Guggul for High Cholesterol

Resin of mukul myrrh

Guggul (also known as guggal) is an herbal medicine made from the resin of the mukul myrrh tree, a small flowering tree native to northern India. Used for thousands of years in India and nearby countries, guggal is thought to have many healing properties and has been used to treat hemorrhoids, obesity, high cholesterol, skin disorders, and arthritis.

Guggul to Lower Cholesterol

Method

• Guggul is available as a supplement in capsule form (it may be called guggulipid or gugulipid.) Take as directed on the package.

Why It Works

Guggul seems to block a receptor found in the liver that produces bile acids. These bile acids form as the body rids itself of cholesterol, and when the levels of bile acids get above normal, the receptor stops producing them, thus stopping the process of eliminating cholesterol. Guggul blocks this process; therefore the body continues to turn cholesterol into bile acids at a greater than normal rate. There has been a fair amount of research that supports the efficacy of guggul for lowering cholesterol, however at least one study has shown that guggul actually raises the level of bad cholesterol by 10%, and lowers levels of good cholesterol, so more research may be necessary before these claims can be proven.

Precautions

Always check with your doctor before trying guggul to lower cholesterol – high cholesterol can be a serious condition and should be monitored by a health professional. Guggal may cause gastrointestinal discomfort or skin rash. Guggul should not be used by pregnant and lactating mothers, or those with liver disease, Crohn’s Disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or those taking beta blockers.

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