Diet & Fitness

Guggul, a mixture of ketonic steroids from the gum oleoresin of Commiphora mukul, is an approved treatment of hyperlipidemia in India and has been a mainstay of Ayurvedic herbal approaches to preventing atherosclerosis. Clinical trials indicate that guggul is effective in the treatment of high TGs; in one trial, serum TGs fell by 30.3%.¹⁰

However, these results have not been confirmed by large, controlled trials. The recommended daily intake of guggul is typically based on the amount of guggulsterones in the extract. The recommended amount of guggulsterones is 25 mg three times per day. Most extracts contain 5–10% guggulsterones. Guggul’s effect on TGs should be monitored for three to four months, and guggul may be taken long term if successful in lowering TGs.

Guggulsterones are compounds from guggul (also known as guggulipid), a gum resin from Commiphora wightii (a plant native to India) that has been used for centuries as a traditional Ayurvedic medicine to treat a wide range of ailments.¹¹ Guggulsterones have been found to bind to receptors involved in cholesterol metabolism, and some clinical research suggests it can lower cholesterol levels.¹² However, results of controlled trials using guggul have been mixed. One publication described two controlled crossover trials: one included 205 participants and compared guggulipid to placebo and the other with 233 participants compared guggulipid to the cholesterol-lowering drug clofibrate (Atromid-S). Treatment with 500 mg of guggulipid three times daily for 12 weeks resulted in an 11% drop in total cholesterol levels and was more likely to raise HDL-cholesterol levels than clofibrate.^11,14 Other early trials had similarly positive findings,¹⁵ but more recent research has been disappointing. For example, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 103 participants with high cholesterol levels found supplementation with 1–2 grams of guggulipid three times daily for eight weeks had no effect on total or HDL-cholesterol levels but significantly increased LDL-cholesterol levels by 4–5% compared with placebo.¹⁶ In another randomized controlled trial with 34 subjects, 2.16 grams of guggul daily for 12 weeks decreased total and HDL-cholesterol levels and had no effect on LDL-cholesterol levels.¹⁷

In a preliminary trial, supplementation with 500 mg of a concentrated extract (3.5% guggulsterones) of Commiphora mukul (guggul) three times per day for one month resulted in a significant improvement in symptoms in people with osteoarthritis of the knee.¹⁷ Double-blind trials are needed to rule out the possibility of a placebo effect.

 

One controlled trial found that guggul (Commiphora mukul) compared favorably to tetracycline in the treatment of cystic acne.¹⁸ The amount of guggul extract taken in the trial was 500 mg twice per day.

Guggul is a resinous compound extracted from the mukul myrrh tree (Commiphora mukul) that has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine to treat conditions including heart disease, lipid disorders, and obesity.¹⁹ Laboratory research suggests guggul and its active constituents, guggulsterones, may improve fat tissue function and stimulate breakdown of fat for energy.²⁰ Investigations into its ability to lower high cholesterol levels have had mixed results,²¹ and one open trial found patients with metabolic syndrome lost a small amount of weight after taking a combination of guggul, curcumin, and chlorogenic acid for four months.²²