Garcinia cambogia weight loss claims may be misleading
New weight loss supplement, garcinia cambogia, may not be much more than a fad, as some claim that the supplement lacks results.
Garcinia cambogia, also known as tamarind, is a Southeast Asian grown fruit that is now being sold in a highly concentrated version as a pill. Manufacturers and advocates such as Dr. Oz claim that this supplement can improve weight loss results by decreasing the body’s fat absorption, metabolizing body fat, shrinking belly fat, controlling bad Cholesterol (LDL), and increasing good Cholesterol. It also boasts mood boosting properties and the ability to stop emotional eating.
These benefits are attributed to the hydroxycitric acid (HCA), found in garcinia cambogia that contains an adipose metabolizing enzyme called citrate lyase.
“HCA does do that but in a petri dish,” says Steven Heymsfield, M.D., the former head of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. “Converting that to actual weight loss in humans would take 1,000 steps beyond that.”
Dr. Oz calls it The newest, fastest fat buster, and says its an effortless way to lose weight quickly and effectively. He even claims it’s a way to get slim without any diet or exercise and that it contains a natural appetite suppressant. Sceptics are saying these claims are highly unlikely.
Heymsfield explain that in his 1998 study he found there aren’t any weight-loss benefits, and that upon years of studying similar supplements, he’s found that people will continue to promote know ineffective products such as Garcinia Cambodia.
“[supplement promoters continue] weaving a story with obscure facts. Maybe each fragment has some validity, but if you wind it together it makes no sense at all, he says.”
Heymsfield explains “there is no solid scientific evidence to support many of these health claims and says that many of the issues with garcinia cambogia is that it overlooks the only true weight loss formula of eating healthy foods in proper portions and maintaining an active lifestyle, and offers to fix all of your health problems with a nonexistent miracle pill.”
“Being obese is difficult because only some of it is related to self-control,” Heymsfield says. “And it’s not easy to lose weight in our environment. Just preventing further weight gain is an accomplishment for some people.”
Sources
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/garcinia-probably-works-but-is-far-from-a-weight-loss-miracle/
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/03/garcinia-cambogia-is-no-miracle-weight-loss-pill/index.htm