Herbs & Botanicals · Herbs · Fruit rind sold for weight loss, with low-certainty benefit and serious safety reports

Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) N.Robson (also written Garcinia cambogia (Gaertn.) Desr.) · also called Malabar tamarind, brindle berry, garcinia, HCA (hydroxycitric acid, the compound studied)

Garcinia cambogia is a tropical fruit tree of India and Southeast Asia. Supplements use extract from the dried fruit rind, sold for weight loss because it holds hydroxycitric acid (HCA). Pooled trials find at most a small weight difference, and liver injury, mania and other serious reactions have been reported, so safety comes first.

General information, not medical advice. Last substantive update October 25, 2026 · Not medically reviewed. A named clinician has not signed off on this page. How this page is made

About Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia cambogia (Garcinia gummi-gutta) is a tropical fruit whose dried rind holds hydroxycitric acid (HCA). It is sold as a weight-loss supplement, but pooled trials show at most a small, short-term difference, while liver injury, mania and other serious reactions have been reported. Regulators in several countries have warned about it.

What it is

Garcinia cambogia is the fruit of a tree in the mangosteen family (Clusiaceae). GBIF lists the accepted name as Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) N.Robson, with Garcinia cambogia as a synonym; it is also called Malabar tamarind. NCCIH says it grows in India and Southeast Asia.

Supplements use extract from the dried rind. The rind holds 10-30% hydroxycitric acid (HCA) according to a 2004 review. Do not confuse it with kokum or mangosteen, which are different Garcinia species.

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What makes it distinctive

HCA blocks an enzyme called ATP-citrate lyase that helps the body turn sugar into fat. This is shown in lab and animal work, which is why the extract was tried for weight loss. It does not mean that people lose weight.

Lab work also suggests the whole extract can affect the liver enzyme CYP2B6, unlike pure HCA, so the effects of the whole extract may not come only from HCA.

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Historical and current uses

The dried rind was used for centuries in Southeast Asia as a food preservative, flavouring and digestive aid, and the fruit was brewed as a tea for inflammation and stomach complaints. These are traditional uses, not proof of benefit.

Today it is sold for weight loss and appetite control. In France, medicines containing Garcinia cambogia have been prohibited since 2012.

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What the research shows

The largest older trial (135 people, 12 weeks) found no benefit over placebo. Pooled reviews give small and inconsistent results: about 0.9 kg more weight loss in one, about 1.3 kg in another, and no effect in a third review of herbal weight-loss products. Reviewers describe the clinical importance as uncertain.

For cholesterol, a pooling of 14 short trials found small improvements in triglycerides and HDL with big differences between trials. For blood sugar, a pooling of nine trials found no overall effect. One 8-week trial of a branded extract reported larger effects but looks industry-linked.

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At a glance

Traditional uses history, not proof

The dried rind was used for centuries in Southeast Asia as a food preservative, flavouring and digestive aid
The fruit was brewed as a tea for inflammation and stomach complaints (NCCIH)
Weight loss is a modern use, not a traditional one

Studied for research

Body weight: low certainty (pooled reviews find at most about 1 kg more loss; one review found no effect)
BMI, waist and body fat: low certainty (small changes in one 2020 pooling)
Cholesterol and triglycerides: very low certainty (short, uneven trials)
Blood sugar and insulin: low certainty of no overall effect

Main compounds

Hydroxycitric acid (HCA, garcinia acid), 10-30% of the dried rind
Garcinol and related benzophenones (little human data)
Branded calcium and potassium HCA salt (HCA-SX, Super CitriMax)

Common forms

Capsules and tablets of rind extract standardised to HCA
Branded salt extracts, including HCA-SX
Weight-loss blends, often with green tea extract (most registry liver cases involved these)
Traditional rind as a food ingredient or tea is not the same as supplements

Research links: NCCIH: Garcinia cambogia · ANSES: do not consume Garcinia cambogia supplements (2025) · Review of Garcinia liver injury reports (Pharmaceutical Biology, 2025) · Lipids meta-analysis (Phytotherapy Research, 2024) · Research Library · Genes & Biomarkers Library

The plant and its history

Accepted scientific name: Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) N.Robson
Naming authority: GBIF accepted name (usageKey 7330311, exact match, confidence 97). The authority '(L.) Roxb.' used by some sources appears in GBIF as a synonym, Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) Roxb.
Synonyms: Garcinia cambogia (Gaertn.) Desr.; Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) Roxb.; Garcinia gutta Roxb.; Garcinia affinis Wight & Arn.; Cambogia gummi-gutta L.; Mangostana cambogia Gaertn.
Common names: Malabar tamarind (English); Brindle berry (English); Garcinia cambogia (English)
Botanical family: Clusiaceae (also written Guttiferae), the mangosteen family.
Classification: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Malpighiales > Clusiaceae > Garcinia > Garcinia gummi-gutta
Native range: NCCIH says the tree is native to India and Southeast Asia.
Habitat: Not verified from a primary source read.
What the plant looks like: Roots: Not verified from a primary source read.; Stems: Not verified from a primary source read.; Leaves: Not verified from a primary source read.; Flowers: Not verified from a primary source read.; Fruit: The fruit rind (the part used) holds the hydroxycitric acid: 10-30% of the dried rind according to a 2004 review (Soni).
Cultivation: Not verified from a primary source read.
Harvest and processing: Not verified from a primary source read. Supplements use a dried rind extract standardised to HCA; some use branded calcium and potassium salts.
Look-alikes and adulterants: Name: Kokum (Garcinia indica) and mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana); Note: Other Garcinia fruits with different compounds. Studies and safety reports for G. cambogia should not be assumed to apply to them, and the reverse.
Sustainability and conservation: Not verified; no IUCN assessment was retrieved.

Traditional use and history history, not clinical proof

Tradition or era	Documented use	Source
Southeast Asia and India (traditional use)	The dried rind has been used for centuries as a food preservative, flavouring and carminative (aid to digestion and wind).	p15234082
Traditional tea	NCCIH says the fruit was brewed as a tea for inflammation and stomach complaints and the rind used to preserve food. Traditional use is not proof of benefit.	s-nccih-garcinia-cambogia
Modern weight-loss supplement	HCA from the rind became a weight-loss ingredient after lab work showed it blocks a fat-making enzyme. The 1998 JAMA trial was an early large test.	p9820262
France: medicines	Prescribing and dispensing of medicines or preparations containing Garcinia cambogia Desr. has been prohibited since 2012.	s-anses-garcinia-2025
EMA/HMPC	No herbal monograph found in our search; not confirmed absent.	s-nccih-garcinia-cambogia

Traditional use shows how a plant was used. It does not show that a supplement works or is safe today.

What is inside, and how it may work

What the plant contains and how those compounds act in cells and animals. Laboratory and animal mechanisms are not proven effects in people.

Main compounds

Compound	Family	Where it is concentrated	Activity studied	Level of evidence
(-)-Hydroxycitric acid (HCA, garcinia acid) PubChem 185620	organic (tricarboxylic) acid	Fruit rind 10-30% of the dried rind (Soni 2004 review)	Blocks ATP-citrate lyase in lab and animal studies; the compound studied in weight-loss trials. Pure HCA did not inhibit the CYP enzymes tested, unlike the whole extract. ^{26 32 11}	Animal research
Garcinol PubChem 5281560	polyisoprenylated benzophenone	Fruit (reported) Not found in the sources read	Not studied in the human papers we read. We did not verify garcinol's role; a rat study of garcinol and CYP enzymes seen in a search was not read. ²⁵	Laboratory research
Calcium/potassium HCA salt (HCA-SX, Super CitriMax)	branded HCA salt	Fruit rind Not stated in the abstract	A patented salt described by its developers as more soluble than calcium-based HCA. Solubility claim is from the product's developers. ^{26 24}	Animal research

Mechanisms, receptors and pathways

Target or pathway	Gene or receptor	What was found	Level
ATP-citrate lyase (fat making)	ACLY	HCA competitively blocks the enzyme that turns citrate into acetyl-CoA, a building block for fat and cholesterol. This is the main proposed reason for weight loss, shown in lab and animal work; the human trials are mixed. ^{11 26}	Animal research
Serotonin systems	serotonin uptake; serotonin receptor genes	A case report cites rat studies in which a branded HCA extract inhibited serotonin uptake in brain cells and raised brain serotonin, and a 30-person pilot study with a 39.8% rise in serum serotonin. We did not read the primary papers. ¹³	Animal research
Muscarinic and cholinesterase effects	acetylcholinesterase	A mania case report says HCA shows serotonergic and muscarinic-enhancing properties by blocking reuptake and acetylcholinesterase; mechanism not shown in the abstract. ²¹	Laboratory research
Immune-mediated liver injury	HLA-B*35:01	This HLA variant was found in 55% of Garcinia liver-injury cases vs 19% for other supplements and 12% for conventional drugs, suggesting an immune reaction in susceptible people. ^{30 33}	Human data
Liver cell stress	Nrf2	With montelukast, Garcinia raised oxidative stress and affected Nrf2 in liver cells. Cells only. ⁶	Laboratory research
Drug-metabolising enzyme	CYP2B6	The rind extract inhibited CYP2B6 in human liver microsomes, time-dependently; HCA itself did not. ³²	Laboratory research

Absorption, metabolism and elimination

Absorption: No human absorption data for HCA were found in the sources read. The branded-salt developers describe their salt as more soluble and bioavailable (claim not verified).
Distribution: Not found.
Metabolism: Not found in people. The extract inhibited CYP2B6 in the lab.
Elimination: Not found.
Bioavailability: Not established in the sources read.

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Isolated compounds versus whole extracts

Weight-loss trials mostly used rind extracts standardised to HCA, some as branded salts. The CYP2B6 effect came from the whole extract, not from pure HCA, which means constituents other than HCA have effects in the lab. Liver injury reports involve whole-extract supplements, often blended with green tea extract. We cannot say which component causes liver injury.

Nutritional composition

A nutrient table is not meaningful for Garcinia cambogia as a supplement. The sources describe HCA as 10-30% of the dried rind but do not give a food nutrient profile.

