What woman, aged 15 and older (though men, too) does not want to look attractive in the eyes of the opposite sex? It is good if nature originally presented with health and a good, proportionately developed figure. And if not? In such cases, physical education can significantly help, but for this you need to have willpower. Indeed, not everyone can force themselves, beloved ones, to exercise regularly in the gym and not overeat, eating balanced and many times a day, but in small portions.
Fortunately, today there are many drugs and biologically active food additives on sale that help fight excess body fat. The composition of such medicines may include a mass of a variety of substances and elements. Here one of these components is hydroxycitric acid (GLA).
Where is it contained?
Unknown to a European, but long known to the people of Asia, an amazing fruit - Garcinia Cambogia - has been used by the people of Thailand and India for centuries as a very affordable and effective way to lose weight. In addition, residents of South Asian countries used it as a medicine for many diseases. In particular, people have noticed that Garcinia increases vitality and level of satisfaction with life, oneself and the surrounding world.
Garcinia extract improves metabolic processes in the body, resulting in often a decrease in body weight. This effect is promoted by the hydroxycitric acid contained in the fruit.
Mechanism of action
This substance inhibits the conversion of glucose to fat cells. The decrease in body weight with regular daily intake of drugs in which hydroxycitric acid is contained in those or proportions is achieved due to three factors:
1. Slows down the process of fat formation from glucose.
2. The level of glucose in the blood increases, because it is converted to fat cells more slowly than usual. The result is a decrease in appetite (glucose for the human body is a marker of hunger: the less it is, the more hunger you feel and vice versa).
3. The blood sugar level is higher than usual, which is the reason for the increased production of hormones that accelerate the metabolic processes in the body.
In addition, according to the results of some laboratory studies, the effect of hydroxycitric acid has a stimulating effect on the oxidation of fats and the synthesis of L-carnitine (the function of this substance is to transport fatty acids to mitochondria).
Forms of release and dosage
Experts believe that it is worth talking about the effectiveness of the drug if the accepted dose of the drug is from 250 to 500 mg. If garcinia itself is used for weight loss, it must be borne in mind that the hydroxycitric acid in its extract is contained in a volume of 50-60%. That is, the amount will have to be doubled: 500-1000 mg per day - this is the dose for garcinia.
In order to get a tangible effect, drugs or dietary supplements with hydroxycitric acid must be taken for 2-3 months. You need to do this either before eating, or while eating.
The most popular drugs
On the pharmaceutical market today there is a certain list of drugs containing hydroxycitric acid in one or another volume (somewhere more, somewhere less). Of the most popular, one can name “Garcinia Forte” (“Evalar”, RF) and “Citrimax” (“Mason Vitamins Inc.”, USA). The first medication contains 60 mg in each dose, the second - 250 mg of the main component, which is hydroxycitric acid. In the pharmacy, these medicines are offered to consumers in the form of tablets. The Garcinia Forte package contains 80 tablets of 100 mg of garcinia extract; the Citrimax package contains 90 tablets of 500 mg each.
The effective dose of the first drug (production of the Russian Federation) is 4 tablets per day, i.e., the packaging is enough for 20 days. "Citrimax" should be taken three times a day, one tablet (packaging is enough for a month).
Research and Efficiency
The extract from the fruits of garcinia and its peel was widely used in folk medicine (and Ayurveda in particular). It was taken with a wide range of different diseases. An extract was used to treat gastrointestinal problems (as a laxative and to stimulate the activity of digestive processes); Also, this plant was used to combat worms and other parasites, in the treatment of dysentery and benign neoplasms.
The main active ingredient of the extract (hydroxycitric acid), consumer reviews and research by scientists began to be positioned as a discovery in the field of medicines that help fight weight gain. Initially, experiments were conducted on animals (at least seven studies involving more than 100 experimental animals are known). When using hydroxycitric acid, weight was reduced quite effectively in individuals with a high degree of obesity caused by genetic factors or by damage to the hypothalamus. In addition, the result of the research was the conclusion that when taking GLA inside, a decrease in the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol in the liver was observed.
Contraindications
However, it does not go without contraindications for the use of garcinia extract. People with individual intolerance to the main component of the drug and any of its components should not take it. Hydroxycitric acid harm (and quite noticeable!) Will cause patients with diabetes. You can not take drugs with GLA to pregnant women and nursing mothers. Without consulting a doctor, it is unacceptable to use such drugs for people suffering from any abnormalities and disorders of brain activity (in particular, Alzheimer's disease).
