Hydroxycitric Acid is also known by the more “friendly” acronym HCA. HCA is a form of acid that is most prominently found in the garcinia plant — a purple plant that grows all throughout the Indian subcontinent and parts of Asia.
HCA is concentrated in the rind of the garcinia fruit, and has been consumed for centuries by people in Southeast Asia. It has recently become famous in the United States and elsewhere as a potential weight loss aid.
Studies of HCA thus far have found very little risk of toxicity, either acute or over a long period of time. This has encouraged people to explore the use of HCA further and combine it with a variety of diets and weight loss plans.
Traditional Uses Of HCA And The Garcinia Plant
In the cultural context of India, Garcinia has a variety of uses beyond encouraging weight loss. It has been traditionally used to improve symptoms of rheumatism. It is also used for encouraging better bowel function.
For the time being, the conventional medical research about the use of HCA is somewhat limited. HCA has been made widely available in the United States thanks to its role in supplements for supporting general fitness.
HCA is probably most famous to people in the United States thanks to the popularity of the family of supplements called “Hydroxycut.” These are among the most common weight loss and general fitness supplements on the market.
The makers of these supplements have posted research studies on their websites that purport to show their impact, but these have not been reviewed by scientists in the traditional manner. As a result, it’s important to be thoughtful about the current state of knowledge on HCA.
As time goes on, more and more studies are being conducted to focus on HCA and its potential value!
