Guggul or Guggulu is one of the most prominent folk herbal medicines that have been used for centuries in Ayurveda. Guggul is basically a gum resin extracted from a variety of plants. It is native to some specific regions of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan
Another name for guggul is “Pura,” which means “repels sickness.” It serves as a source for “Gum Guggul” sold commercially. Oleo-gum-resin is the primary bioactive component of guggul (a mixture of an oil and yellowish or brownish fluid secreted from the plant stem or bark). It is claimed that this oleo-gum resin has medicinal advantages.
Guggul is made up of a variety of plant substances, including steroids, essential oils, lignans, flavonoids, carbohydrates, and amino acids. Here, let us check out Guggul health benefits, it’s medicinal uses, precautions, and side effects.
Medicinal Uses of Guggulu
- According to a preliminary study, Guggul is found to treat some anti-inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, psoriasis, eczema, and acne.
- it has been used to treat hypothyroidism, encourage weight loss, and control cholesterol and blood sugar levels.( source )
- In Ayurvedic medicine, a comprehensive, plant-based medicinal system, guggul has been used for generations to treat a variety of medical ailments, including obesity, arthritis, and inflammation (Source )
- Guggul is helpful in weight management, according to Ayurveda, because it increases the digestive fire while also improving metabolism and reducing Ama (toxic residues left over from incorrect digestion).
- Its anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic characteristics also help in reducing swelling, pain, and stiffness in joints in cases of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Health Benefits of Guggul that can lead you towards a healthy life.
Benefits of Guggul: helps in Acne problems.
It has been investigated that guggul can be a very good source of treating acne problems.
Nodulocystic acne is a severe type of acne that affects the face, chest, and back, has been demonstrated to respond well to both complementary and alternative therapy ( source )
Guggulsterone, which can be taken orally in doses of 25 mg, has been shown in one old research of 21 individuals to be equally as effective at treating acne as the antibiotic tetracycline ( source )
Additionally, guggulsterone had a considerably better effect on persons with noticeably oily skin than tetracycline did ( source )
Guggul Health Benefits and Diabetes
Online, you could come across claims that guggul can control diabetes and lower blood sugar. However, there is a dearth of recent evidence, and most studies on guggul and its impact on blood sugar levels were carried out on animals.
Furthermore, guggul was statistically ineffectual at decreasing blood sugar levels in persons with type 2 diabetes, according to a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Health Benefits of Guggul : can help in weight loss
Guggul is frequently credited with aiding in the treatment of obesity by encouraging fat loss and reducing hunger. However, there is very little credible evidence to back up its usage for this objective.
According to a test-tube study, guggul may encourage weight loss by causing the breakdown of fat, which lowers the amount of fatty tissue ( source )
Guggul was found to have favorable effects on the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which control hunger, in another rat study. It’s not clear, though, whether these effects would transfer to humans ( source )
Guggul Health Benefits: how Guggul helps in treating psoriasis and eczema
Both psoriasis and eczema are non-contagious skin disorders that are mostly brought on by skin inflammation.
The effects of guggul derived from the Boswellia serrata plant have been the focus of the majority of studies on its potential to treat this and other skin irritations. Guggul-based lotions have been demonstrated to help persons with psoriasis and eczema feel less itchy, red, or inflamed. A recent study also discovered that skin response that happened as a side effect of breast cancer radiotherapy treatment might be addressed using a lotion based on guggul. It was discovered that the guggul-based cream reduced the requirement for topical steroid creams while also improving skin symptoms like redness, irritation, soreness, and pain. (source 1),( source 2)
Hyperthyroidism and Guggul
Thyroid issues are rather prevalent, particularly in women .When you have hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland produces insufficient thyroid hormones to keep your body functioning normally.
Guggul extracts may treat hypothyroidism in animals by enhancing thyroid enzyme production and iodine uptake, according to some outdated animal experiments.
Precautions, you should take before using Guggul
- When eaten at the usual suggested dosage, guggul is regarded as being quite safe.
- Skin rash, diarrhoea, moderate nausea, hiccups, and irregular menstrual periods are examples of mild side effects (23Trusted Source).
- has also been related to liver damage when eaten in large dosages. Due to this, it is advised that those who have liver problems use guggul with caution
(source )
- might have some side effects that have not been widely documented because there aren’t enough human studies to determine the safety and effectiveness of guggul.
- Consult your healthcare practitioner if you have any worries.
Side Effects of using Guggulu
You can notice these side effects while using Guggul
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Loose stool
- Diarrhea
- Belching
- Hiccups
Besides, Guggul health benefits, check out various other herbs at Healthy Herbs
Featured Image Source: Vinayaraj, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
