What is gugulipid (guggulsterone)?

Gugulipid (guggulsterone) is a resin extract derived from the Commiphora mukul tree, also known as the guggul tree, which is native to India. It has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine for a variety of conditions, including arthritis, obesity, and skin disorders. In recent years, it has gained popularity in Western medicine for its potential cholesterol-lowering and anti-inflammatory properties.

How does it work?

Gugulipid (guggulsterone) works by decreasing inflammation and reducing the activity of certain enzymes that are involved in the production of cholesterol and triglycerides. It also has antioxidant properties that help to protect cells from damage.

What are the active ingredients that are important for its medicinal properties?

The active ingredients in gugulipid (guggulsterone) are guggulsterones, which are a group of plant sterols that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering effects.

What forms does it come in?

Gugulipid (guggulsterone) is available in capsule, tablet, and powder form.

When was it first used for medicinal purposes?

Gugulipid has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to treat a variety of conditions, including obesity, arthritis, and skin diseases.

What does Gugulipid (guggulsterone) help with?

Gugulipid comes from the gum resin of the mukul myrrh tree. Ayurvedic healers have used that resin for a long time for stiff joints and for fat in the blood. Today it is sold as a pill, most often for cholesterol.

Our file grades the whole remedy B. That means at least one good human trial sits behind it. But the trials do not all agree, and some popular uses rest on no human study at all.

• High triglycerides (a blood fat)
  Early evidence — several human studies, sizes and doses not recorded in our file. Several human studies found lower triglyceride levels in people who took gugulipid. The drops were described as meaningful. Our file does not record how many people took part, or at what dose. Researchers think it helps the body break down blood fats, but that idea is not settled.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T2
• Joint pain and stiff, worn joints
  Early evidence — some clinical studies in osteoarthritis, no sizes or doses on file. Some human studies of osteoarthritis found less joint pain with steady use. People in those studies also moved the joint more easily. The trial sizes and doses are not in our file. Ayurvedic texts describe the resin as calming to swelling, and that is tradition, not trial data.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T2
• Inflamed or cystic acne
  Early evidence — some clinical evidence, mainly in nodulocystic acne. Some human studies found less inflamed acne, mostly the deep, lumpy kind. Our file does not record the trial sizes or the doses used. Some practitioners add it to creams put on the skin, as a helper rather than a swap.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T2
• Low HDL, the helpful cholesterol
  Early evidence — some human studies showing a modest rise. Some studies found a small rise in HDL cholesterol. That rise came alongside drops in LDL and in blood fats. The change was modest, and not every study looked for it.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T2
• High LDL, the harmful cholesterol
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — human trials conflict, with weaker results in Western diets. Human trials do not agree on this one. Some found a real drop in LDL. Others found a small change, or none at all, and that was more common in Western people eating high-fat food. One proposed reason is that the liver clears cholesterol faster, but that remains an idea, not a finding.
  Evidence grade D · Traditional tier T2
• Feeling sluggish, or a slightly slow thyroid
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — lab and animal work plus tradition; no human trial on file. In lab and animal work, guggulsterones seemed to help turn T4 into T3, the active thyroid hormone. T3 helps set the pace of your body's chemistry. Our file holds no human trial for low thyroid or for feeling worn out. It is not a stand-in for thyroid medicine your doctor prescribed.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Metabolic syndrome (several risk signs at once)
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — no human trial of the condition itself; reasoning drawn from the lipid studies. No trial on file tested gugulipid in people with metabolic syndrome as a whole. The appeal comes from its blood fat studies and its calming effect on swelling. Until someone runs that trial, treat this use as untested.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Weight management
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — no human weight trial on file. Our file holds no human study of gugulipid and body weight. The idea leans on the thyroid and blood fat work above, which is indirect. It is not a fat burner, and no study on file shows pounds lost.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2

What Gugulipid (guggulsterone) has not been shown to do

• It has not been shown to replace thyroid medicine a doctor has prescribed.
• It has not been shown to cause weight loss on its own, with or without a diet.
• It has not reliably lowered LDL in Western people eating a high-fat diet; trials there conflict.

How to read this:

The grades rate the human evidence, not how strong the remedy feels. A means steady results across randomised human trials. B means one good human trial. C means small, early or mixed human studies. D means the human studies clash. Insufficient means no human study on file, just lab work, animal work or long custom. This page reports what studies found. It is not advice, and it is not a promise of any result for you. Talk with your own clinician, above all if you take a statin or thyroid medicine.

What can it help prevent?

Gugulipid has also been studied for its potential to prevent a variety of conditions, including:

1. Acne
2. Atherosclerosis
3. Arthritis
4. Obesity
5. DiabetesGugulipid may help improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, which could be beneficial for preventing or managing diabetes.
6. Cancer: Some research has suggested that guggulsterone may have anti-cancer properties, although more research is needed.
7. Osteoporosis
8. Alzheimer's disease
9. Cardiovascular disease: Gugulipid has been shown to improve several markers of cardiovascular health, including cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
10. Hypertension
11. Thyroid disorders

Which foods are rich in it?

Gugulipid is not naturally found in foods, but it is extracted from the resin of the Commiphora mukul tree.

What are possible side effects?

Gugulipid (guggulsterone) is generally well-tolerated, but some people may experience mild side effects, including:

• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Rash
• Allergic reaction (rare)

What's the recommended daily dose?

The recommended daily dose of Gugulipid (guggulsterone) varies depending on the condition being treated. However, most studies have used doses ranging from 500 to 1,500 milligrams per day.

How many days does it take to work?

The length of time it takes for Gugulipid (guggulsterone) to work varies depending on the condition being treated. However, some studies have shown that cholesterol-lowering effects can be seen within 12 weeks of starting treatment.

What time of day is best to take it?

There is no established best time of day to take Gugulipid (guggulsterone).

Is it best to take it with or without food?

It is generally recommended to take gugulipid with food to improve its absorption and reduce the risk of gastrointestinal side effects. Taking gugulipid on an empty stomach may increase the risk of stomach upset or nausea.