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Caralluma

Caralluma is a genus of cactus plant from India. This plant grows wild in India and is often used to border gardens. It is also found wild in Africa, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, southern Europe and the Canary Islands. Traditionally, Indian tribes chewed pieces of Caralluma to suppress hunger during a long hunt. Today, a solution containing chemicals from this plant is used to suppress appetite and promote weight loss. Caralluma is also used to quench thirst and increase stamina. In India, caralluma is cooked as a vegetable and used as an ingredient in chutney and other preserved products. Caralluma is also eaten raw.

How does caralluma work?

It is believed that chemicals contained in the caralluma plant can reduce appetite.

How effective is Caralluma?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of Caralluma in supporting weight loss and obesity. Research suggests that taking a Caralluma extract for 60 days may reduce abdominal girth, hunger and calorie and fat intake. However, such an extract does not appear to reduce weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage and other measurements.

There is also insufficient scientific data on the effectiveness of Caralluma in reducing thirst and increasing endurance.

Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Caralluma in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Caralluma appears to be safe and harmless for most people when up to 500 mg of an extract is used twice daily for up to 60 days. The safety of long-term use is not known. Caralluma may cause mild side effects such as stomach upset, bloating, constipation and stomach pain. These side effects usually disappear after a week of use.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the use of Caralluma during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid benzoin.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of Caralluma with medications or supplements.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of Caralluma depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for Caralluma. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Gencor Pacific, Inc. new dietary ingredient notification: Caralluma fimbriata extract: Volumes 1-3. notification to U.S. Food and Drug Administration, August 25, 2004. available at: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/95s0316/95s-0316-rpt0252-05-Caralluma-Fimbriata-Extract-vol184.pdf.
  2. Kuriyan R, Raj T, Srinivas SK, et al. Effect of Caralluma Fimbriata extract on appetite, food intake and anthropometry in adult Indian men and women. Appetite 2007;48:338-44.