In October 2012, Dr. Oz gushed about some exciting research he found about a potentially new weight loss supplement, Garcinia Cambogia. Read our garcinia cambogia reviews from editors and readers.
Some may say Dr. Oz has become the poster child for online supplement scammers, spammers, and affiliates. If you find yourself on a website selling a “miracle” supplement with Dr. Oz plastered all over it, you’re probably better off shopping elsewhere. That said, we wanted to take some time to actually review this product, because Dr. Oz showered it with such praise.
Note: Be sure to read our reviews of other Oz-touted products such as 7-Keto, Saffron Extract, or Relora. And don’t miss the other two articles in this series: Comparing Garcinia Cambogia Vendors and Garcinia Cambogia Side Effects
About Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia Cambogia, or “Gambooge,” is a subtropical species of plant native to southeast Asia and Africa. Supplements are created from the fruit’s rind. As this scathing article points out, the supplement has been around for years, and there are studies which indicate that it doesn’t work at all.
This study further concluded: Garcinia cambogia failed to produce significant weight loss and fat mass loss beyond that observed with placebo.
WebMD
Despite the “Holy Grail” status Dr. Oz implied for Garcinia Cambogia, we find other voices, such as WebMD, a little more cautious. Regarding this plant, WebMD writes: Developing research suggests that garcinia might prevent fat storage and control appetite; however, whether these effects occur in humans is unclear. It also lists the supplement as Possibly Ineffective for weight loss.
Taking garcinia fruit rind extract doesn’t seem to decrease weight, fat breakdown, or energy expenditure in overweight people. There is some mixed evidence that garcinia might help people feel full even when eating less, but it’s too early to recommend garcinia for this use.
Side Effects
Garcinia is generally considered safe, but some people have experienced nausea, digestive problems, stomach cramps, and headaches while taking it. There is also some evidence that it may cause liver toxicity. Please see our more extensive article on the possible side effects of garcinia cambogia.
Other Reviews
There are many brands of Garcinia Cambogia available, and you can find many reviews online. If you factor in that almost every product on Amazon now has a certain percentage of fake positive reviews, the percentage of good to bad reviews on there isn’t impressive. Notice that there are as many 1 to 3 star ratings as there are 4 and 5 star ratings.
You may be interested in our article on how to select the right brand of garcinia cambogia extract.
Affiliate Marketers
Whenever Dr. Oz touts a new product, affiliate marketers are quick to advertise – often using his name without permission. Garcinia cambogia is no exception. We recently spotted an ad being advertised with a picture of Dr. Oz along with a before-and-after stock photo. This ad linked to an affiliate website, which had many of the same stock photos and verbiage we saw back in the acai craze of 2009. That affiliate site sent users to yet another garcinia vendor offering the typical “almost out of stock” warning, and pumped their “free bottle” – which was a minuscule free trial leading to an expensive subscription.
If you want to try Garcinia Cambogia, visit your local health or supplement store. You can compare different brands, and you won’t get stuck in a recurring subscription which may prove difficult to cancel. Also keep in mind that every “miracle pill” Dr. Oz has touted has ended up not being so miraculous.
Bottom Line
This supplement will likely prove to be another in a long line of unproven miracle pills, standing among acai berry, raspberry ketone, African mango, green coffee, and so many others. Each of these supplements have been highly advertised within days of being featured on the Dr. Oz show.
Your Turn
Have you tried Garcinia Cambogia? Give us your reviews in the comments below.
Updated November 4, 2014
Originally published January 2013
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