Q:
I’ve been hearing a lot about garcinia cambogia. It was on Dr. Oz and he made it seem amazing for weight loss. I just wanted to hear what you thought before taking it. Does it really work?
A:
The hot new thing that has been promoted on Dr. Oz is garcinia cambogia for weight loss. Some things on the show I’m skeptical about, often due to lack of research available, but garcinia cambogia is one product that can really be helpful to take.
Garcinia cambogia is also known as Citrimax, and its active ingredient, HCA, has been in numerous studies over the years for its benefits to weight loss. It works in part by inhibiting an enzyme that stores sugars and carbohydrates as fat, blocking the process of fat production.
Instead of being converted into fat, sugar and carbohydrates are converted into glycogen, a fuel that is stored in the liver and muscles that is converted into energy. By raising the body’s levels of glycogen, it can also help with reducing appetite, since it tells the body that its fuel tanks are full. HCA (the active ingredient in garcinia cambogia) can also help to raise the body’s level of serotonin, which helps with boosting mood as well as reducing stress eating.
One study found that people who took garcinia cambogia lost 12 lbs in eight weeks where the placebo group only lost 3 pounds (all participants in the study agreed to walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week).
There is no such thing as a miracle pill for weight loss (unfortunately!), but garcinia cambogia really does seem to be something that can help the battle though. Other studies have found that the active ingredient in garcinia cambogia can help lower both cholesterol and blood pressure.
For the best results for weight loss, it’s recommended to take 500-1000mg of HCA three times a day, 30-60 minutes before a meal. In the studies, higher dosages produced more weight loss.
We particularly recommend NOW Food’s Super Citrimax. It combines the extract of garcinia cambogia with chromium for balancing blood sugar and reducing sugar cravings as well as ginseng for increased energy and iodine for thyroid support.