Evidence Level
Emerging
Despite being one of the most popular weight loss supplements (largely due to media promotion), garcinia cambogia has disappointing clinical evidence. The largest and most rigorous trial (Heymsfield et al., 1998) found no significant difference vs placebo. The 2011 meta-analysis found a small effect that was not robust. The theoretical mechanism (ATP-citrate lyase inhibition) is less relevant in humans than in rodents, as de novo lipogenesis contributes minimally to fat storage on normal diets.