6benefits and uses looked at

33studies and sources checked

Low certaintybest evidence rating found

12lab markers tracked in trials

4 low certainty2 very low certainty

What was looked at

The 6 benefits and uses checked for Garcinia Cambogia, each with how strong the evidence is. Tap one to open it.

Body weight lossLow certainty
BMI, waist size and body fatLow certainty
Branded HCA-SX extract (Super CitriMax): appetite, weight and blood fatsVery low certainty
Cholesterol and blood fatsVery low certainty
Blood sugar and insulinLow certainty
Liver enzymes in trials (a safety check, not a benefit)Low certainty

Lab markers tracked in the studies

Body weightBody mass index (BMI)Waist circumferenceBody fatTotal cholesterolTriglyceridesHDL cholesterolLDL cholesterolFasting blood glucoseInsulinALT (liver enzyme)AST (liver enzyme)

What is Garcinia Cambogia good for?

The main proposed uses and how strong the human evidence is for each. The trials are small and short, and the ratings are our reading, not formal grades. The safety section below matters more than any benefit.

Body weight lossLow certaintyA 135-person, 12-week trial found no benefit over placebo. A 2011 pooling of nine trials found about 0.9 kg more loss, with a range reaching zero. A 2020 review found no effect for Garcinia cambogia as a single ingredient and said evidence was insufficient to recommend any herbal weight-loss product. BMI, waist size and body fatLow certaintyA 2020 pooling of eight trials (530 people) found about 1 point lower BMI, about 4 cm smaller waist and 0.4 percentage points less body fat than placebo, with wide ranges close to zero. The older large trial found no extra fat loss. Branded HCA-SX extract: appetite, weight and blood fatsVery low certaintyOne 60-person, 8-week trial in India of a branded extract reported weight and BMI down 5-6% against little change on placebo. It was small, one arm used a mixture with chromium and Gymnema, and the extract and authors look industry-linked, so independent confirmation is missing. Cholesterol and blood fatsVery low certaintyA 2024 pooling of 14 short trials (623 adults) found slightly lower total cholesterol and triglycerides and slightly higher HDL, with no change in LDL. Differences between trials were large, and the authors call for longer trials. Blood sugar and insulinLow certaintyA 2025 pooling of nine trials (444 adults) found no overall effect on fasting glucose or insulin. Some subgroup differences appeared but are exploratory. Liver enzymes in trials (a safety check, not a benefit)Low certaintyAverage ALT and AST did not change in the 2025 pooling. This does not rule out rare severe liver injury, which is reported in case reports and a registry.

Benefits, one by one

Each card is a research question, not a promise. Tap a goal to filter. Open a card to see the studies, doses and limits.

Body weight loss

Low certainty

Garcinia cambogia is sold for weight loss. Pooled reviews find at most a very small extra weight loss compared with placebo, and one review found none. The largest older trial found no benefit.

5 studiesRind extract standardised to HCA in the trials; products and salts di…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Heymsfield 1998 (JAMA; 135 overweight adults, 12 weeks, HCA rind extract, high-fibre low-energy diet in both groups) found 3.2 kg lost on HCA vs 4.1 kg on placebo (P=.14), so no benefit. Onakpoya 2011 pooled 9 trials: 0.88 kg more loss than placebo (95% CI -1.75 to -0.00), called small with uncertain clinical meaning. Maunder 2020 pooled herbal weight-loss trials and found no effect for Garcinia cambogia as a single ingredient, and said there is insufficient evidence to recommend any of the herbal medicines it reviewed. A 2021 narrative review calls the results contradictory.

Results

At best about 1 kg extra weight loss over a few weeks in pooled data, and no effect in two of the three main analyses. Under the 2.5 kg difference that Maunder 2020 used as clinically meaningful.

Effect sizes as reported

Onakpoya 2011: -0.88 kg (95% CI -1.75 to -0.00). Heymsfield 1998: 3.2 vs 4.1 kg, P=.14. Maunder 2020: no effect for Garcinia cambogia (numbers not in abstract).

Why this rating

Several trials are small, short (12 weeks or less) and poorly reported; the pooled result's range reaches zero; the reviews disagree; the effect found is below the level reviewers call clinically meaningful. No GRADE rating given in the abstracts.

Form and dose studied

Rind extract standardised to HCA in the trials; products and salts differ. This page makes no recommendation about amounts.

Who was studied

Overweight or obese adults, mostly healthy.

Limits

No trial longer than about 12 weeks. About 40% dropped out of the 1998 trial. Some of the positive trials used a branded extract (see the HCA-SX entry).

Why researchers looked

Hydroxycitric acid (HCA) in the fruit rind blocks an enzyme called ATP-citrate lyase that helps the body make fat, so it was tested for weight loss.

Traditional use

NCCIH says the rind was used traditionally as a food preservative and the fruit was brewed as a tea; weight loss is a modern use, not a traditional one.

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

HCA competitively blocks ATP-citrate lyase, an enzyme that helps turn sugar into fat. This is shown in lab and animal work. The human trials did not consistently show a result from it.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Liver injury, mania and serotonin toxicity have been reported with Garcinia products. See the safety section before considering any use.

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BMI, waist size and body fat

Low certainty

One 2020 pooling of eight trials found small drops in BMI, waist and body fat percentage compared with placebo, but the weight result barely cleared zero. The older large trial found no extra fat loss.

2 studiesMixed products across trials.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Golzarand 2020 (8 trials, 530 people) found against placebo: weight -1.34 kg, BMI -0.99 kg/m2, fat mass -0.42 percentage points and waist -4.16 cm, with a nonlinear dose-response. Heymsfield 1998 found no difference in fat mass loss.

Results

Small statistically significant differences in the 2020 pooling; none in the largest earlier trial.

Effect sizes as reported

Weight -1.34 kg (95% CI -2.62 to -0.07); BMI -0.99 (-1.48 to -0.49); fat -0.42% (-0.77 to -0.06); waist -4.16 cm (-7.83 to -0.49).

Why this rating

Wide intervals close to zero; short trials; the abstract does not report trial quality or heterogeneity; the largest trial disagreed.

Form and dose studied

Mixed products across trials.

Who was studied

Adults in 8 randomised trials.

Limits

Short trials; exploratory dose-response; findings come from the pooling of mixed products.

Why researchers looked

Weight alone can hide changes in body fat and waist, so reviewers also looked at these measures.

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

Same proposed route as for weight: less fat making and possibly less appetite. Not confirmed in people.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

As above. A measurable change in waist or BMI does not show better health outcomes.

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Branded HCA-SX extract (Super CitriMax): appetite, weight and blood fats

Very low certainty

One 60-person trial of a branded calcium and potassium HCA extract found much bigger weight loss than the independent reviews do. The trial looks industry-linked, so we treat it with caution.

2 studiesBranded HCA-SX, and HCA-SX with chromium and Gymnema. Not a basis for…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Preuss 2004 (Diabetes Obes Metab; 60 moderately obese adults in India, 8 weeks, with a 2000 kcal diet and supervised walking) gave HCA-SX alone or with niacin-bound chromium and Gymnema sylvestre. Weight and BMI fell 5-6% in both active groups with little change on placebo; food intake, cholesterol, triglycerides and leptin also fell. The authors call it effective and safe.

Results

Large reported effect in a small, short trial. The result is much larger than the independent pooled analyses, which is a reason for caution.

Effect sizes as reported

Weight and BMI down 5-6% in both active groups; placebo marginal or not significant (confidence intervals not in the abstract).

Why this rating

One small, short trial of a branded product by authors likely linked to the product; one arm was a combination so benefits cannot be put down to HCA-SX alone; not repeated independently in what we found.

Form and dose studied

Branded HCA-SX, and HCA-SX with chromium and Gymnema. Not a basis for choosing between products.

Who was studied

Moderately obese adults aged 21-50, India.

Limits

INDUSTRY-LINKED: HCA-SX is a proprietary extract; funding and affiliations were not read in the abstract (not verified). Combination arm. 8 weeks.

Why researchers looked

HCA-SX is a patented salt of HCA sold as Super CitriMax and said to be more soluble than plain calcium HCA.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

Claimed appetite reduction and less fat making. The claims come mostly from the product's developers.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

The product's own developers also wrote the main safety review (Soni 2004), which pre-dates the liver reports.

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Cholesterol and blood fats

Very low certainty

A 2024 pooling of 14 short trials found slightly lower total cholesterol and triglycerides and slightly higher HDL, with no change in LDL. The trials differed a lot from each other.

2 studiesMixed products.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Amini 2024 (14 trials, 623 adults): total cholesterol -6.76 mg/dL, triglycerides -24.21 mg/dL, HDL +2.95 mg/dL, LDL -1.15 mg/dL (not significant). Effects on cholesterol and triglycerides were larger beyond 8 weeks. The authors name short duration and significant heterogeneity as limits. The branded-extract trial (Preuss 2004) also reported lower cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides and higher HDL, but is industry-linked.

Results

Small changes in the pooled data; a triglyceride fall of about 24 mg/dL is the largest.

Effect sizes as reported

TC -6.76 (95% CI -12.39 to -0.59); TG -24.21 (-37.84 to -10.58); HDL +2.95 (2.01 to 3.89); LDL -1.15 (-16.08 to 13.78) mg/dL.

Why this rating

Short trials, significant heterogeneity (authors' words), a blood-marker not a clinical outcome, no GRADE rating in the abstract, and a statin-style effect on LDL was not seen.

Form and dose studied

Mixed products.

Who was studied

Adults in 14 randomised trials.

Limits

No heart-attack or stroke outcomes. Marker changes do not equal better health.

Why researchers looked

Blocking fat making could also lower blood fats, and several weight trials measured them.

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

Same ATP-citrate lyase route as for weight; also drives cholesterol making in the lab. Not confirmed in people.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Do not replace cholesterol medicine with a supplement. Tell your prescriber about any Garcinia product.

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Blood sugar and insulin

Low certainty

A 2025 pooling of nine trials found no overall effect of Garcinia cambogia on fasting blood sugar or insulin.

