Does Garcinia Cambogia Work?

I received the product mentioned in exchange for an honest review on my blog. The opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Garcinia cambogia, or the Malabar tamarind, is a weight-loss supplement. It's supposed to curb your appetite, block the body's ability to make fat and regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The key in this fruit is the hydroxycitric acid (HCA) found in the rind. Studies show that HCA blocks the body's citrate lyase and increases serotonin levels in the brain, so you feel less hungry. Sounds good, right?

The Truth about Garcinia Cambogia

There are two sides to every story...or health claim. Those in favor of garcinia cambogia, like pathologist Harry Preuss at Georgetown University, state that you have to take a supplement that has at least 50 percent HCA and contains potassium, calcium and magnesium. Summit Nutritions sells a garcinia cambogia supplement with an 85 percent HCA complex and the ingredients that Preuss recommends.

Preuss and his colleagues conducted a study with 30 overweight individuals between the ages of 21 to 50 over an 8-week period. All the subjects walked 30 minutes a day, five days a week, and ate 2,000 per day. Those who took garcinia cambogia lost 400 percent more weight, an average of 12 pounds each, than those who did not take the supplement. Preuss later conducted a similar study and had similar results.

When Columbia University and Victoria University did their own studies, the researchers did not find compelling evidence that garcinia cambogia aids in weight loss, according to Consumer Reports.

A report published in a 2012 issue of Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition states that while there have been some successful human and animal studies, clinical trials have not reported the same outcomes. It also says in regards to human studies, the samples were small and the studies were short-term, so there is no evidence to support the long-term effects of garcinia cambogia.

Warning

WebMD warns readers that garcinia cambogia may counteract with:

• Asthma medications
• Allergy medicines
• Diabetes medication, including insulin
• Pain medication
• Iron supplements
• Anti-depressants
• Statins
• Blood thinners

People with liver or kidney problems should not take garcinia cambogia, as well as those who are pregnant or breast feeding. 

My Results 

Summit Nutritions sent me a bottle of garcinia cambogia and raspberry ketones for review. I've used it for about four weeks and have not experienced any results or side effects.

If you want to lose weight, I recommend that you talk to your doctor before taking garcinia cambogia to learn if it's right for you.

I received the products mentioned in exchange for an unbiased review on my blog. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you click on an Amazon.com link and make a purchase.