What is Garcinia Cambogia?

You’ve undoubtedly heard of Garcinia Cambogia (also called Garcinia gummi-gutta)!

This distinctive and unusual little tropical fruit is native to India and Southeast Asia and looks like a small pumpkin. Its sour taste makes it popular as a condiment and widely used in traditional recipes and curries in Asian cuisine.

Garcinia cambogia gained popularity as an aid to weight loss, many proclaiming it to be a wonder cure for obesity without exercise. These exaggerated claims probably caused more harm than good, and controversy remains about its health benefit claims. The lack of updated studies on taking Garcinia Cambogia supplements means we have to draw as much information as we can from the scientific community and present it as clearly as possible to let the reader decide.

Perhaps you’ve been thinking of trying a Garcinia cambogia supplement and want to know more about it.

Hopefully, by the end of this, you will have a better grasp of Garcinia Cambogia and understand why it’s one of the most sought-after and popular natural weight-loss supplements available. Its benefits extend far beyond just being a fat-burner! The method by which it assists your body to lose weight is its exceptional quality. 

Before we can understand what makes Garcinia Cambogia so helpful, we need to explore a few of the ways your body chemistry affects your body weight, energy levels, and mood. 

Some of the foods that contain tryptophan include:

• Salmon, also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids

• Poultry such as chicken and turkey
• Eggs and milk
• Leafy dark green veggies like spinach
• Green bananas
• Seeds and nuts
• Soy products including soy milk, soy sauce, and tofu

A few natural ways to increase serotonin levels are exposure to sunlight, getting some exercise, and having massages. These relaxing activities also have the added benefit of reducing lack of motivation and low mood.

Scientists don’t know exactly what causes depression, although it’s widely accepted that an imbalance of hormones and neurotransmitters is mainly responsible. Usually, once a neurotransmitter chemical has performed its specific duty of relaying neural impulses, it is absorbed back into the body. This is why antidepressant medications most often prescribed are SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). The action of these is precisely as their name suggests. They prevent the body from reabsorbing serotonin, leaving a higher concentration available to circulate in the bloodstream and making you feel happier.

Science has understood the link between serotonin in the brain, food intake, and body weight for over 30 years, so let’s start fitting some of these pieces of the puzzle together, as I know you can’t wait for me to get to the part where I show you how Garcinia Cambogia may be a helpful addition to your weight loss diet.

What is the main bioactive compound in a Garcinia Cambogia supplement?

The primary active ingredient in Garcinia Cambogia is called hydroxycitric acid (HCA) and is similar to citric acid, which I’m sure you’ve heard of before. It’s found in the rind of the Garcinia Cambogia fruit, and aside from it being used in traditional medicines, we can now enjoy its health benefits as a dietary supplement.

HCA’s claim to fame is that it might improve athletic performance and aid in weight loss through the prevention of fat storage and as an appetite suppressant.

How It Works

HCA directly contributes to weight loss (particularly reducing abdominal or belly fat) through chemical interactions. It appears to block an enzyme called citrate lyase, which plays an important role in fat production (3).

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial into the effects of Garcinia Cambogia and, specifically, HCA (Hydroxycitric acid) on visceral fat accumulation yielded some interesting results. Two groups, aged between 20 and 65 with an abdominal fat area >90 cm were randomly assigned to receive either Garcinia Cambogia containing 1000 mg of HCA per day or a placebo for 12 weeks. Each subject had to undergo a CT scan of the abdominal area at various stages of the experiment: 2 weeks before starting, the day the trial began, and then at 12 weeks and again at 16 weeks.

They found no significant differences in BMI or body weight at the 12-week scans but interestingly, at the 16-week scan, the group who had taken Garcinia Cambogia daily had significantly reduced visceral, subcutaneous, and total fat compared to the placebo group (3).

Studies have shown that hydroxycitric acid (HCA), the main organic acid component of the fruit rind, reduced food intake and body fat gain by regulating the serotonin levels related to satiety, increased fat oxidation, and decreased de novo lipogenesis (4).

The benefits of increased serotonin levels are improved mood and decreased food cravings.

Health benefits of taking a Garcinia Cambogia supplement

HCA has shown its ability to boost metabolism in various ways that might give you the extra support you need to reach your weight loss goals. Mood-boosting and increased endurance while exercising also contribute to its appeal. Supplementing with Garcinia cambogia has become extremely popular with athletes and bodybuilders for this ability to enhance workout endurance.

Increases fat oxidation

Increasing fat metabolism may be relevant in obtaining better results from exercise, even for those that don’t train like high-performance athletes. Hydroxycitric acid (HCA) increases oxidation, which many athletes call “burning fat.”

Human and animal studies to assess the effects of HCA on energy metabolism showed that fat oxidation was significantly increased by short-term administration of HCA, with increased endurance exercise performance via the attenuation of glycogen consumption caused by the promotion of lipid oxidation during running exercise (5). 

How to choose a supplement worth taking

Trying to make sense of all the different health supplements and product labels on the market and see through all the hype can seem daunting. Look for a company that holds itself accountable and takes pride in the fact that the contents on the label match the contents of your supplement.

Nutririse Garcinia Cambogia is recognized as one of the best fat burners for men and women alike. Their Garcinia Cambogia Pure Extract is professionally formulated by experts and made in the USA. Every batch of Garcinia Cambogia Capsules are made in a cGMP-Certified facility where they undergo strict in-house testing and are then further tested by an independent third party so you can be assured of maximum potency and purity.