What is Gugulipid or guggul-lipid? Find out how guggulipid works to lower cholesterol. Learn about guggul-lipid clinical trials that prove that guggul-lipid lowers cholesterol naturally.
What is guggul?
Guggulipid is an ancient herb that comes from the gummy resin of the Mukul myrrh tree. It is a thorny tree that grows in Northern India.
Traditionally guggul lipid has been used to treat arthritis, rheumatism, hemorrhoids, urinary disorder, obesity, skin diseases, and high cholesterol. It has been claimed to be widely used for over 2,000 years.
Guggul-lipid clinical trials.
Previously, guggul was used in animal studies and it was found that guggul lowered cholesterol levels and protected against the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries leading to heart attack). Since then, studies were made in humans to determine the effectiveness of guggul- lipid in lowering cholesterol.
In one study 205 patients reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol by an average of 26 percent and triglycerides by 22.6 percent. They used a supplement of 500 mg of guggulipid for 12 weeks with no change in diet or lifestyle.
Another study involved 61 patients aged 25 to 65 years old, whose cholesterol levels were greater than 200 mg/dl. They were divided into two groups and advised to keep a low-fat diet and to eat at least 400 grams per day of fruits and vegetables.
However, one group was given an additional 50 mg of guggulipid twice a day for 24 weeks or 6 months.
While the diet alone caused a significant decrease in total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides in both groups, those treated with the guggulipid had a further 11.7 percent drop in the total cholesterol, along with a 12.7 percent decrease in LDL (bad) cholesterol and a 12 percent decrease in triglycerides. At the same time, their total cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol ratio rose by 11.1 percent. (The higher this ratio the less the chances of getting a heart attack)
How does guggul work to lower cholesterol?
Studies conducted at the University of Texas and Baylor College established that guggul-lipid blocks the activity of a receptor in the liver’s cell, called farnesoid X receptor (FXR) (you don’t have to remember it).
This receptor (FXR), binds to bile acids, which maintain normal cholesterol levels. In humans, about 500 mg of cholesterol is converted in bile acids every day. This route for the elimination of excess cholesterol is important, especially when the intake of cholesterol is massive.
When bile acid levels are high, it binds to the FXR site and this action stops further production of bile acids. By inhibiting FXR, the production of bile acids continues and thus rids the body of more cholesterol.
Gugulipid had also blood thinning (anti-platelet) and antioxidant properties as well, which are plus points in the treatment of high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.
The antiplatelet effect prevents blood platelets from clumping together, and as an antioxidant, guggulipid prevents LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidizing. These reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Most importantly, there are no significant side effects with the purified extract of guggulipid except for minor gastric upsets experienced by some on long-term use. Guggul-lipid should not be used in pregnancy and if you are taking prescription drugs you should consult your doctor before taking guggul-lipid and stopping your drugs.
How to choose a guggul-lipid supplement?
1. It is important to choose a Gugulipid supplement that uses only standardized extract. The resin from which the herb comes harbors toxic substances, which can induce a host of problems. The standardized extract has had these toxic substances removed, leaving only the active ingredients which are beneficial.
2. Ensure your supplement is produced at a pharmaceutical GMP facility. Such places adhere to the highest manufacturing standards. The nutritional supplement industry is largely unregulated and this is the only way you can be sure that you’re getting the number of ingredients stated on the label.
3. Since some supplements can adversely interact with others, to the detriment of your health, it’s crucial that any product that contains several or more ingredients is scientifically formulated. Many products on the market are conceived and promoted by marketers rather than top-notch scientists with impeccable credentials.
4. Be sure the products do not contain any fillers or additives (examples include: sugar, starch, gluten, silica (sand!), or any artificial colors or flavors.
5. Find a trustworthy Manufacturer. Normally, it’s very difficult to know if a manufacturer is trustworthy. In fact, this industry is known for its dishonesty. There are so many companies with substandard ingredients, false labeling, poor quality control systems, and customer service, that an honest company dedicated to excellent customer support truly stands out.
A Comprehensive Guggul Product
If you would like to purchase a guggul product, you can easily find one by going to www.google.com and typing in the search engine “buy guggulipid”. However, you need to choose the right company with the right guggul-lipid supplement, fulfilling the above requirements.
One company that meets the above requirements is Xtend-Life Natural Products from New Zealand, which has one of the strictest regulatory environments in the world for the manufacture of dietary supplements, far exceeding U.S. FDA standards.
You can check out their cholesterol-lowering product that contains guggulipid by clicking here.
Their breakthrough Cholesterol Formula contains guggul-lipid, along with policosanol (and many other important heart health nutrients) and offers the best value for money we could find after doing many comparisons on the market.
Another reason is that Warren Matthews, who owns the company, along with the Matthews family, worked full-time researching the connections between preventative medicine and health from 1998 through 2000. He has traveled the world, examining the manufacturing, distribution, and promotion of supplements.
If you have a look at their website, you will notice that it is solely focused on product information and not focused on marketing and making unsubstantiated claims. There is no hype and no hard sell tactics.
Further, xtend-Life products are designed by exceptional scientists. The company has a very ‘lean’ and efficient structure that allows very competitive pricing — with no sacrifice in quality.
Again, you can check their Cholesterol Formula, which contains guggulipid, by clicking here.