Garcinia Cambogia Extract – Can HCA Prevent Fat Storage and Curb Your Appetite?

As more and more scientific focus has been cast onto Garcinia cambogia, this interesting fruit has been gaining a lot of media attention in recent years, with Dr. Oz himself going so far as to refer to it as “the Holy Grail of weight loss.”

A basic understanding of how Garcinia cambogia works is that it contains a unique substance known as hydroxycitric acid or HCA which – when concentrated into an extract form – shows some very powerful effects including but not limited to weight loss and appetite suppression.

In our report we’ll be looking at how Garcinia Cambogia works, review its safety, and assess the latest research around this popular supplement.

The Curious Case of Hydroxycitric Acid

As you might have figured out from the name, hydroxycitric acid or HCA is derived from citric acid, which is found in countless fruits, especially citric fruits such as lemons, limes, oranges, and so on.

What makes HCA of particular interest is that it contains an isomer known as (2S,3R)-HCA which is actually capable of inhibiting pancreatic alpha-amylase and intestinal alpha-glucosidase. This has lead researchers to explore the metabolic effects of such mechanisms, subsequently demonstrating a large reduction of fat accumulation in mice[2].

This study lead to less than favorable side effects in the obese mice used; however, the good news is that the extraction methods and our overall understanding of HCA and its mechanism has advanced significantly since this 2005 animal study.

A New Hope for Garcinia Cambogia

Over the last decade or so we have seen an increasing amount of research pointing to the effectiveness and safety of Garcinia cambogia, which makes for some very exciting developments for those of us who are trying to offset weight gain and keep our appetites under control.

As with any supplements that are relatively new to the market, our focus is not solely on efficacy as we want to make sure that you can reap the full benefits of a product that has been proven to be entirely safe.

So as to not leave you guys in suspense, we’re about to see that Garcinia cambogia extract appears perfectly safe for use by the general population[3].

HCA and Appetite Suppression

A 2002 study published in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry by Ohia et al. took an objective look at the efficacy of Garcinia cambogia in the context of appetite suppression, and concluded that, “[Garcinia Cambogia extract] may prove beneficial in controlling appetite, as well as treatment of depression, insomnia, migraine headaches and other serotonin-deficient conditions.” [4]

In this study researchers compared HCA and its effects with SSRI drugs which are administered to patients suffering from a deficiency of serotonin; drugs such as fluoxetine and clomipramine which are known to have potentially unpleasant side effects.

The great thing about the outcome of this study is that the safety was clearly established, with the research group remarking as follows: “No gross toxicological findings were observed under the experimental conditions. Taken together, these in vivo toxicological studies demonstrate that HCA-SX is a safe, natural supplement under the conditions it was tested.”

HCA and Weight Loss

In 2004 a controlled study was published by Preuss et al. in the Journal of Medicine and was tasked with looking at the efficacy of HCA in the context of weight management[5].

A total of 60 subjects were used, and the “[body] weight, BMI, lipid profiles, serum leptin, serotonin and excretion of urinary fat metabolites [of each subject] were determined at 0, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment.”

Amazingly the subjects saw, on average, a body weight reduction of 5.4% and a BMI reduction of 5.2%.

In a sweeping conclusion, the researchers noted the following: “[…] HDL and serotonin levels, and excretion of urinary fat metabolites (a biomarker of fat oxidation) significantly increased. No significant adverse effects were reported. These results demonstrate the safety, bioavailability and efficacy of HCA-SX in weight management.”

How Does HCA Work?

Earlier we discussed that hydroxycitric acid works by means of an isomer which inhibits pancreatic alpha-amylase and intestinal alpha-glucosidase, but what exactly does this mean?

The simplest way to look at it is that Garcinia cambogia essentially helps to prevent the metabolism of fatty acids by the liver, in part by inhibiting the lipid enzymes mentioned above.

This in turn prevent the body from absorbing (and subsequently storing) as much fat, making it significantly easier for us to lose weight and, at the very least, helping to reduce overall fat gain that may result from eating a large amount of food.

Where Can I Find Garcinia Cambogia or HCA?

So far we have established the efficacy and safety of Garcinia cambogia extract in the context of weight loss and appetite suppression, and the even better news is that it is easier to find and more affordable than ever before.

If you want the most effective Garcinia Cambogia supplement look no further than our brand new Garcinia Cambogia Complex: Featuring a massive 1000mg of Garcinia Cambogia per serving, plus some of the most effective fat burners out there for optimal results.

Purchase this powerfully effective and incredibly safe plant extract and begin reaping the weight loss and appetite suppressing benefits today!

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