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Guggul which is short for gugglesterone, is also known as Indian Bedellium in Ayurvedic medicine. This is a highly effective herbal medicin, and with over 3,000 years of history, it has been well established in treating numerous medical conditions such as rheumatism, arthritis and obesity. Guggul is a resin that comes from the stem of the commiphora mukul tree which is a small but thorny plant native to India. Historically the primary use was for a disease that is similar in nature to atherosclerosis, but now the extracts have been approved for use in lowering the serum cholesterol and triglycerides. It is done through ketonic steroid compounds known as guggulsterones which leads to the lowering of the cholesterol. While lowering the triglyceride levels it also lowers the LDL and VLDL cholesterols that are more commonly known as the “bad” cholesterols. It even raises the HDL cholesterol which is the “good” cholesterol, not to mention that guggul may decrease platelet stickiness which lowers the risk of coronary artery disease.

Currently in both India and in France guggul is so effective that is considered to be a prescription drug in the treatment of high cholesterol. In the United States however it is still sold over the counter. It is more often than not combined with other cholesterol-lowering compounds such as niacin, garlic, and red yeast rice extract. With the compounds available it may also stimulate the thyroid gland which deals with the cholesterol metabolism that can lead to hypothyroidism. This is one of the leading causes of high cholesterol, so effectively it is speeding up the metabolism for your cholesterol and therefore lowering it. As far as weight loss is concerned, there are still ongoing studies involved before recommending it completely for this reason.

On average, during studies that were conducted in India, out of 205 people 70% to 80% of them saw a drop of 24% in their cholesterol and almost 23% in their triglycerides. This happened after about 3 to 4 weeks of regular use. A typical does of guggul is about 25 mg taken 3 times per day. Most extracts can be taken up to 6 months for the maximum cholesterol lowering benefits. 

However there are possible side effects associated with guggul. It can cause:

• Diarrhea

• Abdominal pain

• Skin rash

The most current extracts on the market are more purified and therefore have fewer side effects, especially with long term use. It does however interfere with some medications such as Propranolol and Diltiazem. Also, people who have been diagnosed with liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or constant diarrhea should speak with their doctor before beginning this supplement treatment.

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