Guggul: Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects, And More - Healthline

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Evidence BasedWhat Is Guggul Used for, And Can It Benefit Your Health?

Medically reviewed by Meredith Goodwin, MD, FAAFP — Written by Kaitlyn Berkheiser — Updated on September 30, 2024

Benefits & uses
Dosage
Side effects & precautions
Overdose
When to avoid
Takeaway

Guggul is the gum resin found in various plants native to South Asia. It has several potential benefits, such as helping to manage acne and hypothyroidism. However, further research is still needed to confirm its effects.

Guggul sap, also called guggul, is tapped from plants similarly to how maple syrup is extracted from maple trees.

Guggul contains a mixture of plant compounds, essential oils, flavonoids, and amino acids — all of which may be responsible for its potential health benefits.

It has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine and is believed to treat various health conditions, such as obesity, acne, and osteoarthritis.

As herbal supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you should always speak with a healthcare professional first, before beginning a new supplement regime.

Potential benefits of guggul

Guggul has many potential benefits and may help to manage several health conditions.

However, clinical studies supporting these benefits and uses are generally limited. Here’s what research says about these claims.

May improve acne

Guggul has been studied for its potential to treat acne.

Research has found that it may be effective in complementary and alternative treatments for nodulocystic acne, a severe form of acne that affects the face, chest, and back.

Although studies seem promising, more up-to-date research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.

May help treat eczema and psoriasis

Eczema and psoriasis are both noncontagious skin conditions that are mainly caused by inflammation of the skin.

Most of the research on guggul’s ability to treat these and other skin irritations has investigated the effects of guggul extracted from the Boswellia serrata plant.

A 2018 review suggests that it could be an effective treatment for eczema and psoriasis. Researchers also found that it may help manage associated symptoms, such as rashes and itching.

Still, research is limited, and more studies are needed to confirm guggul’s purported benefits for skin health.

May help with weight loss

Guggul is often claimed to help treat obesity by promoting fat loss and suppressing appetite. However, very little high quality evidence exists to support its use for this purpose.

A 2020 study suggests that herbal supplements containing guggul extract may help treat obesity by promoting weight loss and reducing both skinfold thickness and body circumference.

Although these results seem promising, they don’t examine the effects of guggul specifically on weight loss. Ultimately, further research is warranted to confirm the link between guggul and weight loss.

Storage and handling

Guggul supplements, lotions, extracts, and powders should be stored in their original containers at room temperature in a cool, dry place.

Avoid exposing the product to light, heat, and moisture.

Dosage and how to take

Guggul supplements are available in a wide range of forms, including capsules, extracts, powders, and lotions, which can be found online or in some health food and supplement stores.

Dosage recommendations vary drastically among brands and products. They are typically based on the amount of active guggulsterone, a plant steroid, present in the guggul extract or supplement.

Guggul may also be sold in combination with other natural herbs or extracts.

Due to a lack of research, there’s no available recommendation on the most beneficial dose for guggul.

As a rule of thumb, follow the dosing instructions on the back of your supplement packaging and only take guggul if a healthcare professional has recommended it.

Side effects and precautions

Guggul is considered relatively safe when taken at the typically recommended dose.

Side effects of guggul may include:

headache
mild nausea
belching
hiccups
loose stools
rash

Due to the lack of human studies regarding the safety and efficacy of guggul, you may experience some side effects that have not been widely reported.

If you have any concerns about the side effects you are experiencing, you should speak with a healthcare professional.

Overdose

It’s currently unknown what dosage of guggul would cause an overdose, as well as what effects would occur in the event of one.

Over-the-counter dosages of guggul appear to be relatively safe, as long as they’re taken as directed on the packaging.

Due to a lack of evidence, there’s little to no information on the toxicity or potential detrimental effects of larger doses in humans.

When to avoid taking guggul

As with any supplement, if you’re currently taking medications, you should speak with a healthcare professional before starting guggul.

There’s limited research regarding the use of guggul in those who are pregnant or breastfeeding or chestfeeding. Therefore, supplementation in this population should also be avoided unless directed by a healthcare professional.

Takeaway

Guggul is the gum resin found in various plants native to South Asia. It has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine and may help to treat various health conditions, such as obesity, acne, and osteoarthritis.

However, further research is still needed to confirm its effects.

As herbal supplements are not regulated by the FDA, you should always speak with a healthcare professional first, before beginning a new supplement regime.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Guggul. (n.d.).https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/guggul
Gupte P, et al. (2020). A clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of Herbal Formulation for Obesity (HFO-02) in overweight individuals. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7329718/
Kunnumakkara AB, et al. (2018). Googling the guggul (Commiphora and Boswellia) for prevention of chronic diseases. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6087759/
Mangal A, et al. (2017). Clinical evaluation of Vatari guggulu, Maharasnadi kwatha and Narayan taila in the management of osteoarthritis knee. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0975947616304235
Salibay CC, et al. (2022). Guggulsterone. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/guggulsterone
Singh S, et al. (2017). A clinical study on hyperlipidemia with Medohar guggulu and Lekhaniya mahakashaya.https://www.iamj.in/posts/images/upload/606_612.pdf

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Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Medically reviewed by Meredith Goodwin, MD, FAAFP — Written by Kaitlyn Berkheiser — Updated on September 30, 2024

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Nutrition

Potential benefits of guggul

May improve acne

May help treat eczema and psoriasis

May help with weight loss

Storage and handling

Dosage and how to take

Side effects and precautions

Overdose

When to avoid taking guggul

Takeaway

How we reviewed this article:

Evidence Based

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