Can Guggul Help You Lose Weight?

Obesity and being overweight is much more than just a cosmetic problem. Those extra pounds increase the risk of a number of serious diseases (e.g., cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis). Approaching epidemic numbers throughout the world, obesity is unfortunately a difficult and complex condition, and research has intensified for herbal and pharmaceutical treatment options.⁶⁵

Similar to western medicine, Ayurveda recognizes that there are many contributing factors that cause obesity, including emotional and mental distress. Although the tendency to gain too much weight is more common in people with kapha doshas, pitta and vata types can also become obese. Guggul is thought to have a calming effect on the mind that can help alleviate overeating due to nerves, especially helpful in vata or vata-kapha types suffering from obesity.²⁵

Results from an animal study using rats fed a weight-inducing diet of fats indicate that the herbal weight loss product Lipovedic® may help in the battle of the bulge. The study rats given Lipovedic® showed significant decreases in the elevated levels of body fat and cholesterol caused by the diet, as well as increased body temperature and activity. The herbal formula contains guggulsterones from guggul, and the researchers suggest that its thyroid-stimulating and cholesterol-metabolism activities may explain some of the fat loss effects of Lipovedic®.⁶⁵