Garcinia Cambogia made its grand entrance into the weight loss supplement field after Dr. Oz showered it with accolades in late 2012. We initially sought reviews on the product in January 2013, and the response has been mixed. Here we take a closer look at some of the known and rumored side effects of garcinia cambogia.
This article is a supplement to our first article on garcinia cambogia from January 2013. Be sure to also read our recap of the first year of Garcinia Cambogia in the spotlight with our article entitled Garcinia Cambogia Craze: Product Survives One Year of Scams, Complaints, and Bad Reviews.
The first list below contains some of the more commonly-known side effects of garcinia cambogia. These are the more serious – and likely – of the possible side effects.
Possible Side Effects
According to WebMD, possible side effects include:
- Digestive tract discomfort
- Headache
- Nausea
Livestrong provides a more extensive list of possible side effects, which include:
- Allergic reaction (skin rash, hives, chest tightness, wheezing, swelling)
- Diarrhea
- Lower Blood sugar levels
- Headaches
- Intestinal pain
- Nausea
- Testicular shrinkage (extremely high doses, according to one study)
- Vomiting
Healthline points out that that garcinia is “well tolerated for up to 12 weeks in available human trials.” It also lists possible side effects and warnings:
- Lower blood sugar levels
- Rhabdomyolysis, a
- To be avoided by those with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and those with a history of sensitivity to garcinia.
A study published in the Journal of Medical Toxicology in April 2014 investigates the possibility of serotonin toxicity.
Additional (Anecdotal) Side Effects
The following list of side effects is based on anecdotal reports. There may be some overlap with the list above, and some of these side effects may decrease over time or with a smaller dosage:
- Cramps
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Gas
- Increased hunger
- Restlessness
- Sleeplessness
Keep in mind that if you take more than the suggested dosage, the risk of unwanted effects will increase.
Bottom Line
You may or may not experience any of the side effects listed above if you take garcinia cambogia. If you have any pre-existing health conditions (especially diabetes), you should check with your doctor before using it. The most common negative comment we’ve heard about garcinia cambogia is simply that it “does nothing” at all.
Have you experienced any side effects not listed above? Let us hear from you in the comments below.
Please see our first post on garcinia cambogia which includes dozens of user comments.
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