Garcinia cambogia is a natural weight loss supplement that is making headlines in North America and Europe. Though not a magic bullet by any means, studies show that garcinia cambogia can be effective in helping people lose weight in two basic ways ? first, it blocks the conversion of sugar and refined carbohydrates into fat during metabolism, and second, it may help suppress appetite by raising the brain chemical level of serotonin. Seratonin is a substance that we get by eating certain foods ? turkey is the most famous example, but by no means the only one ? and it also calms you down. This is very significant, because some studies indicate that overweight people overeat because they feel anxious, and the serotonin in food is a way for them to self-soothe in order to calm down. If serotonin can be obtained by taking garcinia cambogia, people who engage in this type of adaptive overeating may well be able to overcome their problem. The active ingredient in garcinia cambogia ? the ingredient that causes these effects ? is known as HCA. It has been tested in a lab situation, and on both human and animal subjects.

Though there are those that swear by it, at this point, there is a bit of confusion over whether garcinia cambogia really does help people lose weight. To date, several studies have been done, but evidence is mixed. Almost ten years ago, one study was done of 60 individuals, and it did seem as though they lost more weight as compared to people who took a placebo. However, subsequent tests didn't yield the same result. One suggestion is that this might be because the people in that test were on a high-fiber diet. That may be true, because the fiber could conceivably have swept the supplement from the body too soon, before it could do its work. Overall, however, most studies do show that there is some weight loss with the use of garcinia cambogia, and that this is accelerated if a low carbohydrate diet is followed. The diet need not be as low in carbs as Atkins, however; the important thing seems to be to avoid excessive sugars and refined carbohydrates. If you do that, then the supplement can take care of any sugars that you do eat, preventing them from being turned into fat.

Garcinia cambogia is a natural substance; it comes from the rind of a fruit that is grown in India and parts of Africa. Apparently, it was a folk remedy in those parts that was discovered by westerners in the past few decades, and refined into a form that can be easily taken as a dietary supplement. Though garcinia cambogia may well make you lose weight, and should be considered particularly if you tend to eat out of a sense of anxiety (that is, if you eating tends to be emotional rather than hunger-based) and if you, furthermore, tend to accumulate weight around your belly. Belly fat, besides being unattractive, is a bad thing from a health standpoint too. It usually indicates that your insulin levels are not adequately dealing with the level of sugar and starch that you are consuming, so these substances are being turned into fat instead. Over time, this means that you may be at higher risk of contracting diabetes, because that disorder is also caused by insufficient in inefficient insulin response. Furthermore, carrying weight around the belly (like diabetes itself) is a risk factor for heart disease. To avoid contracting either of these potentially fatal conditions, try to regulate your intake of sugars and refined starches. Garcinia cambogia can help, too ? it doesn't regulate insulin response, but it can help you avoid accumulating fat in that area by stopping the formation of fat as a result of sugar and starch intake.

Garcinia cambogia is available from a variety or retail or internet sources. There are several brands available, with little difference between them. However, if you have a naturopath or natural pharmacy that you trust, you would do well to ask them about the specific product that they recommend. There are no known side effects of garcinia cambogia, so you can feel free to take it without worrying about any ill effects.