Can You Get a Slim Waist with Garcinia Cambogia?

It’s no secret that most women around the world desire to have a waspish waist. Throughout history, people have associated a slim waist with attractive women. Additionally, research has shown that most men prefer women with a slim waist.

In our bid to get a slim waist, many of us have tried exercise, fad diets, intermittent fasting, and so on. Some women have been victims of scams. Yes, some shady manufacturers have scammed people of hundreds of dollars on products that were not worth what they claimed them to be.

Other reputable manufacturers have produced products that contained ingredients that were suggested to promote belly fat and weight loss. One of such products is the popular weight loss supplement called Garcinia cambogia also known as Garcinia gummi-gutta or Malabar tamarind.

But wait? Can Garcinia cambogia really give you that dream slim waist? To answer this question, let’s look at what research has found so far.

What Studies Tell Us About This Weight Loss Supplement

During the last two decades, researchers have conducted studies to investigate the effectiveness and safety of Garcinia cambogia in causing weight loss. The results have so far been mixed.

Evidence of Weight Loss

Studies that found an association between Garcinia cambogia and weight loss, showed that this supplement only caused modest, inconsistent weight loss.

Study 1: In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, researchers demonstrated that Garcinia cambogia decreased abdominal fat accumulation in obese persons, regardless of their gender. The investigators did not observe rebound effect and concluded that Garcinia cambogia may be useful to prevent and reduce visceral fat accumulation.

Study 2: This meta-analysis found a small, statistically significant difference in weight loss favoring hydroxycitric acid (the active the active ingredient contained in the peel of Garcinia cambogia, which is thought to be responsible for weight loss) over placebo.

Study 3: In this case series, obese women who received extracts of Garcinia cambogia lost more weight than those who received placebo (the difference was statistically significant). The authors concluded that hydroxycitric acid was effective in causing short-term weight loss.

Study 4: This meta-analysis found that a water-soluble, calcium-potassium salt of hydroxycitric acid could decrease body weight and body mass index, suppress appetite, improve blood lipid profiles, and increase fat oxidation more than placebo.

Study 5: In this recent study, investigators found that the administration of Garcinia cambogia and Glucomannan for six months caused weight loss and improved lipid and glucose levels in overweight or obese people.

 

No Evidence of Weight Loss

Contrary to other reports, some researchers did not find any weight loss advantage after the administration of Garcinia cambogia.

Study 6: In this randomized controlled trial, ten weeks of Garcinia cambogia extract did not cause weight loss or promote lower cholesterol levels in persons consuming their usual diet.

Study 7: In this case series, two-week supplementation with hydroxycitrate and hydroxycitrate combined with medium-chain triglycerides did not increase satiety or cause fat oxidation, 24-hour energy expenditure, or weight loss compared to no supplementation in overweight persons. However, this series included only eleven overweight male subjects, suggesting that relevant conclusions cannot be drawn from this study.

Garcinia cambogia Safety

• General weakness
• Skin rashes
• Increased susceptibility to infections
• Headaches
• Mouth dryness
• Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea

Given that the supplement is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, there is no guarantee that the actual quantity of hydroxycitric acid in your supplements will match the content that the manufacturer prints on the label. This underscores why it is important that you buy your supplements from reputable manufacturers such as Yes Wellness, Garcinia Cambogia Plus, or WeightWorld.

Warning

You should inform your doctor if you plan to take Garcinia cambogia, especially if you’re taking any other medication or plan to take another medication. The following medications have been shown to interact with Garcinia cambogia and can cause potentially serious health complications:

• asthma medications
• anti-allergy drugs
• pain medications
• cholesterol-lowering agents
• blood-thining agents such as warfarin
• iron-containing supplements
• diabetic drugs, including insulin
• anti-depressants

Pregnant women and breastfeeding moms should also avoid taking these supplements.

Conclusion

1. Hayamizu K, Ishii Y, Kaneko I, Shen M, Okuhara Y, Shigematsu N, Tomi H, Furuse M, Yoshino G, Shimasaki H. Effects of garcinia cambogia (Hydroxycitric Acid) on visceral fat accumulation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 2003 Sep;64(8):551-67. doi: 10.1016/j.curtheres.2003.08.006.
2. Onakpoya I, Hung SK, Perry R, Wider B, Ernst E. The Use of Garcinia Extract (Hydroxycitric Acid) as a Weight loss Supplement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Clinical Trials. J Obes. 2011;2011:509038. doi:10.1155/2011/509038.
3. Roongpisuthipong C, Kantawan R, Roongpisuthipong W. Reduction of adipose tissue and body weight: effect of water soluble calcium hydroxycitrate in Garcinia atroviridis on the short term treatment of obese women in Thailand. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007;16(1):25-9.
4. Preuss HG, Garis RI, Bramble JD, Bagchi D, Bagchi M, Rao CV, Satyanarayana S. Efficacy of a novel calcium/potassium salt of (-)-hydroxycitric acid in weight control. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. 2005;25(3):133-44.
5. Maia-Landim A, Ramírez JM, Lancho C, Poblador MS, Lancho JL. Long-term effects of Garcinia cambogia/Glucomannan on weight loss in people with obesity, PLIN4, FTO and Trp64Arg polymorphisms. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018 Jan 24;18(1):26. doi: 10.1186/s12906-018-2099-7.
6. Kim JE, Jeon SM, Park KH, Lee WS, Jeong TS, McGregor RA, Choi MS. Does Glycine max leaves or Garcinia Cambogia promote weight-loss or lower plasma cholesterol in overweight individuals: a randomized control trial. Nutr J. 2011 Sep 21;10:94. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-10-94.
7. Kovacs EM, Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Saris WH. The effects of 2-week ingestion of (--)-hydroxycitrate and (--)-hydroxycitrate combined with medium-chain triglycerides on satiety, fat oxidation, energy expenditure and body weight. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Jul;25(7):1087-94.
8. Lunsford KE, Bodzin AS, Reino DC, Wang HL, Busuttil RW. Dangerous dietary supplements: Garcinia cambogia-associated hepatic failure requiring transplantation. World J Gastroenterol. 2016 Dec 7;22(45):10071-10076. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i45.10071.