2 studiesMixed products.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Tavakoli 2025 (9 publications, 444 adults): fasting glucose +1.02 mg/dL (95% CI -1.29 to 3.33) and insulin -0.12 mU/L (-1.50 to 1.25), neither significant. In subgroups, insulin and glucose rose in people with BMI 30 or more and insulin rose in women; use beyond 8 weeks lowered insulin. The authors treat the subgroup findings cautiously.

Results

No effect overall. The subgroup signals point in different directions and are exploratory.

Effect sizes as reported

Fasting glucose WMD +1.02 mg/dL (-1.29 to 3.33); insulin WMD -0.12 mU/L (-1.50 to 1.25).

Why this rating

A reasonably consistent null result from a modest pool of short trials, but with subgroup noise and no GRADE rating in the abstract.

Form and dose studied

Mixed products.

Who was studied

Adults, mostly healthy or overweight; not mainly people with diabetes.

Limits

The pooling does not show whether Garcinia helps or harms people with diabetes or those taking diabetes medicines.

Why researchers looked

Weight-loss trials often measured fasting glucose and insulin, and animal work suggested possible effects.

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

No clear route shown in people. Not established.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Anyone with diabetes should not use a Garcinia product in place of treatment; ANSES lists diabetes as a higher-risk group.

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Liver enzymes in trials (a safety check, not a benefit)

Low certainty

In the 2025 pooling the average ALT and AST did not change. That does not rule out rare serious liver injury, which is reported separately.

3 studiesMixed products.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Tavakoli 2025 pooled ALT (Hedges' g 0.27, 95% CI -0.20 to 0.73) and AST (-0.08, -0.43 to 0.26) with no significant change.

Results

No average change in trials.

Effect sizes as reported

ALT g 0.27 (-0.20 to 0.73); AST g -0.08 (-0.43 to 0.26).

Why this rating

Averages across short trials in people who were mostly healthy cannot detect rare idiosyncratic injury. Case reports and a registry (DILIN) show serious injury does occur.

Form and dose studied

Mixed products.

Who was studied

Adults in randomised trials.

Limits

Normal averages do not mean safe for individuals; injury has occurred weeks to months after starting.

Why researchers looked

Reviewers checked liver enzymes as a safety measure.

Proposed mechanism Pharmacological theory

Not applicable. Liver injury is described in the safety file.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

See the liver section of the safety file: severe injury, transplant and death have been reported.

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Connections to the rest of health

How Garcinia Cambogia connects to the rest of our health knowledge graph. Every link says what kind of connection it is. A safety link (for example to the liver) is a warning, not a benefit. A study that merely mentions a topic never creates a benefit link.

Explore every connection: goals, body systems, organs, symptoms, genes

Kind of connection Connected to Search

A. Wellness goals

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Weight management	Potential benefit	Low certainty	Small or no benefit set against serious safety reports. Body weight loss: Garcinia cambogia is sold for weight loss. Pooled reviews find at most a very small extra weight loss compared with placebo, and one review found none. The largest older trial found no benefit. Preparation or compound: HCA rind extract	^{23 15 8 11 3 14 24 26}
Metabolic Health	Potential benefit	Low certainty	Body weight loss: Garcinia cambogia is sold for weight loss. Pooled reviews find at most a very small extra weight loss compared with placebo, and one review found none. The largest older trial found no benefit. BMI, waist size and body fat: One 2020 pooling of eight trials found small drops in BMI, waist and body fat percentage compared with placebo, but the weight result barely cleared zero. The older large trial found no extra fat loss.	^{11 23 15 3 14 8 2 24 28 1}
Cholesterol Balance	Potential benefit	Very low certainty	Cholesterol and blood fats: A 2024 pooling of 14 short trials found slightly lower total cholesterol and triglycerides and slightly higher HDL, with no change in LDL. The trials differed a lot from each other.	^{2 24}
Heart Health	Potential benefit	Very low certainty	Cholesterol and blood fats: A 2024 pooling of 14 short trials found slightly lower total cholesterol and triglycerides and slightly higher HDL, with no change in LDL. The trials differed a lot from each other.	^{2 24}
Blood Sugar Balance	Potential benefit	Low certainty	Blood sugar and insulin: A 2025 pooling of nine trials found no overall effect of Garcinia cambogia on fasting blood sugar or insulin.	^{28 1}
Liver Support	Adverse effect or risk	Low certainty	Liver enzymes in trials (a safety check, not a benefit): In the 2025 pooling the average ALT and AST did not change. That does not rule out rare serious liver injury, which is reported separately.	^{28 30 33}

B. Body systems

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Nervous system and mood	Adverse effect or risk	Case reports	Mania and one suspected serotonin toxicity case. Preparation or compound: Garcinia cambogia supplements	^{10 21 13}
Metabolism Weight	Biological association	Low certainty	Studied for: Body weight loss Studied for: BMI, waist size and body fat	^{11 23 15 3 14 8 24 26 2 28 1}
Cardiovascular System	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Cholesterol and blood fats	^{2 24}
Endocrine System	Biological association	Low certainty	Studied for: Blood sugar and insulin	^{28 1}
Hepatic System	Biological association	Low certainty	Studied for: Liver enzymes in trials (a safety check, not a benefit)	^{28 30 33}

C. Body parts and organs

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Liver	Adverse effect or risk	Case reports and registry	Hepatitis and liver failure, including deaths and transplants; no rate known. Preparation or compound: Garcinia cambogia rind supplements, alone or with green tea extract	^{33 30 1}

D. Symptoms

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Overweight and obesity	Potential benefit	Low certainty	At most a small, short-term difference in pooled trials; no benefit in the largest older trial. Preparation or compound: Garcinia cambogia rind extract (HCA)	^{11 23 8}
Drug-induced liver injury	Adverse effect or risk	Case reports and registry	Severe cases, deaths and transplants reported; no rate known. Preparation or compound: Garcinia cambogia supplements, alone or with green tea extract	^{33 30}
Mania	Adverse effect or risk	Case reports	Case series and reports; avoid in bipolar disorder. Preparation or compound: Garcinia cambogia supplements	^{10 21}

G. Root causes and contributing factors

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Medication and supplement side effects	Drug or supplement interaction	Very low	Antidepressants, liver-affecting medicines and CYP2B6 drugs are the flagged groups. Preparation or compound: Garcinia cambogia	^{13 6 32}

I. Biomarkers

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Body weight	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: mixed. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{23 8 11 15}
Body mass index (BMI)	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{8 24}
Waist circumference	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	⁸
Body fat	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: mixed. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{8 11}
Total cholesterol	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²
Triglycerides	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²
HDL cholesterol	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²
LDL cholesterol	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: no-change. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²
Fasting blood glucose	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: no-change. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²⁸
Insulin	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: no-change. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²⁸
ALT (liver enzyme)	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: no-change. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{28 30 12}
AST (liver enzyme)	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: no-change. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²⁸

J. Genes, receptors and enzymes

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
ACLY (ATP-citrate lyase)	Preliminary mechanism	Animal	Proposed main target of HCA; lab and animal evidence.	^{11 26}
*HLA-B35:01**	Preliminary mechanism	Human	More common in Garcinia liver-injury cases than controls.	³⁰
CYP2B6	Preliminary mechanism	In vitro	Inhibited by the extract in human liver microsomes.	³²
NFE2L2 (Nrf2)	Preliminary mechanism	In vitro	Affected in liver cells with montelukast.	⁶

L. Active compounds

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
(-)-Hydroxycitric acid (HCA, garcinia acid)	Biological association	Animal	Blocks ATP-citrate lyase in lab and animal studies; the compound studied in weight-loss trials. Pure HCA did not inhibit the CYP enzymes tested, unlike the whole extract. Preparation or compound: Fruit rind	^{26 32 11}
Garcinol	Biological association	In vitro	Not studied in the human papers we read. We did not verify garcinol's role; a rat study of garcinol and CYP enzymes seen in a search was not read. Preparation or compound: Fruit (reported)	²⁵
Calcium/potassium HCA salt (HCA-SX, Super CitriMax)	Biological association	Animal	A patented salt described by its developers as more soluble than calcium-based HCA. Solubility claim is from the product's developers. Preparation or compound: Fruit rind	^{26 24}

Each connection is stored with the ingredient, the connected record, the kind of connection, the evidence status, the supporting studies, the preparation or compound involved, and a review date (last reviewed October 25, 2026).

Evidence at a glance: what changed in 12 lab markers

Tap a number to show only those markers. Counts are markers, not people.

Metabolic3131 Organ function2 Other11

The evidence

The research centre for Garcinia Cambogia. Every record here was checked against PubMed or the publisher's page; we never list a study we have not verified.

Evidence by outcome

Body weight loss 5 studies · 135 people in trials Low certainty BMI, waist size and body fat 2 studies · 135 people in trials Low certainty Branded HCA-SX extract (Super CitriMax): appetite, weight and blood fats 2 studies · 60 people in trials Very low certainty Cholesterol and blood fats 2 studies · 60 people in trials Very low certainty Blood sugar and insulin 2 studies Low certainty Liver enzymes in trials (a safety check, not a benefit) 3 studies · 22 people in trials Low certainty

Bars show how many studies we found for each outcome, not how well it works. People are added up across trials only (reviews are not added, to avoid double counting).

How we rate evidence

High certainty

Several well-run trials or reviews agree; further research is unlikely to change the picture much.

Moderate certainty

Good trials point the same way, but some doubt remains.

Low certainty

Small, short or inconsistent trials. The finding could change with better research.

Very low certainty

Very little or very weak human data. Treat as a possibility only.

Mixed findings

Trials or reviews disagree with each other.

Not enough evidence

Not enough human research to say either way.

Evidence against

Good research found no benefit, or found harm.

