Not everyone can take the supplement though with people being warned to be careful
A pharmacist has encouraged people looking to lose weight to consider trying a natural fat burner. Mari Carmen Padilla shared that it can support weight loss by helping people shed a few pounds and recommended a dietary supplement available at pharmacies.
The supplement to look out for is Garcinia. This is an “oriental fruit that has traditionally been used for weight loss”. She added that the fruit’s “effectiveness is due to hydroxycitric acid (HCA).”
According to the pharmacist, the supplement has “two main effects” that support weight loss. Posting on TikTok under the handle @mcarmenpadillaseq, she issued a warning to consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.
She explained that the reason this is necessary is because you need to tailor your diet to your needs and goals. That’s the key to losing weight in a “healthy way,” rather than turning to quick fixes that often produce little to no results- and can sometimes cause more harm than good.
Discussing the supplement that can “help us accelerate this process a little bit,” she explained that she couldn’t name a specific brand because there are so many options available. So, how exactly does it work?
Padilla said it has a “satiating effect, so it eliminates that feeling of hunger.” Not only this, but it “acts on the mechanism of lipogenesis, which is the process of converting sugars into fat.
“Garcinia would prevent this, so we prevent these sugars from transforming into fat deposits. It also helps with constipation because it accelerates intestinal transit.”
Hailing it as a “natural fat burner” she says that whilst “Garcinia is usually considered safe”, there can be some side effects like fatty stools and some gastrointestinal discomfort. Because of this, it’s “very important to consult with your pharmacist before you start taking it, especially if you take some kind of medication or if you have a medical condition.”
Health experts from Holland & Barrett also say that this fruit can help, noting that “more serious side effects have been reported involving liver damage”, urging people to never “take garcinia cambogia if you’ve ever had liver problems.”
The pharmacists concluded by encouraging anyone who believes it might help them to give it a try. However, she emphasises once again that successful weight loss requires consistent effort behind the scenes – and there’s no such thing as a magic pill.
She concluded: “I remind you again that the main tool for weight loss is to follow a diet that is adapted to our needs and objectives, and always prepared by professionals, such as nutritionists, dietitians or doctors.”
How much should I take?
According to Holland & Barrett, “since the 1960’s, garcinia cambogia has been used widely throughout the world as a weight-loss supplement.”
They say that most studies have been based on 900 mg to 3000mg of HCA of garcinia cambogia daily. Because of this, they say that “dosage recommendations on commercially available pills are generally lower, around 300mg – 1600mg daily.”