Today, we are going to look at one of the key ingredients used in both GlycoShield and LipoShield, Hydroxycitric acid, or HCA.  HCA is derived from a small fruit called Garcinia Cambogia that grows in Southeast Asia and parts of India. Although it has been used traditionally for hundreds of years, Garcinia made a huge splash a few years ago when introduced as a “miracle’ weight loss drug.  After many trials and high expectations, many users were disappointed by the underwhelming results that followed the hype of this small fruit extract. So why did we decide to include Garcinia in our products when results have been so underwhelming? The answer is easy, the Hydroxycitric acid extracted from the fruit, when standardized from 50-60%, can be extremely potent.  Many early users that tried product may not have been weary of labels that said “100% pure Garcinia Cambogia” or “Standardized to 90% HCA”. The truth of the matter is, clinical trials that were conducted on humans that reaped the most positive benefits used a MAXIMUM of 60% standardized HCA. So, what does that mean? The bottom line is if you have not used an HCA product that is standardized between 50% and 60%, you are not only missing out on numerous positive benefits, but you may also be experiencing some negative side effects as well.  Here’s a few reasons why we include 50% Hydroxycitric Acid in our products.

#1: Studies have shown that HCA plays a key role in preventing visceral fat accumulation.

Obviously, there are no miracle drugs that completely block fat accumulation in your system but HCA does a pretty good job to prevent it.  A 2003 double blind study used a moderate dose (1000mg) of HCA or 1667.25mg standardized at 60% HCA of Garcinia Cambogia daily to test 18 individuals, while 21 individuals took a placebo pill.  The goal was to test both men and women to find out the effects that HCA had on visceral fat accumulation over a 16-week period. Results found that after the 16 weeks, not only had individuals in the Garcinia group significantly reduced visceral, subcutaneous, and total fat areas, but they also had noticed their BMI percentages changed slightly as well (1).  Individuals who took part in this study ranged from 20-65 years old and were considered to be in an overweight or obese category which meant that they would use a CT scan as well as Body indices to determine fat loss rather than just the BMI scale. At the end of the study it was found that all men in the study took in 2250 calories daily while women took in 1800 calories daily over the course of this study, but their exercise rates varied on their own personal preferences (although many suggested they lived a sedentary lifestyle).  So, what does this mean for the average individual who supplements with HCA? Well in short, when dieting and exercising regularly, supplementing with HCA can lead to the blocking of fat accumulation, throughout the body. Although the study tested the stomach specifically and saw a reduction in fat, HCA does not lead to spot reduction meaning fat can be reduced throughout the whole body. Using Hydroxycitric acid as a “damage control” supplement makes it a perfect addition to those who are bulking or cutting phase. For those who are bulking, HCA can assure that those extra calories are used for repair and recovery of the body and are not stored as fat.  In a cutting phase, it makes sure your lessened calories are put to good use and will help to remove stored fat in certain areas. This actually brings us to our next use for HCA; fat oxidation.

#2 Studies suggest HCA can improve fat oxidation.

Another 2003 study showed that supplementing with HCA during exercise increased fat oxidation in athletes as well as in untrained women (2)(3).   For athletes, the study used 250mg of HCA daily over the course of 5 days during a 1hr cycle ergometer test. The study used expired gas samples and blood analyzation to find that during the tests, fat oxidation was significantly increased while carbohydrate oxidation was significantly decreased during this test.  This study makes a case for HCA to also be an important supplement that can be used during low carb diets or individuals who are taking a ketogenic approach. By switching the bodies natural source of fuel from carbohydrates to fats, more fat can be burned during the workout, which actually can help to also increase endurance during your workouts. The tests that were conducted on untrained women also showed that HCA improved fat mobilization not only during physical exercise but also at rest.  Improved fat oxidation during rest means you have the opportunity to burn fat, before, during, and after exercise. Because we recommend taking our products before consuming a meal, this ensures that your body will either use excess fat that is consumed, or it has the opportunity to burn it throughout the day. The best part about the HPScience’s products is they can be taken with any meal, anytime and just 4 caps of GlycoShield per day is the equivalent of 250mg of HCA; the same used in the study.  This is another reason we included a 50% standardization of HCA in our products; to keep consistent with the positive studies and results of human trials.

#3 HCA has the ability to regulate appetite

This may be one of the most important reasons we included HCA into our products.  Many studies suggest that supplementing with HCA has the ability to suppress your appetite through various mechanisms.  A culmination of over 15 studies have found that HCA plays a role in numerous biological pathways and this can help to suppress appetite a well as manipulate serotonin levels in the brain (4).  These studies suggest that HCA is a primary ingredient that can inhibit ATP citrate lyase. ATP citrate lyase is an enzyme that separates citrate into oxaloacetate and acetyl-CoA. Now all this nomenclature and science talk may be confusing, but essentially by HCA inhibiting ATP citrate lyase, a signal is sent to the brain altering metabolic actions and serotonin level associated with reduced appetite increase.  The result of this serotonin increase happens rather quickly which is why we recommend consuming GlycoShield or LipoShield around meal time. By consuming the product before meals, it can also help to reduce the feelings of hunger while eating. This is just another way that the Shielded Stack combined uses HCA to help increase weight loss. A classic American’s diet is almost always filled with processed food, large amounts of sugar, and high in fat.  Couple that with cravings we get from junk food and you feel like your diet is doomed from the start. This is why controlling the cravings before they happen is key to keeping your diet on track. HCA has many studies, including numerous with human trials that concluded serotonin regulation and appetite suppression.

Despite Garcinia Camobogia’s bad rap as a “miracle drug” that helps you lose weight quick, the hydroxycitric acid derived from the fruit actually has many benefits.  When taken in the right dosage and standardized between 50% and 60% as it is in GlycoShield and LipoShield, HCA can increase fat oxidation, suppress cravings and your appetite, and help to oxidize fat.  Numerous studies have concluded the positive benefits of HCA and the proof is in the pudding with HPScience’s reviews so far. Don’t be afraid because a couple of famous TV “Doctor’s” made this ingredient go out of style.  Garcinia is here to stay for the long haul.

Sources:

1-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4053034/

2-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3748738/

3-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12171433

4-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3748738/