We take the reviewers' own risk-of-bias and GRADE statements where they exist, and otherwise judge from study size, design, consistency, directness and whether a product matches what is sold. Many publications do not make evidence high. Method note: We searched PubMed, NCCIH, ANSES, NPRA Malaysia, GBIF, NCBI and PubChem, and recorded each study's design, people, product and result as reported. Mostly abstracts were read; the serotonin toxicity and mania case reports were read in full. Several regulator actions (TGA, Health Canada, Korea, UK COT, FDA, French order) come from news reports or search summaries and are marked not verified. We could not read LiverTox or LactMed, and found no EMA/HMPC monograph; these are marked not found or not read, not confirmed absent. Certainty ratings are the compiler's reading, not formal grades. No study is cited that we could not verify. Industry-linked work is flagged.

Study library: every study we checked 33

Design Research type Plant part Year from Search

Study	Design	People	Product, dose, length	Result
ANSES 2025 Do not consume food supplements containing Garcinia cambogia (ANSES news release) ANSES news release, 5 March 2025 · Source	Authoritative guidance	Whole population (France)	Garcinia cambogia food supplements fruit rind	ANSES advises the whole population against consuming food supplements containing Garcinia cambogia. Trigger: a fatal fulminant hepatitis and several severe effects. French nutrivigilance recorded 38 cases of adverse effects between 2009 and March 2024; other French, European and North American systems and the literature were also reviewed. Effects: liver, psychiatric, digestive (pancreatitis), cardiac and muscle (rhabdomyolysis). Severe effects also occurred in people with no previous medical problems. Higher-risk groups named: people with psychiatric disorders, pancreatitis or hepatitis; cardiometabolic conditions (diabetes, obesity, hypertension); people on liver-affecting medicines, antiretrovirals or antidepressants. In France, prescribing and dispensing medicines or preparations with Garcinia cambogia Desr. has been prohibited since 2012; supplements were not prohibited at that date. EFSA is assessing hydroxycitric acid. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Nutrivigilance and literature review Limitations: Another ANSES document (Vigil'Anses, July 2025) gives 35 cases; counts differ by source and we did not resolve which is right. Read: full-text
Amini 2024 The effects of Garcinia cambogia (hydroxycitric acid) on lipid profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytotherapy Research · PMID 38151892 · DOI	Meta-analysis	623 Adults in 14 randomised trials	Garcinia cambogia (HCA) fruit rind various various; effects larger beyond 8 weeks · vs Placebo / control	Total cholesterol -6.76 mg/dL, triglycerides -24.21 mg/dL, HDL +2.95 mg/dL; LDL no significant change (-1.15 mg/dL). TC -6.76; TG -24.21; HDL +2.95; LDL -1.15 mg/dL (TC -12.39 to -0.59; TG -37.84 to -10.58; HDL 2.01 to 3.89; LDL -16.08 to 13.78) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL Limitations: Short trials, significant heterogeneity (authors' words); no clinical outcomes. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract
Andueza 2021 Risks associated with the use of Garcinia as a nutritional complement to lose weight. Nutrients · PMID 33572973 · DOI	Other	Narrative review of weight-loss and safety data	Garcinia extracts / HCA fruit rind various various · vs various	Contradictory efficacy results; some studies show statistically significant short-term weight loss, others none. Safe in most animal and human studies, but some cases of hepatotoxicity, serotonin toxicity and mania have been reported. Contradictory results; safety should be studied further (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Efficacy and safety Limitations: Narrative review. Funding and conflicts: No conflict declared Read: abstract
Crescioli 2018 Acute liver injury following Garcinia cambogia weight-loss supplementation: case series and literature review. Internal and Emergency Medicine · PMID 29802521 · DOI	Case series	4 Four women with acute liver failure (Italy)	Garcinia cambogia extract / products fruit rind	Four cases of acute liver failure in women taking Garcinia extract for weight loss, with a review of the literature on hepatic toxicity. Details of each case not read beyond the abstract. 4 cases of acute liver failure (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Liver failure cases plus literature review Limitations: Abstract only; no rate; other ingredients not described in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract
Deshmukh 2008 Safety of a novel calcium/potassium salt of hydroxycitric acid (HCA-SX): I. two-generation reproduction toxicity study. Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods · PMID 20020868 · DOI	Other animal	Sprague-Dawley rats, 30 per sex per group, two generations	HCA-SX (branded calcium/potassium HCA salt) fruit rind 0, 1000, 3000 or 10,000 ppm in feed 10 weeks before mating through gestation and lactation, two generations · vs Control diet	No effects on fertility, mating, gestation, litters, lactation or offspring development; NOAEL above 10,000 ppm in feed. No reproductive effects in rats (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Fertility, pregnancy, offspring development Limitations: Rats only; one branded salt; says nothing about humans or whole-rind products. INDUSTRY-LINKED (Bagchi is a co-author on the branded extract work; funding not read). Funding and conflicts: Funding not stated in the abstract; flagged as probably industry-linked, not verified Read: abstract
Di Giacomo 2023 Interaction of Garcinia cambogia (Gaertn.) Desr. and drugs as a possible mechanism of liver injury: the case of montelukast. Antioxidants · PMID 37760074 · DOI	Other in-vitro	8 Italian Phytovigilance System reports 2002-2022 plus liver-cell experiments	Garcinia cambogia products; in vitro with montelukast fruit rind	Eight suspected liver reactions reported in Italy from March 2002 to March 2022, all in women and mostly severe; causality probable in 3 and possible in 5. In cells, Garcinia alone had low toxicity but the combination with montelukast sharply reduced cell viability and raised oxidative stress. 8 Italian reports; in-vitro synergy with montelukast (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Reports of liver reactions; cell viability, oxidative stress, Nrf2 Limitations: Lab (cell) interaction cannot be assumed to occur in people; the report system gives no rate. Funding and conflicts: No conflict declared (authors include Italian National Institute of Health staff) Read: abstract
GBIF Secretariat 2026 GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) N.Robson GBIF species API (usageKey 7330311) · Source	Other in-vitro	n/a	Garcinia gummi-gutta fruit rind	Accepted species; family Clusiaceae; synonyms include Garcinia cambogia (Gaertn.) Desr. and Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) Roxb.; English common name Malabar tamarind. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Accepted name, synonyms, family Limitations: API record read 2026-10-25. Read: full-text
Golzarand 2020 Effect of Garcinia cambogia supplement on obesity indices: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine · PMID 32951714 · DOI	Meta-analysis	530 Adults in 8 randomised trials	Garcinia cambogia supplement fruit rind (as labelled) dose-response analysed (nonlinear) various · vs Placebo	Weight -1.34 kg, BMI -0.99 kg/m2, fat mass -0.42 percentage points, waist -4.16 cm versus placebo. Nonlinear dose-response for weight and BMI. No publication bias found. Weight -1.34 kg; BMI -0.99; fat -0.42%; waist -4.16 cm (Weight -2.62 to -0.07; BMI -1.48 to -0.49; fat -0.77 to -0.06; waist -7.83 to -0.49) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Weight, BMI, percentage fat mass, waist circumference Limitations: Wide intervals, the weight interval nearly touches zero; short trials; heterogeneity and trial quality not given in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract
Health Canada 2025 Health Product InfoWatch (Health Canada), October 2025 and January 2026 editions: Garcinia gummi-gutta and hydroxycitric acid Health Product InfoWatch · Source	Authoritative guidance	Canadian health professionals	Garcinia gummi-gutta / HCA natural health products fruit rind	Reported through a search summary only (page itself not read): the review found a possible link between these products and liver injury; monographs to be updated; licence holders expected to update labels; January 2026 edition says monographs were updated. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Summary safety review Limitations: NOT verified: the Health Canada pages were not read by us. Read: summary-only
Hendrickson 2016 Mania induced by Garcinia cambogia: a case series. Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders · PMID 27486540 · DOI	Case series	3 Three adults (two men aged 50 and 25, one woman aged 34) with mania or hypomania	Garcinia cambogia pills fruit rind 1-2 pills daily (as reported) 4 weeks to 2 months before symptoms	Mania began within weeks of starting Garcinia while dieting. One man had bipolar I disorder, stable off medicine for 6 years; one man had no psychiatric history and developed mania with psychosis; the woman had bipolar II and past SSRI-induced hypomania. All three were treated and told to stop Garcinia. 3 cases of mania or hypomania (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Mood symptoms and course Limitations: Three cases; dieting and exercise changed at the same time; dose and product details limited. Funding and conflicts: Not stated Read: full-text
Heymsfield 1998 Garcinia cambogia (hydroxycitric acid) as a potential antiobesity agent: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA · PMID 9820262 · DOI	Controlled trial	135 Overweight men and women, mean BMI about 32	Garcinia cambogia rind extract standardised to hydroxycitric acid (HCA) fruit rind 1500 mg HCA per day 12 weeks · vs Placebo; both groups on a high-fibre, low-energy diet	66 on HCA and 69 on placebo; 64% and 61% finished. Both groups lost weight. Weight loss was 3.2 (SD 3.3) kg on HCA vs 4.1 (SD 3.9) kg on placebo (P=.14). No difference in fat mass loss. No difference from placebo (P=.14 for weight loss difference) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Body weight and fat mass change Limitations: About 40% dropped out. 12 weeks only. One product and one dose. Industry funding not described in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: Abstract lists research support from US Public Health Service and non-US government sources; no company funding stated in the abstract Read: abstract
Le 2023 Weight loss or liver loss: a case report on fulminant hepatic failure secondary to Garcinia cambogia supplementation. Cureus · PMID 37575813 · DOI	Case report	1 56-year-old man with sickle cell trait	Garcinia cambogia supplement fruit rind	Weakness and fatigue after supplement; AST 4,222 and ALT 4,664 U/L, INR 3.2, MELD 37. Treated with N-acetylcysteine, liver function improved, discharged day 10 and told to stop supplements. Fulminant hepatic failure, recovered (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Presentation and course Limitations: Single case; other supplements also mentioned ('his supplements'); a broad list of other causes was considered. Funding and conflicts: No competing interests declared Read: abstract
Lopez 2014 Serotonin toxicity associated with Garcinia cambogia over-the-counter supplement. Journal of Medical Toxicology · PMID 24699886 · DOI	Case report	1 35-year-old woman taking escitalopram, then sertraline, plus several other medicines	Over-the-counter supplement with Garcinia cambogia rind extract (60% HCA) 1000 mg, chromium, potassium and calcium fruit rind Patient reported 2 capsules three times daily 2-3 months	Stuttering speech, sweating, fast heart rate, high blood pressure, clonus (involuntary muscle jerks) and tremor, hyperreflexia, hallucinations overnight; meets Hunter and Sternbach serotonin toxicity criteria. Earlier tremor and flushing while on escitalopram plus the supplement. Treated with lorazepam and cyproheptadine, improved; symptoms briefly returned after the first dose wore off. She was also taking many other medicines (baclofen, gabapentin, oxycodone and others) and cannabinoids were detected. Suspected serotonin toxicity (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Presentation, signs, treatment Limitations: Single case with many other drugs, so cause cannot be proven. The paper cites rat studies and a small human study (as described there) suggesting HCA may raise serotonin; those primary papers were not read here. Funding and conflicts: Not read in the text we saw Read: full-text
Marquez 2012 Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of hydroxycitric acid or Garcinia cambogia extracts in humans. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition · PMID 22530711 · DOI	Other	Review of animal and human studies	HCA or Garcinia cambogia extracts fruit rind various up to 12 weeks in humans · vs various	Narrative review: some studies show weight and fat loss, other placebo-controlled trials do not. Human studies were small and short, none showed benefit beyond 12 weeks. Animal studies showed no increased deaths or significant toxicity except in rare cases; at usual doses no side-effect differences versus controls in the human studies reviewed. Little evidence of long-term effectiveness (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Weight, fat loss, safety Limitations: Narrative, not systematic; pre-dates the liver-injury reports. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract
Maunder 2020 Effectiveness of herbal medicines for weight loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism · PMID 31984610 · DOI	Meta-analysis	Healthy overweight or obese adults, 54 placebo-controlled trials of many herbs	Many herbal products; Garcinia cambogia as a single agent was one of those pooled various various mostly 12 weeks or less · vs Placebo	No effect was seen for Camellia sinensis or Garcinia cambogia as single agents. Authors: insufficient evidence to recommend any of the herbal medicines for weight loss. No effect for Garcinia cambogia (not given in abstract) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Weight difference; 2.5 kg or more counted as clinically significant Limitations: Many small trials of poor quality and reporting; Garcinia numbers not read beyond the abstract. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract
NCBI 2026 NCBI Taxonomy: Garcinia gummi-gutta NCBI Taxonomy (taxid 1220707) · Source	Other in-vitro	n/a	Garcinia gummi-gutta fruit rind	esearch on the taxonomy database returned taxid 1220707 for Garcinia gummi-gutta. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Taxonomy ID Limitations: Only the ID lookup was done. Read: full-text
