Effectiveness There is insufficient evidence to recommend garcinia cambogia for weight loss.4 Drug interaction: There may be unpredictable herb-drug interaction and further research is still needed to determine the safety of taking garcinia cambogia.5 Adverse effects Garcinia cambogia supplementation has been linked with the development of acute liver injury.6
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Toxicity Studies Several research reports indicate that garcinia cambogia and HCA do not have significant toxic effects. There is suggestion that this supplement may have toxic effects towards spermatogenesis.8 Article Summary In an article from Crescioli (et al.) four cases of acute liver failure are presented from women taking garcinia cambogia. This article reports that since herbal supplements such as garcinia cambogia are often taken without medical supervision that there has been increasing cases of acute liver injury and failure. In conclusion, taking this supplement over the counter without any supervision can pose risk of liver damage to individuals.7 Personal Opinion Due to the various studies linking garcinia cambogia to acute liver injury, I would personally not recommend taking this as a dietary supplement for weight loss. Also, with the lack of evidence for effectiveness of garcinia cambogia, I would suggest contacting your primary care provider for their recommendations on the best methods of weight loss for your specific body. ~N Tuchscherer
References: 1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). (2022). Garcinia Cambogia. Retrieved February 25, 2023, from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/garcinia-cambogia 2. Ariyanto E. F, Multom N. O, Berbudi A, Rohmawaty E, Sujatmiko B. Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of Aloe Vera, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, Curcuma Longa, Garcinia Cambogia, and Garcinia Mangostana Extracts in Lowering Body Weight in Obesity: A Literature Review. Biomed Pharmacol J 2021;14(4). 3. Ruchi Badoni Semwal, Deepak Kumar Semwal, Ilze Vermaak, Alvaro Viljoen. A comprehensive scientific overview of Garcinia cambogia, Volume 102, 2015, Pages 134-148, ISSN 0367-326X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2015.02.012. 4. Maunder A, Bessell E, Lauche R, Adams J, Sainsbury A, Fuller NR. Effectiveness of herbal medicines for weight loss: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2020 Jun;22(6):891-903. doi: 10.1111/dom.13973. Epub 2020 Feb 15. PMID: 31984610. 5. Cococcioni, G., & Baldi, A. (2018). The role of the pharmacist in the prevention and management of adverse drug reactions: A literature review and proposal of a new classification system. Internal and Emergency Medicine, 13(3), 315-328. doi: 10.1007/s11739-018-1880-4 6. LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012-. Garcinia Cambogia. [Updated 2019 Feb 13]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK548087/ 7. Crescioli, G., Lombardi, N., Bettiol, A. et al. Acute liver injury following Garcinia cambogia weight-loss supplementation: case series and literature review. Intern Emerg Med 13, 857–872 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-018-1880-4 8. Chuah LO, Yeap SK, Ho WY, Beh BK, Alitheen NB. In vitro and in vivo toxicity of garcinia or hydroxycitric Acid: a review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:197920. doi: 10.1155/2012/197920. Epub 2012 Aug 9. PMID: 22924054; PMCID: PMC3424601.