted effects. As well as having side effects, it may interact with other medicines you are taking. This can include both prescribed and other complementary medicines or supplements.
Always tell your doctor if you are thinking about taking a new medicine to discuss the risks and benefits. They can then make sure it is safe for you to take.