NCCIH 2025 Garcinia Cambogia (NCCIH) NCCIH health information page · Source	Authoritative guidance	General public	Garcinia cambogia products fruit rind	Page updated February 2025. Says it is unclear whether products help weight loss (some evidence of a modest effect, other evidence none); it may be unsafe to consume them, including multi-ingredient products; numerous reports of liver toxicity, several severe but appearing uncommon; other side effects headache, nausea, diarrhoea and other digestive symptoms; reported interactions with some drugs that affect the liver and some that affect serotonin; little is known about safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Effectiveness, safety, interactions, pregnancy Limitations: Public information page; does not list individual studies in the text read. Read: full-text
NIDDK / NLM LiverTox LiverTox: Garcinia cambogia (NIH) LiverTox database entry · Source	Authoritative guidance	Clinicians	Garcinia cambogia fruit rind	A web search summary said the entry gives a likelihood score of B, but that was inferred from page format and the page was blocked by a browser check when we tried to read it. NPRA Malaysia cites a LiverTox entry dated 13 February 2019. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Hepatotoxicity likelihood Limitations: NOT verified: LiverTox entry not read; score B is unconfirmed. Read: summary-only
NLM LactMed 2021 Garcinia (LactMed) LactMed database entry · Source	Authoritative guidance	Breastfeeding	Garcinia fruit rind	A search summary says the entry states there are no data on Garcinia in breast milk or on safety and efficacy in nursing mothers or infants and advises avoiding it, especially in newborns or preterm infants (last revised May 2021). n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Safety in breastfeeding Limitations: NOT verified: the LactMed page was not read by us. Read: summary-only
NPRA Malaysia Pharmacovigilance Section 2026 Garcinia cambogia and hydroxycitric acid: risk of hepatotoxicity (NPRA Malaysia safety alert) Safety alert, 27 January 2026 · Source	Authoritative guidance	Health professionals (Malaysia)	Garcinia cambogia / HCA products fruit rind	Says the risk appears idiosyncratic (not clearly dose or duration related); symptoms usually start 1 to 4 weeks after starting but can take up to 12 months; most cases reverse on stopping, some led to liver failure, transplant or death. Cites a Health Canada Summary Safety Review dated 19 September 2025 and says Health Canada plans to update its monograph. Malaysia had 16 reports of 39 suspected events (none classed hepatotoxicity, but jaundice, transaminitis, acute hepatic failure and hepatitis were reported); 156 traditional products containing Garcinia cambogia are registered. No new regulatory action announced beyond review and reporting. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Regulatory review Limitations: Local alert; it relays Health Canada's review rather than showing it. Read: full-text
Nguyen 2019 Possible Garcinia cambogia-induced mania with psychosis: a case report. Journal of Pharmacy Practice · PMID 28982303 · DOI	Case report	1 Young adult woman with no bipolar history	Garcinia cambogia plus a 'Cleanse and Detox' multi-ingredient supplement fruit rind About 1 week before onset	Mania with psychosis about a week after starting; stabilised after stopping Garcinia and starting lithium and quetiapine; discharged after 8 days. The authors say seven earlier case reports link Garcinia with mania or psychosis, with onset 1 to 8 weeks after starting. Possible mania with psychosis (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Presentation and course Limitations: Single case; a second supplement was taken at the same time. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract
NutraIngredients (trade news site) 2026 Hepatotoxicity concerns and the growing action against Garcinia cambogia (NutraIngredients news article) News article, 13 January 2026 · Source	Other	Trade press summary	Garcinia cambogia products fruit rind	Secondary news report, not a regulator. Lists: ANSES advisory in February 2025 and a French ministerial order of 15 April 2025 suspending import, marketing and sale for one year; South Korea label warning and a lower maximum daily intake (September 2025); Australia TGA safety advisory in August 2024 with mandatory liver warning labels; Singapore warnings about undeclared sennosides and sibutramine in Garcinia products; US FDA 2009 request to recall 14 Hydroxycut products (formula also contained high-dose EGCG); New York restriction on sales of such supplements to minors; UK Committee on Toxicity review at its October 2025 meeting; EFSA assessment of HCA ongoing. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Summary of regulator actions Limitations: Secondary source: each action marked NOT verified against the regulator's own page unless stated otherwise elsewhere. A search summary gave 5 March 2025 versus 12 February 2025 for the ANSES opinion; the ANSES page itself says 5 March 2025. Read: summary-only
Onakpoya 2011 The use of Garcinia extract (hydroxycitric acid) as a weight loss supplement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials. Journal of Obesity · PMID 21197150 · DOI	Meta-analysis	Adults in 12 randomised trials (9 pooled)	Garcinia extract / HCA fruit rind (as labelled) various short-term · vs Placebo	23 eligible trials, 12 included, 9 pooled. Small difference favouring HCA: mean difference -0.88 kg. Gastrointestinal adverse events were twice as common on HCA in one included trial. Authors: effect small, clinical relevance uncertain, trials need to be more rigorous. -0.88 kg (95% CI -1.75 to -0.00) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Body weight Limitations: Small and short trials, varying quality, the interval touches zero. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract Read: abstract
Preuss 2004 Effects of a natural extract of (-)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA-SX) and a combination of HCA-SX plus niacin-bound chromium and Gymnema sylvestre extract on weight loss. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism · PMID 15056124 · DOI	Controlled trial	60 Moderately obese adults aged 21-50, BMI above 26, in India	HCA-SX (branded calcium/potassium HCA extract, marketed as Super CitriMax); a second group added niacin-bound chromium and Gymnema sylvestre extract fruit rind HCA-SX 4667 mg per day (group A); HCA-SX plus chromium 4 mg and Gymnema 400 mg (group B) 8 weeks · vs Placebo; all on 2000 kcal diet and supervised walking	Weight and BMI fell 5-6% in both active groups; total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides and leptin fell and HDL rose; placebo group had marginal or non-significant changes. Weight and BMI down 5-6% vs marginal change on placebo (not given in abstract) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Weight, BMI, appetite, lipids, leptin, urinary fat metabolites Limitations: Small, 8 weeks, one site, a branded extract with a combination arm; effect far larger than in independent pooled reviews. INDUSTRY-LINKED: HCA-SX is a proprietary extract and co-authors are known for work on it; company funding and author affiliations were not read in the abstract (unverified). Funding and conflicts: Funding not stated in the abstract; flagged as probably industry-linked, not verified Read: abstract
PubChem 2026 PubChem: (-)-hydroxycitric acid (garcinia acid, CID 185620) and garcinol (CID 5281560) PubChem PUG REST · Source	Other in-vitro	n/a	Hydroxycitric acid; garcinol fruit rind	Garcinia acid (1S,2S)-1,2-dihydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid, C6H8O8, CID 185620 (the name search 'hydroxycitric acid' also returned CID 123908, unspecified stereochemistry). Garcinol C38H50O6, CID 5281560. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Compound identity Limitations: Identity only. Read: full-text
Soni 2004 Safety assessment of (-)-hydroxycitric acid and Super CitriMax, a novel calcium/potassium salt. Food and Chemical Toxicology · PMID 15234082 · DOI	Other animal	Review of animal, genotoxicity and human data on HCA	HCA and Super CitriMax (HCA-SX) fruit rind Human trials up to 2800 mg/day HCA (as stated) 90-day rat study	HCA is 10-30% of the dried rind; the dried rind has been used for centuries in Southeast Asia as food preservative, flavouring and carminative. Rats given HCA-SX up to 2500 mg/kg/day for 90 days showed lower body weight and feed intake without other adverse effects; Ames tests were not judged to show mutagenicity. The abstract (cut off in our read) goes on to describe human trials. Reassuring animal toxicity from the product's developers (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Toxicity Limitations: Written by authors linked to the branded product (Preuss, Bagchi, Ohia and others); pre-dates the liver-injury reports. INDUSTRY-LINKED (funding not read). Funding and conflicts: Funding not stated in the abstract; flagged as probably industry-linked, not verified Read: abstract
Tang 2025 Rare association between hepatotoxicity and sideroblastic anaemia after taking Garcinia cambogia-based dietary supplement. BMJ Case Reports · PMID 40555541 · DOI	Case report	1 Woman in her 60s, Hong Kong	Garcinia cambogia-based multi-ingredient capsule bought online fruit rind	Anaemia and hepatitis for 2 weeks; sideroblastic anaemia on bone marrow exam; blood tests confirmed lead poisoning; capsules contained very high lead; treated with succimer and recovered. Lead poisoning with hepatitis from a multi-ingredient product (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Presentation and course Limitations: Single case. The harm was attributed to lead in the product, not to Garcinia itself; the abstract does not say whether the lead came from the rind. Funding and conflicts: Competing interests: none Read: abstract
Tavakoli 2025 The effects of Garcinia cambogia on glycaemic control and liver enzymes in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Journal of Nutritional Science · PMID 39943939 · DOI	Meta-analysis	444 Adults in 9 publications	Garcinia cambogia fruit rind various various; more than 8 weeks looked at in a subgroup · vs Placebo / control	No significant effect on fasting glucose (+1.02 mg/dL), insulin (-0.12 mU/L), AST or ALT. Subgroups: insulin and glucose rose in people with BMI 30 or more, insulin rose in women; insulin fell with more than 8 weeks of use. Fasting glucose +1.02 mg/dL (ns); insulin -0.12 mU/L (ns) (FBS -1.29 to 3.33; insulin -1.50 to 1.25; AST g -0.43 to 0.26; ALT g -0.20 to 0.73) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Fasting glucose, insulin, ALT, AST Limitations: Subgroup findings are exploratory; trials were short and mostly in healthy or overweight people, so liver safety cannot be judged from enzyme averages. Funding and conflicts: Declared no conflicts of interest Read: abstract
Therapeutic Goods Administration 2024 Medicines containing Garcinia gummi-gutta (Garcinia cambogia) or hydroxycitric acid (HCA) (TGA safety alert) TGA safety alert · Source	Authoritative guidance	Australia	Garcinia gummi-gutta / HCA medicines fruit rind	Reported via NutraIngredients and a search summary: TGA judged there may be a rare risk of liver injury and required liver-harm warning labels. The TGA page timed out when we tried to read it. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Regulatory warning Limitations: NOT verified: TGA page not read. Read: summary-only
Vuppalanchi 2022 Garcinia cambogia, either alone or in combination with green tea, causes moderate to severe liver injury. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology · PMID 34400337 · DOI	Case series	22 Adults in the US Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN), 2004-2018; cases ages 17-54	Garcinia cambogia alone (5), with green tea (16) or with ashwagandha (1) fruit rind Onset 13-223 days (median 51) · vs 57 green-tea-HDS controls and 103 other-HDS controls	22 high-confidence cases of 1418 enrolled. One death, one liver transplant, 91% hospitalised. Hepatocellular injury with jaundice. Peak aminotransferases higher than controls (2001 +/- 1386 U/L). HLA-B35:01 present in 55% vs 19% (other supplements) and 12% (conventional drugs). Authors: injury is indistinguishable from green tea injury and may be immune-mediated. 22 cases; HLA-B35:01 55% vs 19% and 12% (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Liver injury features and outcomes Limitations: Registry of referred cases, so it cannot give a rate; most cases also took green tea extract. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract (NIH-supported network; NCT00345930) Registration: NCT00345930 Read: abstract
Yousaf 2019 Hepatotoxicity associated with Garcinia cambogia: a case report. World Journal of Hepatology · PMID 31772720 · DOI	Case report	1 21-year-old woman with morbid obesity	Garcinia cambogia weight-loss supplement fruit rind 4 weeks of use	One week of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, anorexia and muscle aches; acute liver failure; other causes excluded in the workup; had used Garcinia cambogia for 4 weeks. Acute liver failure (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Presentation Limitations: Single case; causality scale not given in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: No conflict declared Read: abstract
Yu 2017 Inhibitory effects of Garcinia cambogia extract on CYP2B6 enzyme activity. Planta Medica · PMID 28288493 · DOI	Other in-vitro	Human liver microsomes and recombinant CYP2B6	Garcinia cambogia extract; HCA tested separately fruit rind	The extract inhibited CYP2B6 in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent way. HCA itself did not significantly inhibit the cytochrome P450 enzymes tested. Authors suggest caution with CYP2B6 substrate drugs. Extract inhibits CYP2B6 in the lab (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Enzyme inhibition Limitations: Lab test only; no human drug study. Funding and conflicts: No conflict declared Read: abstract
van Breemen 2025 Hepatotoxicity of dietary supplements containing Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) N. Robson. Pharmaceutical Biology · PMID 41262061 · DOI	Systematic review	Reports of liver injury with Garcinia supplements	Garcinia gummi-gutta dietary supplements fruit rind	More than 200 adverse events of liver injury identified; 34 case reports with one death and nine liver transplants; 17 cases had RUCAM/CIOMS scores of possible to highly probable causality; one case confirmed by rechallenge. Pattern consistent with drug-induced liver injury (high ALT to alkaline phosphatase ratio). Proposed mechanisms: immune reaction linked to HLA-B35:01, oxidative stress and inflammation in liver cells, and cell death from HCA blocking ATP-citrate lyase. The review prompted USP to add a liver caution to its Garcinia monographs. 34 case reports; 1 death; 9 transplants; 17 possible-to-highly-probable (n/a) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes:* Adverse-event reports and case reports Limitations: Based on reports, so no rates; many reports involved other products; abstract only read. Authors include staff of Procter & Gamble Healthcare and USP-India although the paper declares no conflict. Funding and conflicts: Declared no conflict; affiliations listed in the abstract include Procter & Gamble Healthcare and USP-India Read: abstract

