A look into hydroxycitric acid as weight loss supplement
October 10, 2008
In the recent years there is a lot of public interest in consuming food supplements, which could ensure loss of excess body weight and reduce unwanted fat deposition. Weight loss supplements have become very popular and people are using them without having a very clear understanding of their beneficial or adverse effects. Here, we will have a closer look on one such component viz. hydroxycitric acid, a natural weight loss supplement which has a common presence in number of weight loss formulations.
What is hydroxycitric acid ?
Hydroxycitric acid or HCA is a chemical derivative of citric acid which is a very common household food preservative. It is found in number of plants which grows in tropical climate mainly in Asia and South America. Malabar tamarind tropical fruit Garcinia cambogia is a tropical plant which is rich in HCA. It is also a constituent of numerous nutritional supplements available globally.
Hydroxycitric acid and weight loss
There are lot of weight loss supplements in which hydroxycitric acid is used as an ingredient. It is considered that the HCA affects lipid metabolism and results in reduced conversion of fatty acids into deposit able fats. HCA competitively inhibits ATP citrate lyase, an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol and triglycerides which altogether constitutes depositable fats. Therefore, at considerably higher doses HCA can reduce the accumulation of fats in susceptible body areas like belly, buttocks and thighs, Garcinia cambogia powder or its extract is used in a number of products available over the counter to fight obesity.
Available evidences
There are conflicting reports on the safety and efficacy of HCA in human use. A few reports on hydroxycitric acid show that it is safe for human use and is easily metabolized in the body, while a few other clinical studies reveal that there are some side effects associated with its usage. Acclaimed for its natural occurrence there is a lack of available scientific data validating the effectiveness of hydroxycitric acid in shedding the extra pounds or reducing fat deposition.
Although, there are no major issues of toxicity or adverse effects it would always be better to consult a physician or a nutrition specialist before regular usage of dietary weight loss supplements such as hydroxy citric acid.
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