Unless you’ve been vacationing on a deserted island, you’ve heard about Garcinia cambogia extract.
What is it and what do you need to know? Here’s a rundown.
What is Garcinia cambogia?
Garcinia trees are found in Asia, Australia, southern Africa, and Polynesia. One species of garcinia you may have heard of is the purple mangosteen. It is the principal acid in the highly acidic fruits of Garcinia cambogia, however, that has been identified as hydroxycitric acid (HCA). This is the extract that has been shown to aid in weight loss.
How does Garcinia cambogia work?
Garcinia cambogia seems to promote weight reduction and improvement on lipid profile by its major compound, hydroxycitric acid (HCA). HCA blocks ATP-citratelyase, potentially inhibiting lipogenesis, the process by which simple sugars such as glucose are converted to fatty acids.