What is Garcinia cambogia?

Garcinia cambogia is a tropical plant from India and South-East Asia.

The skin of the Garcinia cambogia fruit has a chemical in it called hydroxycitric acid (HCA). This chemical is promoted as being able to help you lose weight.

Garcinia cambogia is sold as a dietary supplement. It is available as a powder or pill. It is sold under many different names— garcinia, garcinia cambogia extract, cambogia garcinia, garcinia diet supplement, garcinia gummi-gutta, garcinia complex or brindleberry.

What is Garcinia cambogia used for?

Garcinia cambogia has been advertised as being able to help you lose weight without needing to exercise or go on a diet. The HCA chemical can have different effects on your body, such as suppressing your appetite.

Some studies suggest that Garcinia cambogia helps animals lose weight. However, current research has found that it probably does not help people lose weight. If Garcinia cambogia does help with weight loss, the effect is very small. Garcinia cambogia is not a breakthrough supplement, as some advertisements claim.

Are there any side effects or risks to Garcinia cambogia?

Garcinia cambogia can cause side effects including:

• headaches
• upset stomach including — vomiting, nausea, stomach pains
• tiredness
• liver failure

Doctors don’t fully understand how Garcinia cambogia causes liver failure.

If you are taking Garcinia cambogia, it’s important to remember that it can have negative or unwanted effects. As well as having side effects, it may interact with other medicines you are taking. This can include both prescribed and other complementary medicines or supplements.

Always tell your doctor if you are thinking about taking a new medicine to discuss the risks and benefits. They can then make sure it is safe for you to take.

ASK YOUR DOCTOR — Preparing for an appointment? Use the Question Builder for general tips on what to ask your GP or specialist.

Is Garcinia cambogia safe?

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has checked the safety and quality of Garcinia cambogia products available for sale in Australia. The TGA states that it is safe for use as an ingredient in lower-risk medicines. The TGA did not check if the advertised benefits of Garcinia cambogia are true.

Garcinia cambogia is also available online. Buying medicines or supplements online can be risky. Many websites are fake, or may sell out-of-date, poor quality, contaminated or counterfeit (fake) medicines. Sorting real websites from fake ones is not easy.

Visit the Healthdirect buying medicines online article to find out about buying medicines online.

What are the alternatives to Garcinia cambogia?

If you are looking for other ways to lose weight as alternatives to taking Garcinia cambogia, talk to your doctor. They can help you find a safe and effective weight loss strategy that is right for you.

Eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly is a healthy way to start.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

Resources and support:

If you would like to lose weight, visit Dietitians Australia’s diet and nutrition health advice page to learn about healthy weight loss strategies.

Visit the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to understand how they regulate medicines, medical devices and supplements — to help keep Australians safe and healthy.

You can read more about dietary supplements on our Healthdirect Dietary supplements webpage.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.