How Can Garcinia Cambogia Help Your Body?

Garcinia cambogia and its active compounds

Garcinia owes its positive effects to the active compounds it contains. These include xanthones, benzophenones and organic acids, found mainly in its fruit. The most significant active compound is hydroxycitric acid, which has anti-obesity, hypolipidaemic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (Schobert and Biersack 2019; do Esprito Santo et al. 2020). Garcinia cambogia contains a large amount of hydroxycitric acid, a derivative of citric acid that can also be found in other plant species native to southern Asia, such as Garcinia indica and Garcinia atroviridis (Roongpisuthipong et al. 2007). Garcinia cambogia extracts available on the market contain roughly 50–60 % hydroxycitric acid and are prepared from the fruit rind (Mattes and Bormann 2000).

How does Garcinia cambogia work in the body?

Garcinia cambogia is used mainly for its effect on body weight regulation. Its anti-obesity effects are the result of several mechanisms working together: 1) suppressing the biosynthesis – the formation – of fatty acids in the body, 2) suppressing appetite and 3) increasing energy expenditure. These three mechanisms help to reduce body fat formation and body weight (Leonhardt and Langhans 2002; Kovacs and Westerterp-Plantenga 2006).

Fatty acid synthesis is an energy-demanding process in which fatty acids are formed from excess carbohydrates, which ultimately means body fat is stored. In this complex process, citrate has to be broken down into oxaloacetate and acetyl coenzyme A. Hydroxycitric acid inhibits ATP citrate lyase – the enzyme responsible for the synthesis, i.e. the formation, of acetyl coenzyme A, which is involved in lipogenesis, the creation of fat in the body (Watson et al. 1969). Because hydroxycitric acid inhibits the action of ATP citrate lyase, citrate is not cleaved and acetyl coenzyme A is not subsequently synthesised. The result of this process is reduced availability of the carbon released from the carbohydrates you eat – carbon that is needed as the first step in the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol (Berkhout et al. 1990). The consumed carbon source is then redirected towards glycogen synthesis in the liver. As a result of this metabolic shift, the body sends a signal to the brain that leads to an increase in serotonin levels and, at the same time, a decrease in appetite (Asghar et al. 2006; Lopaschuk et al. 2010). The effect of Garcinia, or rather of hydroxycitric acid, on regulating and suppressing appetite therefore occurs through raising serotonin levels in the blood (Toromanyan et al. 2007).

In addition to reducing fat formation (Kovacs and Westerterp-Plantenga, 2006), Garcinia cambogia also increases fatty acid oxidation – the burning of existing fat (Lim et. al 2002; 2003).

The positive effects of Garcinia cambogia on reducing body weight, body mass index and body fat percentage have also been confirmed by studies from recent years (Golzarand et al. 2020).

Summary

Garcinia cambogia is a plant whose hydroxycitric acid content gives it confirmed benefits for body weight regulation. Taking Garcinia cambogia suppresses appetite, increases fat burning in the body and reduces the formation of fatty acids from excess carbohydrate intake.

Even though studies have confirmed that Garcinia cambogia helps regulate body weight, it's worth remembering that taking weight-management supplements is the very last step you should reach for when losing weight. The first and most fundamental step is adjusting your diet so that the nutrients you take in are in an optimal, balanced ratio and, at the same time, your energy intake is lower than your expenditure. The second essential step is increasing energy expenditure through suitable physical activity in order to speed up fat burning. Taking weight-management supplements is therefore an effective add-on designed to support the primary effort described in the first two steps.