What we do not know yet

No trial longer than about 12 weeks, so nothing is known about keeping weight off.
No independent large trial of a modern HCA product.
No rate of liver injury; only reports and a registry.
No human interaction studies with antidepressants, statins or diabetes medicines.
No human safety data for pregnancy, breastfeeding or children.
LiverTox, LactMed, TGA, Health Canada and UK COT pages were not read directly.
No EMA/HMPC monograph found.
No independent data on how many products match their labels.

How new research is added

New studies are found by a saved PubMed search and are placed in a review queue. A person reads each one before it changes any evidence rating, safety wording or dose information. New publications never change ratings automatically.

Lab markers

What changed in blood or saliva tests during trials. A changed number is not the same as feeling or being healthier, and we give no "normal ranges".

Metabolic 8

↕

Body weight

Mixed results in trials

Total body mass in kilograms.

Low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

The main outcome in weight-loss trials.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Statistically borderline; below the 2.5 kg threshold Maunder 2020 used as clinically meaningful.

Safety implication

Weight loss with a supplement that can injure the liver is a poor trade; see safety.

Study	Result	People	Product
²³	-0.88 kg vs placebo (95% CI -1.75 to -0.00)	9 pooled trials	Garcinia / HCA extracts
⁸	-1.34 kg vs placebo (95% CI -2.62 to -0.07)	8 trials, 530 people	Garcinia cambogia supplements
¹¹	3.2 kg lost on HCA vs 4.1 kg on placebo (P=.14)	135 overweight adults	HCA 1500 mg/day, 12 weeks
¹⁵	No effect for Garcinia cambogia	Pooled herbal weight-loss trials	Garcinia cambogia as single agent

^{23 8 11 15}

▼

Body mass index (BMI)

Lowered in trials

Weight divided by height squared.

Low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

A common summary measure in trials.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

BMI is a rough measure and small changes may not matter for health.

Safety implication

None specific.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁸	-0.99 kg/m2 vs placebo (95% CI -1.48 to -0.49)	8 trials, 530 people	Garcinia cambogia supplements
²⁴	BMI down 5-6% in both active groups; placebo marginal	60 moderately obese adults	HCA-SX (branded), 8 weeks

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁸	+1.02 mg/dL (95% CI -1.29 to 3.33), not significant	9 publications, 444 adults	Garcinia cambogia

²⁸

●

Insulin

No clear change in trials

The hormone that moves sugar from blood into cells.

Low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Marker of insulin resistance.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

No overall effect.

Safety implication

Subgroup rises in women and in BMI 30 or more; exploratory only.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁸	-0.12 mU/L (95% CI -1.50 to 1.25), not significant; fell with more than 8 weeks of use in a subgroup	9 publications, 444 adults	Garcinia cambogia

²⁸

Organ function 2

●

ALT (liver enzyme)

No clear change in trials

An enzyme that leaks into the blood when liver cells are damaged.

Low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Safety marker for liver injury.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Trial averages hide rare individuals with very high values.

Safety implication

High ALT is the main sign of Garcinia liver injury in case reports (4,664 U/L in one case).

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁸	Hedges' g 0.27 (95% CI -0.20 to 0.73), not significant	9 publications, 444 adults	Garcinia cambogia
³⁰	Peak aminotransferases averaged 2001 +/- 1386 U/L in the 22 injury cases	22 DILIN liver-injury cases	Garcinia cambogia, alone or with green tea

^{28 30 12}

●

AST (liver enzyme)

No clear change in trials

An enzyme found in the liver and other tissues that rises in liver damage.

Low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Safety marker.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

No average change.

