What is Guggul? — guggul is the yellowish resin of the Commiphora mukul tree — a small, thorny bush that grows throughout Northern India. The gum resin of the guggul tree has been used in Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional Hindu medicine practiced in India for nearly 3,000 years. It has been used to treat arthritis, skin diseases, pains in the nervous system, obesity, digestive problems, infections in the mouth, and menstrual problems.* The plant is closely related to the common myrrh, which was one of the first medicines ever recorded (in hieroglyphic notations of Ancient Egypt).

Mix one portion of guggul in water and call me in the morning. — In the 1960s, researchers found an ancient Sanskrit manuscript called the Sushruta Samhita. It is a medical treatise that prescribed guggul for the treatment of a condition it calls "medoroga," the symptoms of which seem to relate closely to high cholesterol and hardening of the arteries. Based on this classical text, Indian scientists tested animals and discovered that the guggul resin did, indeed, lower cholesterol levels and seemed to protect against hardening arteries. Further tests were performed to see how this ancient prescription worked in humans with even the preliminary results sufficiently encouraging enough for the Indian government to approve the use of guggul to treat high cholesterol. In the Sushruta Samhita, guggul is not only prescribed for cholesterol, but for weight loss and the relief of arthritis. The recent studies have shown some support for this, as well as offering help for acne and other conditions.

Guggul today. Ancient Indian prescriptions consisted of guggul in a crude powdered form. This was also the form used in the early modern tests. However, now there are much more refined extracts available on the market. The proven benefits include:

• Lowering cholesterol levels. Tests have shown a 14-27% decrease in LDL and a 22-30% reduction of triglycerides levels after 12 weeks of guggul use with no change in diet or exercise. "Dr. David Moore and his team at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston found that the guggulsterone, the active ingredient in the Guggul extract, blocks the activity of a receptor in the liver's cells called Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR). Later, Dr. David Mangelsdorf at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas confirmed that the guggul blocked the receptor and affected how cholesterol is metabolized."*


• Reducing risk of atheriosclerosis. Not only does guggul lower LDL and triglicerides, but it appears to help boost HDL (the "good" cholesterol). The combination of the two helps to reduce risk of hardening of the arteries.


• Relieving symptoms of impotence. Men with lower blood cholesterol or higher levels of HDL are less at risk for atherosclerosis that impedes blood flow, which is in turn a major factor in impotence for many men. Studies of this are still to be conducted.


• Weight loss. Studies so far suggest that the use of guggul enhances thyroid activity. Since the thyroid produces hormones that regulate metabolism, it may be that the ancient claims are true. So far, studies have indicated that guggul increases levels of triiodothyroxine, a thyroid metabolite that helps to raise overall metabolism, which increases the body's fat burning potential.


• Other benefits. Traditional Ayurvedic medicine suggests that Guggul helps increase white blood cell production, disinfects mucus, sweat, and urine and regulates menstruation.*

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^* From LoweringCholesterol.Net