With great caution, medications with hydroxycitric acid are taken by patients with coronary artery disease and arterial hypertension.
Side effects
In general, almost nothing is known about the side effects that provoked drugs with a high content of hydroxycitric acid (and even more so with a low). Probably, life-threatening reactions were not observed in the research process and over the years of GKL use by people.
However, drug manufacturers indicate that 250-500 mg is an effective dose of hydroxycitric acid to reduce body weight. But independent studies show a different result. In order for the mass to decrease, a person needs to take 1-1.2 g daily. And at such dosages, GLA is hepatotoxic, that is, it has a negative effect on the liver. So every consumer has something to think about before starting to use such a drug.
The specifics of the reception and nutrition features
To a large extent, the specifics of taking any medicine depends on the form of release. Preparations containing GLA should be taken according to the instructions for use. In addition, it is important when using these funds to drink at least 2.5 liters of fluid during the day.
Moreover, only a balanced menu is a guarantee of the effective functioning of the “appetite suppressing mechanism”, which is supported by such a component of many drugs for weight loss as hydroxycitric acid.
Where is the main supply of glycogen in the human body? Of course, in the liver. A saturation signal is given only when, as they say, “the warehouse is completely full,” that is, the glycogen supply of the liver is maximum. If a person is on a low-carb diet, glycogen stores are inadequate. For this reason, one should not expect any noticeable success from garcinia extracts, limiting itself in carbohydrates. Such preparations with GLA in the composition are ideal for those whose nutrition is balanced and aimed at weight loss.
Or is it still not effective?
Hydroxycitric acid, reviews of the effectiveness of which is very, very controversial on the part of official medicine, is positioned by manufacturers as a substance that impedes the process of glucose uptake by the body. As a result, fat deposits do not accumulate . In fact, the human body will absorb as much glucose as it comes from outside. According to proponents of evidence - based medicine, no substances (including GLA) are able to remove glucose from the body without first breaking it down.
Manufacturers inform consumers that fat burners with hydroxycitric acid will be effective in any diet, but they recommend refraining from eating chocolate, sweets and other goodies. But after all, drugs and dietary supplements that have GLA in their composition are able to remove the craving for sweets, reduce the level of glucose in the blood and remove it (glucose) from the body without splitting. Or is it not so?
Reviews
Actually, it is difficult to find any reviews about such a substance as hydroxycitric acid. Most of the opinions, both positive and negative, are focused on Garcinia Forte and other drugs containing GLA.
A sufficiently large group of consumers was satisfied with drugs and dietary supplements based on hydroxylimonic acid. Despite the fact that not everyone was able to sit on any rigid diets, the results of a positive orientation took place to be. Moreover, as noted by patients, the portions of food consumed became smaller not because they had to tightly control the volume of the portion, but because they wanted to eat much less than before.
The desired effect was achieved in different patients over a different period of time. Someone after 1.5-2 weeks felt a positive trend in weight loss, and someone observed a positive result after 3-4 weeks.
To the question about which products contain hydroxycitric acid, the answer can be very unequivocal: in the fruits of Garcinia cambogia and several other exotic fruits. Some patients took garcinia extract and medications containing GLA, not for weight loss, but to strengthen immunity. And they also felt better health and increased tone.
However, negative reviews about drugs with hydroxycitric acid also have a place to be. In most cases, we are not talking about any serious and fatal consequences. Patients say that they simply did not get the expected effect.
And what is the result?
And the result is this: each person is individual. This means that you can achieve weight loss by eating a balanced diet and not taking any fat burners, or you can go on diets and swallow medications to reduce appetite with handfuls, but you can’t get the desired effect (in this case, losing weight). Therefore, if someone’s medicines with hydroxycitric acid in the composition helped to achieve the desired result, this does not mean at all that these drugs will be 100% effective for all people eager to lose extra pounds. However, they have a right to exist. Moreover, the cost of medicines with GLA varies in a very wide range. These may be vitamin complexes and dietary supplements that are cheap and affordable for a wide range of consumers, or they may be expensive fat burners, which not all consumers can afford.