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Hydroxycitric Acid & Diabetes

Aug 8, 2011 | By Dana George

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition in which the body is unable to metabolize glucose --- or blood sugar --- properly. Diet and exercise are known to help prevent this condition, but some people turn to alternative methods to reduce their risk. One option is hydroxycitric acid. However, this extract from the rind of the Garcinia cambogia doesn't directly prevent diabetes. Instead, it only appears to benefit those risk factors known to contribute to this condition. Talk to your doctor before using this or any other dietary supplement to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes.

Weight Loss

Excess weight is the primary risk factor of type 2 diabetes. As you gain fatty tissue, your cells become more and more resistant to the effects of insulin, the hormone responsible for moving glucose from the bloodstream into your cells. If you're able to reduce fatty tissue, the likelihood of high blood sugar decreases, thereby reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. While diet and exercise can help, a study published in the May 2004 "Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism" found that hydroxycitric acid could better reduce body weight then diet and exercise alone. Those participants given 4,667 mg of hydroxycitric acid experienced a decrease in body weight of 5 to 6 percent in just eight weeks of use, whereas the control group saw only a marginal improvement. This suggests hydroxycitric acid may have a therapeutic benefit in preventing type 2 diabetes by encouraging weight loss.

Fat Distribution

Besides being overweight or obese, fat distribution also plays a significant role in the development of type 2 diabetes. If you tend to carry excess weight around your middle, you're far more likely to develop this form of diabetes than others. Reducing belly fat can therefore minimize the risk. A study published in the September/October 2003 "Current Therapeutic Research" found that hydroxycitric acid could help reduce abdominal fat without changes in diet and exercise. Those participants given 1,000 mg of hydroxycitric acid per day experienced a decrease in visceral --- or abdominal --- fat at 12 weeks, yet no marked change in body weight or body mass index, suggesting that this supplement altered fat distribution. If this holds true, hydroxycitric acid may be of benefit in reducing another of the risk factors often associated with type 2 diabetes.

Blood Glucose

Hydroxycitric acid also appears to have some impact on glucose levels. According to Peter Y. Wielinga, co-author of a study from the "American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology," hydroxycitric acid delayed post-meal glucose levels, thereby reducing the peaks in blood sugar commonly seen after eating. Without the peak in blood sugar, the need for insulin to move glucose into the cells decreases. Further studies are necessary, as results were only seen in rats. Human test subjects are needed to determine if the effects are the same.

Recommendation

Although hydroxycitric acid shows some promise in reducing some of the risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes, this dietary supplement shouldn't be used as the sole approach in the prevention and management of this condition. Medical professionals can recommend the best diet and exercise programs to not only reduce body weight and body fat but also the risk of diabetes. Herbal supplements are rarely a substitute for conventional medicine, especially when it comes to this condition. Talk to your doctor before taking this herbal supplement to treat diabetes.

References

Article reviewed by Eric Broder Last updated on: Aug 8, 2011

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