3 Health Benefits of Guggul + Side Effects

Guggul has long been used as a traditional medicine for a variety of health conditions. There is evidence that the active components inside this plant have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Learn about the potential health benefits of guggul as well as the side effects. Guggul is the most common name for a small medicinal tree Commiphora Mukul (Wightii), which is mostly found in the Indian subcontinent. In Ayurveda, guggul dry gum resin is obtained from the stem of the Guggul tree. It has been used for thousands of years in the Ayurvedic medicine system [ 1 ]. Guggul is one of the oldest Ayurvedic herbs taken orally for a variety of diseases. The term “guggul” in Sanskrit means “protects against diseases”. Guggul supplements are sometimes referred to as guggulipid or guggul lipid [ 2 ]. Despite its long history and purported health benefits, the available clinical research on guggul is limited. Guggul contains a mixture of sterols, steroids, esters, and alcohols with multiple purported benefits: Steroids and sterols : The main active component of guggul is thought to be guggulsterone (E and Z). Other steroids found in guggul include guggulsterone M, dihydroguggulsterone, and guggulsterol Y. These steroidal components may have anti-inflammatory properties [ 3 ] Triterpenoids : Myrrhanone (A, B) and Myrrhanol (A, B, C) may have anti-inflammatory activity [ 2, 4 ]. The following purported benefits of guggul are only supported by limited, low-quality clinical studies. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of guggul for any of the uses listed below. Remember to speak with a doctor before taking guggul. It should never be used as a replacement for approved medical therapies. Lowering Cholesterol A number of older clinical trials performed in India show that guggul may help with high cholesterol. In these studies, supplementation with […]

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