Guggulsterone, a plant steroid extracted from an endangered tree found in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, has been used by Hindu medical practitioners for thousands of years to treat a variety of issues, including high cholesterol, cardiac issues, and rheumatism.
The medical effects of guggul were supported by research as early as 1966, and numerous studies have found at least some truth to the claims of Ayurvedic practitioners and their traditional therapeutic practices using the resin of the Commiphora Mukul tree,
according to researchers at the University of Rhode Island.
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Still, like many herbal remedies, some medical research has failed to support the claims; in particular, some pre-clinical studies found that
guggulsterone failed to lower cholesterol, while others, such as one cited in the Science Journal in 2002, showed that it did lower LDL cholesterol levels.
Ruitang Deng, Ph.D., a researcher and associate professor at Rhode Island, has examined the impact of guggulsterone; other researchers at the university received almost $2.5 million in 2011 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to study the extract’s mechanisms and impacts on health.
Studies found, among other things, that guggulsterone inhibits nuclear factor-kappaB, a critical factor in inflammatory responses, and that repression is probably part of the explanation for its anti-inflammatory response, Deng’s research abstract said.
Along with the potential ability to lower cholesterol and affect inflammation,
WebMD said extracts from the C. Mukul tree may also reduce some of the redness and inflammation associated with acne. It has been shown to work as well as tetracycline, a prescription treatment
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But WebMD said that studies show it's possibly ineffective for lowering cholesterol in people who eat a Western diet. “Interestingly, guggul does seem to work in Indian populations, who eat a different type of diet,” the site said. “Among this group, guggul seems to lower total cholesterol, ‘bad cholesterol’ (LDL cholesterol), and other blood fats called triglycerides.”
WebMD said there is “insufficient evidence” that guggul can be used to treat arthritis and obesity, although it is often sold as a component of weight-loss herbal supplements.
“Preliminary clinical evidence suggests that taking 500 mg of guggul (containing 3.5% guggulsterones) three times daily might improve arthritis pain,” the site said.
“There is some clinical evidence that guggul in combination with phosphate, hydroxycitric acid, and L-tyrosine plus exercise and a low-calorie diet might result in modest weight loss,” WebMD said. “However, a separate study of a standardized guggul extract generally used for lowering cholesterol found that doses of 3000 or 6000 mg daily for 8 weeks had no effect on body weight.”
WebMD also warned that there can be significant side effects associated with taking guggulsterone, especially for people taking estrogen, birth control pills and other medications. Always check with a doctor before beginning any supplement.
Several patients reporting their experience with guggulsterones on WebMD reported allergic reactions.
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