"Guggui - Lowers Cholesterol and Helps With Weight Loss Also"
It Can Lower Cholesterol
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| Its best use is probably for reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.
The active constituents in this herb may lower blood cholesterol levels as much as 24%, and blood triglyceride levels, as much is 23%. It is thought that this is due to its ability to stimulate the thyroid gland. |
In one double blind, placebo-controlled study of its affects on lowering cholesterol levels, 61 individuals were observed for 24 weeks.
After 12 weeks of eating healthy foods, half of the individuals received a placebo while the other half received a dosage of 100 mg of guggulipid a day. At the end of the study, the treated group experienced a 11.7% decrease in total cholesterol, in addition to a 12.7% decrease in their LDL cholesterol levels. Additionally, a 12% decrease in triglycerides was noted; with an 11.1% decrease in total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio. These results were significantly better than those seen in the placebo group. However, there have been other studies that show an increase in LDL levels, so a definitive answer as to its effectiveness, remains to be seen. |
It Can Be Used for Weight Loss
| It may also be useful for weight loss as well. In a clinical trial of 58 obese adults, who were placed on a 1200-1600 calorie diet with a brisk walk for 30 minutes.
In addition, 1/2 half of this group received guggulu at a dose of 1.5-3 g daily for 30 days, while the other half received a placebo. |
At the end of the study, all individuals taking the herb lost weight, while only three in the group not taking the herb lost weight.
There is limited evidence that this is due to its stimulatory effects on the thyroid gland, however further research in this area needs to be done. |
It Helps Reduce Arthritis Pain
It has been used for centuries to treat conditions such as arthritis. The active components of guggui that have anti-arthritic properties are boswellic acids. These acids are effective because they inhibit the inflammatory process, increase the supply of blood and prevent decreased cartilage synthesis. |
Other Uses
Here are some other suggested uses for guggui:
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Recommended Dosage
There is no recommended dosage for guggui in adults. But for elevated cholesterol, a suggested dose of 500-1000 mg of gugguilipid taken 2 to 3 times a day has been used. A higher dosage has been researched, which is 2000 mg taken three times a day, but this dosage may cause skin irritations to occur. |
Side Effects and Contraindications
| Overall, this herb has very few side effects. Typical side effects associated with this herb are abdominal pain, diarrhea, headaches, hiccups, nausea, skin rashes and restlessness.
It should be used with caution by individuals with liver disease. Also, there may be drug interactions associated with taking this herb, so talk to your pharmacist, before starting to take it. Even though research on guggui as a cholesterol-lowering agent is mixed, for those with this problem, it could prove helpful. It is a versatile plant and has been used for thousands of years as part of Ayurvedic medicine for numerous problems with great success. It is also becoming very popular in America, Europe, Japan and many other western nations. It is gaining worldwide popularity due to its superb healing properties, so maybe it could be a useful herb for what ever ails you. Free Filemaker Pro Herbal DatabaseIf you are wanting a way to keep information about all of your favorite herbs, then this free Filemaker Pro database is for you. Included in this database are records for some of the most popular herbs and includes the following information:
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