Forskolin & Weight Loss: What are the Facts?
Every few years a new fat burner hits the market, causing folks to flock to the shelves in a frenzy. Forskolin is the latest weight loss remedy to catch consumers’ attention, bolstered by a few celebrity endorsements and touted for its use in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
Is this supplement a promising aid to help lose weight – or is forskolin just another fat burner fad getting its 15-minutes of fame? Let’s discuss.
What is Forskolin?
Forskolin is made from the root of Coleus forskohlii, a plant that grows in Nepal, India and Thailand. While this plant belongs to the mint family, forskolin can’t be sourced from most mint varieties found in your local supermarket or greenhouse. Instead, it is sold as a supplement.
Folk Remedies of Forskolin
Prominent within Ayurvedic traditions in regions where the Coleus forskohlii plant is found naturally, there are strong beliefs towards the efficacy of forskolin. As a folk remedy, forskolin has been used to treat asthma, relieve eye pressure from glaucoma, reduce high blood pressure levels, and to promote general health and wellness overall.
In the western world, however, forskolin has become popular for one main reason: its potential role as a fat burner.
Is Forskolin a Fat Burner?
There is limited research to suggest that forskolin is effective at helping some people lose weight. And when you consider what’s going on at the cellular level, this theory makes sense. Forskolin helps create enzymes called lipase and adenylate cyclase, which can cause fatty acids to loosen away from the body’s cells.
Here’s where the ‘fat burner’ nickname comes in. When fatty acids are free, they can be burned off more easily, meaning quicker weight loss without muscle loss.
But don’t assume that forskolin will burn away fat on its own – this supplement is not a miracle worker! While it can help free up fatty acids, there are a lot of other factors involved in losing weight. In other words, a healthy diet and exercise remain essential, as does good sleep, hydration, and stress management! Forskolin can help set the body up for success to shed pounds more easily, but it won’t burn fat all on its own.
Is Forskolin Safe?
Contamination is perhaps the biggest concern with any weight loss supplement, including forskolin. Sourcing a pure, high-quality product from a manufacturer you trust is important to try and avoid buying a supplement that has harmful hidden ingredients.
In addition to the risk of contamination, there’s also the risk that forskolin could create problems for individuals who have low blood pressure or kidney disease, as well as individuals who are taking blood thinners. This is mostly because of the way forskolin is metabolized by the body.
Takeaway: Forskolin May Be Helpful, But it Won’t Make You Lose Weight by Itself
More research is needed to understand the efficacy of forskolin, as well as its safety, side effects, and proper dosage. With that said, many people have found forskolin to be helpful in their weight loss journey. While this fat burner seems promising, rest assured – it’s no replacement for diet and exercise.
