Garcinia Cambogia, HCA, and Serotonin

It would be safe to say that Garcinia Cambogia is one of the most talked about weight loss supplements today. That one famous doctor called it as the holy grail of weight loss supplements did not hurt its popularity either. There is so much talk about it helping people naturally lose weight, but how does it really work? What are the key factors to its supposed ability to aid people in losing weight?

It is extracted from a fruit from which its name is derived. The fruit is common in Southeast Asia countries, where it has long been used in traditional medicine and as a weight loss aid. With the help of research and innovation, however, it has become easily available to those who want to enjoy its benefits.

The very reason why Garcinia Cambogia may work as natural supplement for losing unwanted pounds is that it is high in HCA (hydroxycitric acid). HCA is a compound that is known to prevent the formation of fat by inhibiting the enzyme citrate lyase from transforming stored or unused sugar into fat. For this, the supplement is often touted as a natural fat blocker. So what happens to the unused sugar? Well, it is transformed into glycogen, which can be a source of energy when you want to get some exercise.

Another term that comes into the picture is serotonin. In brief, it is a hormone that has something to do with your mood and appetite. If you have a lot of it, you tend to feel cheerful and satisfied. On the other hand, if you do not have a lot of it, your stress hormone or cortisol levels go up, and you do not want that. When you are stressed or faced with negative emotions, your body tends to ask for a boost in your serotonin levels, and the easiest way to satisfy it is by consuming foods that are high in sugar and carbohydrates. Then there goes unhealthy weight gain. So what does serotonin have to do with the supplement?