Garcinia Cambogia extract is made from the fruit rinds of garcinia cambogia trees, native to Indonesia but also found in South East Asia, India and Africa. The fruit looks similar to small pumpkins, and are yellow/green in colour. These fruits have been used for centuries in recipes for dishes all over South-east Asia, where they are known as excellent fat burners and appetite suppressants. Now the benefits are available to us all thanks to the harvesting and cultivation of this amazing fruit.
The main active ingredient in this top weight loss supplement is hydroxycitric acid, or HCA. Ingesting HCA, originally derived from Citric acid, has been shown to led to significant suppression of fat accumulation.
A Double-Blind Intervention trial was carried out in India to test the effectiveness of HCA, the active ingredient of Garcinia Cambogia. 60 obese individuals took part it the trial, which involved eating 2000 calories a day, and supervised walking. The participants were given either a HCA supplement or a placebo pill, and the results were gathered after 8 weeks. Researchers found a significant difference in the amount of food left after meals, indicating a decrease in appetite in the HCA group. Also, and most importantly, the subjects in the HCA group lost more weight (about 5% of body mass) than those in the placebo group. As a bonus, their Lipid profiles also showed a marked improvement.
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How does Garcinia Cambogia Work?
HCA is the active ingredient in Garcinia Cambogia review, and works by inhibiting the citrate cleavage enzyme in your liver. This means that by taking Garcinia supplements, your Liver is converting the sugar and carbs from your food into energy, as opposed to storing it as fat. The HCA does this by blocking the enzyme citrate lysase in your liver that convert the sugars to fat, which means sugars are converted to glycogen instead, which is an energy source for your muscles.
Garcinia Cambogia, as we mentioned, is not only an excellent fat buster, but also works as a powerful appetite suppressant. This is due to the chemical changes in your blood stream which lead to an increase in serotonin. Serotonin is a known mood enhancer that can help control emotional eating and cravings. This also leads to a decrease in belly fat due to the suppression of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol (ie Stress) have been shown to cause weight gain, especially around the mid-section and tummy.
Participants who took the Garcinia Cambogia supplements were shown to have an increase in lean muscle mass, and a decrease in fat. This of course leads to the body working more effectively to burn fat. Muscle burns about 30-50 calories a day but Fat, by comparison, burns only 3 calories a day.
Which Garcinia Cambogia brand should I buy?
There are so many different companies out there offering weight loss supplements, it is important to know what to look for before you invest your money.
Any supplements you buy must contain a high percentage (around 50%) of the active ingredient, HCA.
There should be no artificial ingredients, additives, preservatives, fillers or binders.
A small amount of Calcium and Potassium to aid absorption.
How often should I take Garcinia Cambogia Supplements?
These natural supplements have shown best results when taken about 30 minutes before meals, on an empty stomach. Some foods, especially carbohydrates can reduce the efficiency and inhibit the HCA from working properly. An empty stomach will ensure that you are getting the best from your supplements. We recommend 300 – 1000mg three times a day.
Is Garcinia Cambogia right for me?
Garcinia Cambogia Supplements have no reported side effects and are a safe, natural choice for healthy adults. We would not recommend these supplements (or any for that matter) to children, pregnant or breast feeding women. Garcinia Cambogia and HCA should also be avoided if you are diabetic, as the HCA can lower blood sugar levels. HCA should not be taken in conjunction with statin, cholesterol, blood pressure or heart medications. Patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia should not take HCA as it may form acetylcholine in the brain which could counteract prescription drugs. If you are in any doubt as to the compatibility of your medication with supplements, please consult your doctor before use.