Safety implication

See ALT.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁸	Hedges' g -0.08 (95% CI -0.43 to 0.26), not significant	9 publications, 444 adults	Garcinia cambogia

²⁸

Other 2

▼

Waist circumference

Lowered in trials

Distance around the waist, a rough guide to belly fat.

Low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Reviewers used it as a body-fat marker.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Wide interval; the lower bound is under half a centimetre.

Safety implication

None specific.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁸	-4.16 cm vs placebo (95% CI -7.83 to -0.49)	8 trials, 530 people	Garcinia cambogia supplements

⁸

↕

Body fat

Mixed results in trials

Share or amount of the body that is fat.

Low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Tests whether any weight lost is fat.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

The pooled change is tiny; the best individual trial found none.

Safety implication

None specific.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁸	Fat mass percentage -0.42 points vs placebo (95% CI -0.77 to -0.06)	8 trials, 530 people	Garcinia cambogia supplements
¹¹	No significant difference in fat mass loss; fraction of weight lost as fat unchanged	135 overweight adults	HCA 1500 mg/day, 12 weeks

^{8 11}

Safety

What studies and official sources say about side effects, medicines and who should check first. Each point shows what kind of evidence it comes from.

Main points to know 7

Serious liver injury has been reported, including liver failure, transplant and death. NCCIH says there are numerous reports of liver toxicity with Garcinia cambogia products, some severe, though it appears uncommon. A 2025 review counted more than 200 adverse events of liver injury and 34 published case reports, with one death and nine liver transplants. In a US liver-injury registry, 22 high-confidence cases occurred (median 51 days after starting, range 13 to 223). Most involved Garcinia taken with green tea extract, and the injury looked the same as green tea injury. No one can say how often it happens, because these are reports, not rates. Case series ^{17 33 30}
Regulators in several countries have warned or acted. France's food safety agency ANSES advised the whole population against Garcinia cambogia food supplements in March 2025 after a fatal fulminant hepatitis and other severe effects. News reports say France then suspended sales by order of 15 April 2025, and that Australia, South Korea and Canada added liver warnings; those actions are not verified against the regulators' own pages. EFSA is assessing hydroxycitric acid. Authoritative guidance ^{1 22 9 29 20}
Mood and brain effects: mania and serotonin toxicity. Case reports describe mania, including in people with no earlier psychiatric history, within weeks of starting Garcinia, and one case of serotonin toxicity in a woman who also took an SSRI and many other medicines. These are single cases and cannot prove cause, but they are why NCCIH and ANSES warn about interactions with antidepressants and serotonin-affecting medicines. Case report ^{10 21 13 3 17}
Do not combine with antidepressants or other serotonin-affecting medicines without medical advice. The only serotonin toxicity case we found involved escitalopram then sertraline together with a Garcinia supplement. Interaction data in people do not exist; this is a warning from case reports and from NCCIH and ANSES guidance. Case report ^{13 17 1}
Multi-ingredient weight-loss products can hide other dangers, including lead. A 2025 case report found very high lead in a Garcinia-based multi-ingredient capsule bought online, in a woman with hepatitis and a blood disorder (sideroblastic anaemia). Most registry liver cases also took green tea extract. You cannot tell from the label what is really in these products. Case report ^{27 30}
Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding. NCCIH says little is known about safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. LactMed (not read by us; reported through a search summary) is said to advise avoiding it. The only reproduction study we read was in rats and from the developers of a branded extract. Authoritative guidance ^{17 19 5}
Higher-risk groups named by ANSES. People with liver disease or hepatitis, pancreatitis, psychiatric disorders, diabetes, obesity or high blood pressure, and people taking medicines that affect the liver, antiretroviral drugs or antidepressants. ANSES also says any weight-loss programme needs a health professional's support. Authoritative guidance ¹

Side effects 6

Effect	How often	Severity and recovery	Evidence
Liver injury (hepatitis, jaundice, acute liver failure) No rate given by any source we read. DILIN: 22 cases, 91% hospitalised, 1 death, 1 transplant. NPRA Malaysia: usual onset 1 to 4 weeks, can be up to 12 months.	Not established	severe Usually improves after stopping; some cases needed transplant or ended in death	Case series ^{30 33 4 12 31 6 20}
Nausea, headache, diarrhoea and other digestive symptoms NCCIH lists headache, nausea, diarrhoea and other digestive symptoms.	Gastrointestinal events were twice as common on HCA than placebo in one trial inside the 2011 review	mild Not stated	Authoritative guidance ^{17 23}
Mania or hypomania, sometimes with psychosis Onset 1 to 8 weeks after starting in the reports summarised by Nguyen 2019.	Not established	severe Settled after stopping Garcinia (with psychiatric treatment) in the cases read	Case series ^{10 21 3}
Serotonin toxicity (sweating, tremor, muscle jerks, fast heart rate) Single case with an SSRI and many other drugs.	Not established	severe Improved with treatment in the one case	Case report ¹³
Pancreatitis, heart effects and muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) Listed by ANSES; we did not read the underlying case files.	Among 38 French nutrivigilance cases (2009 to March 2024); split by type not read	severe Not stated	Authoritative guidance ¹
Lead poisoning from a contaminated multi-ingredient product The harm was linked to lead in that product.	Not established	severe Recovered with succimer in the one case	Case report ²⁷

Liver

Liver injury is the main safety issue. The pattern is like an idiosyncratic drug reaction: high ALT and AST with jaundice, starting 2 to 32 weeks after the first dose in the registry. A 2025 review of reports found more than 200 events and 34 case reports (1 death, 9 transplants, 17 with possible-to-highly-probable causality scores, and one case where the injury returned when the supplement was restarted). In the US registry (DILIN) 55% of Garcinia cases carried the HLA-B*35:01 gene variant, versus 19% of other supplement cases and 12% of conventional drug cases, which suggests an immune mechanism in some people. In Italy, 8 suspected liver reactions were reported from 2002 to 2022, all in women and mostly severe. Individual cases include a 56-year-old man with fulminant liver failure (ALT 4,664 U/L, INR 3.2) who improved with N-acetylcysteine, and a 21-year-old woman with acute liver failure after 4 weeks. Averages in clinical trials showed no change in liver enzymes, which does not exclude rare individual injury. ^{33 30 4 6 12 31 27 28 20 1 18}

How often. No frequency of liver injury could be given. NCCIH calls it uncommon without a number; ANSES counted 38 French cases in 15 years; the 2025 review counted more than 200 events. These are reports, so they undercount real cases and do not show the number of people using the products. LiverTox's entry could not be read (it was blocked); a search summary said it gives a likelihood score of B, which is NOT verified.

Monitoring. We found no agency advice to test liver enzymes in advance. NPRA Malaysia advises stopping the product and seeking care if liver symptoms appear. Health Canada (via NPRA) expects labels to be updated. People with liver disease are in ANSES's higher-risk group.

. US DILIN registry: 22 high-confidence cases, age 17 to 54; 5 Garcinia alone, 16 with green tea, 1 with ashwagandha; 1 death, 1 transplant, 91% hospitalised ³⁰
. Italy: four women with acute liver failure after Garcinia extract for weight loss ⁴
. Italian Phytovigilance System: 8 reports 2002-2022, all women, mostly severe; causality probable in 3 and possible in 5 ⁶
. 56-year-old man, fulminant hepatic failure, AST 4,222 and ALT 4,664 U/L, improved with N-acetylcysteine ¹²
. 21-year-old woman, acute liver failure after 4 weeks of use, other causes excluded ³¹
. Woman in her 60s with hepatitis and lead poisoning from a multi-ingredient Garcinia product ²⁷

This is a safety connection. It is not evidence that Garcinia Cambogia supports liver health.

Medicines and supplements 9

With	Why it matters	Importance	Evidence	What to do
Antidepressants (SSRIs) and other serotonin-affecting medicines prescription	Garcinia/HCA is described as raising serotonin in rats and as an SSRI-like uptake inhibitor in cells (cited in the case report); not shown in people.	One suspected serotonin toxicity case on escitalopram then sertraline with many other drugs. NCCIH reports interactions with medicines that affect serotonin; ANSES lists antidepressants among higher-risk uses.	Case report Very low certainty ^{13 17 1}	Do not combine without a prescriber. Report tremor, sweating, agitation or muscle jerks at once.
Medicines used for bipolar disorder or mood stabilisation; people with a history of mania prescription	Garcinia has been linked to mania in case reports, possibly through serotonin-related effects.	Mania in a man stable off medicine for six years and in a woman with bipolar II on aripiprazole, bupropion and topiramate (case series). Mania in someone with no history in another report.	Case series Very low certainty ^{10 21}	Avoid; tell your psychiatrist if you have used it.
Other medicines that can affect the liver (for example montelukast in the lab study) prescription	In liver cells the combination of Garcinia and montelukast cut cell survival and raised oxidative stress more than Garcinia alone.	NCCIH reports interactions with some drugs that affect the liver. The montelukast finding is from cells, not people.	Laboratory research Very low certainty ^{6 17}	Tell your doctor or pharmacist about every medicine; ask before combining.
Drugs cleared by the CYP2B6 enzyme (examples not named in the study abstract) prescription	A rind extract blocked CYP2B6 in human liver microsomes, time-dependently. Pure HCA did not.	No human interaction study. The authors only suggest caution.	Laboratory research Very low certainty ³²	Ask a pharmacist if you take a medicine processed by this enzyme.
Statins and other cholesterol medicines prescription	Theory only: both can change blood fats; both have been linked to rare liver injury.	No study found of Garcinia with statins. Not an established interaction.	Pharmacological theory Not enough evidence ²	Do not stop or replace a statin. Tell your prescriber about any Garcinia product.
Diabetes medicines prescription	Theory only. Trials found no overall effect of Garcinia on glucose or insulin, with exploratory subgroup differences.	No study found of Garcinia with diabetes drugs. ANSES lists diabetes as a higher-risk group.	Pharmacological theory Not enough evidence ^{28 1}	Do not use instead of diabetes treatment; tell your care team.
Antiretroviral medicines prescription	Not explained in the ANSES page we read.	ANSES lists people on antiretrovirals as a higher-risk group.	Authoritative guidance Not enough evidence ¹	Ask your HIV care team before using.
Green tea extract and other fat-burner supplements supplement	Many reported liver cases involved combination products; the injury was indistinguishable from green tea extract injury.	16 of 22 registry cases also took green tea; South Korea is reported (unverified) to bar mixing Garcinia with other body-fat-reducing ingredients.	Case series Low certainty ^{30 22}	Avoid stacking weight-loss supplements.
Alcohol other	Not explained.	Reported (unverified, news summary) that South Korea's new label warns to avoid alcohol while taking it.	Authoritative guidance Not enough evidence ²²	Avoid alcohol if you take it, as a precaution.

