Tue, Sep-18-01, 17:42
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Forum Founder
Posts: 37,417
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Plan: LC, GF
Stats: 241/190/140
BF:
Progress: 50%
Location: Eastern ON, Canada
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Guggul
I've known that Guggul has been used for a long time in India for treating high cholesterol; I'd never heard of it being used as a weight loss aid. And personally, I disregard anything that touts itself as "stimulating the thyroid, therefore promotes weight loss" (like kelp, iodine, etc .. )
I did a check at TNP.com (The Natural Pharmacist -- great site by the way) and found this
Quote:
What Is Guggul Used for Today?
In the early 1960s, Indian researchers discovered an ancient Sanskrit medical text that appears to clearly describe the symptoms and treatment of high cholesterol. One of the main recommendations was guggul. Subsequent tests in animals found that guggul gum both lowered cholesterol levels and also separately protected against the development of hardening of the arteries.
Several research trials followed this discovery, culminating in pilot studies examining guggul's effectiveness in humans. Although the evidence that it works remains preliminary, the Indian government was sufficiently impressed to approve guggul as a treatment for high cholesterol.
A small controlled trial (blinding not stated) compared oral gugulipid (50 mg of guggulsterones twice daily) against tetracycline for the treatment of acne, and reported equivalent results. Also, a study in mice found potential antidiabetic effects.
Guggul is also widely promoted as a weight-loss agent that supposedly enhances thyroid function. However, in a pilot study, no effect on thyroid hormone was seen.
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Overall, it does appear to be free of side effects. I'm now interested in its effects on acne. Gee, wouldn't THAT be great!
Doreen
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