Who should check first 7

Situation	Advice	Evidence
Liver disease, hepatitis, or a past reaction to a supplement	Do not use. ANSES names hepatitis as a higher-risk situation and USP added a liver caution to its monographs.	Authoritative guidance ^{1 33}
Pregnancy	Avoid. Safety is unknown (NCCIH).	Authoritative guidance ¹⁷
Breastfeeding	Avoid. NCCIH says little is known; LactMed is reported to advise avoidance (not read).	Authoritative guidance ^{17 19}
Children and teenagers	No studies in children were found. TGA is reported to bar such products from being directed at children and pregnant or breastfeeding women (unverified); New York restricts sales to minors (unverified, news report).	Authoritative guidance ²²
Bipolar disorder or a history of mania or psychosis	Avoid; mania has been reported even in stable patients.	Case series ^{10 21}
Taking antidepressants or other serotonin-affecting medicines	Avoid unless a prescriber agrees.	Case report ^{13 1}
Pancreatitis, diabetes, obesity or high blood pressure	ANSES lists these as higher-risk groups. Ask a clinician before any use.	Authoritative guidance ¹

Overdose, product quality and regulators

Summary. Animal tests of the developers' branded salt looked reassuring, but those pre-date and do not explain the human liver reports.

Animal. A 90-day rat study of HCA-SX at up to 2500 mg/kg/day found lower body weight and feed intake but no other adverse effects; Ames tests were not judged to show mutagenicity (Soni 2004, review by the product's developers). A two-generation rat study found no effects on fertility, pregnancy or offspring at diets up to 10,000 ppm (Deshmukh 2008).

Human doses studied. Trials ran up to about 12 weeks; the 2004 review mentions trials with up to 2800 mg/day HCA. This page does not recommend any amount.

High dose or long term signals. South Korea is reported (unverified) to have cut its maximum daily intake from 2,800 mg to 1,500 mg of extract after hepatitis cases. NPRA says the liver risk appears idiosyncratic, not clearly related to dose or duration.

Overdose response. No overdose case found.

Genotoxicity. Ames tests of the branded salt in the 2004 review were not judged to show a mutagenic effect; the full results were not read.

Toxic plant parts. This profile covers the dried fruit rind only. We did not find authoritative data on other parts, and other Garcinia species are different plants.

Weight-loss supplements are often multi-ingredient and sometimes contaminated. We found one case of lead poisoning and a report of banned drugs in some products.

Lead in a Garcinia-based capsule. A woman in her 60s had hepatitis, sideroblastic anaemia and confirmed lead poisoning; the online-bought capsules had very high lead. ²⁷

Undeclared drugs. NutraIngredients reports that Singapore warned about Garcinia products containing undeclared sennosides and sibutramine. Secondary source, NOT verified. ²²

Hydroxycut recall. The same article says the US FDA requested a recall of 14 Hydroxycut products in 2009 after liver injury reports, and notes the formula also contained high-dose EGCG. NOT verified at the FDA. ²²

Combination products. Most registry cases took Garcinia with green tea extract. ³⁰

Body	Action	Date
NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health) (United States)	Says it may be unsafe to consume Garcinia cambogia products; numerous reports of liver toxicity; possible interactions; little known about pregnancy and breastfeeding. source	2025-02
ANSES (French food safety agency) (France)	Advises the whole population against food supplements containing Garcinia cambogia; prescribing and dispensing of medicines containing it prohibited since 2012; flagged EFSA assessment of HCA. source	2025-03-05
NPRA (Malaysia) (Malaysia)	Safety alert: hepatotoxicity risk; no new restriction announced; review continuing. source	2026-01-27
US Pharmacopeia (USP) (United States)	Revised its Garcinia monographs in 2024 to add a cautionary statement about possible liver damage.	2024
EFSA (European Union)	Assessment of the safety of hydroxycitric acid ongoing; outcome could restrict or ban HCA.	2025

When to get medical help

Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice), dark urine or pale stools: stop the product and get medical care the same day.
Pain in the upper right abdomen, ongoing nausea or vomiting, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite.
Sweating, tremor, muscle jerks, fast heartbeat, agitation or confusion, especially if you take an antidepressant (possible serotonin toxicity): emergency care.
Sleeping very little with racing thoughts, big spending or unusual energy and talkativeness (possible mania): urgent medical advice.
Severe belly pain, muscle pain with dark urine, or chest symptoms: urgent care (reported by ANSES).
Pallor and weakness after a multi-ingredient weight-loss product (possible lead poisoning): ask about blood tests.

Stop the supplement and contact a clinician or emergency service. In the US, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.

General information only, not medical advice. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before use, especially with medicines, in pregnancy or with a health condition. See the Natural Remedy Safety guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does Garcinia cambogia help you lose weight?

Not reliably. A 135-person, 12-week trial found no benefit over placebo. Pooled reviews found at most a small extra loss of around 1 kg, and one found no effect. NCCIH says it is unclear whether these products help.

^{11 23 15 17}

Can Garcinia cambogia damage the liver?

Yes, it has been reported. NCCIH describes numerous reports of liver toxicity, some severe. A 2025 review counted more than 200 events and 34 case reports, including one death and nine liver transplants. We do not know how often it happens, because the sources are reports, not rates.

^{17 33}

What did French regulators say?

ANSES advised the whole population against food supplements containing Garcinia cambogia in March 2025, after a fatal fulminant hepatitis and other severe effects. Trade press reports France then suspended sales by an order of April 2025, but we did not read the order itself.

^{1 22}

Is it safer if I buy a well-known brand?

We cannot say. The reports do not show that some brands are safer, and many cases involved products with several ingredients. A branded extract (HCA-SX) was tested mostly by research linked to its developers, not by independent safety trials.

^{30 26 24}

Can it cause mania or other mood problems?

Case reports describe mania, including in a man with no psychiatric history and in people with bipolar disorder, starting within weeks of use. These are single cases and cannot prove cause. Avoid it if you have bipolar disorder or a history of mania.

^{10 21 3}

Is it safe with antidepressants?

Not without medical advice. One case report describes serotonin toxicity (sweating, tremor, muscle jerks) in a woman taking an SSRI and a Garcinia supplement, along with many other medicines. NCCIH and ANSES both warn about interactions with serotonin-affecting medicines and antidepressants.

^{13 17 1}

Does it interact with statins or diabetes medicines?

We found no study of Garcinia with statins or with diabetes medicines, so any interaction is theory. A lab study showed the extract blocks a drug-processing enzyme, CYP2B6, but not in people. ANSES lists people with diabetes and those on liver-affecting medicines as higher-risk groups. Ask a pharmacist.

^{32 1 28}

Does it lower cholesterol or blood sugar?

Slightly for triglycerides and HDL in a pooling of 14 short trials, with big differences between trials. No overall effect on blood sugar or insulin in a pooling of nine trials. These marker changes do not show better health outcomes.

^{2 28}

Is it safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding?

Avoid it. NCCIH says little is known about safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. We could not read LactMed itself; a search summary said it advises avoiding it.

^{17 19}

Can supplements be contaminated?

It can happen. A 2025 case report found very high lead in a Garcinia-based multi-ingredient capsule bought online, in a woman with hepatitis and a blood disorder. Weight-loss blends are also reported to hide undeclared drugs, according to a news report we could not verify.

^{27 22}

What warning signs mean I should stop it?

Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, upper right belly pain, ongoing nausea, unusual tiredness, sweating with tremor or muscle jerks, or sleeping very little with racing thoughts. Stop the product and get medical care. NPRA Malaysia says symptoms usually start 1 to 4 weeks after starting but can take up to 12 months.

^{20 13 10}

How much should I take?

We make no amount recommendation here. Given the safety reports, ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any Garcinia product.

¹⁷

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Editorial transparency

Written by: AlternativeMed editorial team. Research compiled with AI assistance, then checked against PubMed records.
Medical review: None. This page has not been reviewed by a physician or pharmacist.
First published: 2026-10-25
Last substantive update: 2026-10-25
How we research: We searched PubMed, NCCIH, ANSES, NPRA Malaysia, GBIF, NCBI and PubChem, and recorded each study's design, people, product and result as reported. Mostly abstracts were read; the serotonin toxicity and mania case reports were read in full. Several regulator actions (TGA, Health Canada, Korea, UK COT, FDA, French order) come from news reports or search summaries and are marked not verified. We could not read LiverTox or LactMed, and found no EMA/HMPC monograph; these are marked not found or not read, not confirmed absent. Certainty ratings are the compiler's reading, not formal grades. No study is cited that we could not verify. Industry-linked work is flagged.
How we rate evidence: See "How we rate evidence" in the Evidence tab.
Independence: No product is promoted on this page. No affiliate links are shown. If one is added later it will be labelled and kept apart from the evidence.

Sources 33

Each source was opened and checked. Where we read only the abstract, it says so. The small numbers in the text point here.

ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Do not consume food supplements containing Garcinia cambogia (ANSES news release). ANSES news release, 5 March 2025. 2025. (full-text)
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Preuss HG, Bagchi D, Bagchi M, et al.. Effects of a natural extract of (-)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA-SX) and a combination of HCA-SX plus niacin-bound chromium and Gymnema sylvestre extract on weight loss.. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. 2004. PMID 15056124. DOI 10.1111/j.1462-8902.2004.00328.x. (abstract)
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