Guggul And Cardiovascular Health
Guggul is an herb that produces a resinous sap when wounded. The resin is golden brown in color and looks much like myrrh gum. It has a very long association with Ayurvedic medicine, spanning more than 3000 years of anecdotal evidence. Also, it has been the subject of scientific researches, though more studies are needed to understand its long-term effects on human health. Initial results have yielded encouraging results, especially in lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.
Commiphora wightii is the plant species where guggul is obtained from. This flowering herb grows up to 4 meters in height. It is easily recognizable by its thorny branches and paper bark. While it is considered an indigenous species of India, it can be found in North Africa and other arid regions. Also called guggulipid, its gum is one of the main ingredients of Indian incense, which for millennia have been incorporated into folk medicine practices and religious rituals.
Influences Cholesterol Synthesis
The mechanism of action of guggul remains under investigation, but researchers have proposed several theories based on clinical trials that lasted a few months. It is postulated that its benefits are not restricted to one chemical reaction as it appears to influence several factors involved in the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver.
There are numerous citations on the purported role of guggul in regulating CYP3A4, an enzyme responsible for the productions of many different endogenous compounds, including cholesterol. It is also believed that guggul has an inhibitory effect on a nuclear receptor called NR1H4, which suppresses the limiting enzyme that converts cholesterol into bile acid.
Guggul
Lowers Lipoprotein Levels
High lipid levels in the blood are not always attributable to cholesterol. Lipoproteins are transports of cholesterol in the bloodstream. These compounds are both hydrophilic and lipophilic, which means they are capable of carrying lipids in a water-based environment. The hydrophilic part is made up of triglycerides, which have been tied to elevating levels of free fatty acids.
Low-density lipoproteins contain more triglycerides than high-density lipoproteins. This is the reason why low-density lipoproteins have been labeled bad cholesterol. Guggul blocks the metabolic pathway that leads to the production of bad cholesterol in the liver and their releases into the bloodstream effectively lowering lipid levels in the blood.
Limits Triglyceride Absorption
Most of the unhealthy fats that we get from our diet is in the form of triglycerides since it is the main component of both vegetable oil and animal fats. Triglycerides are important to the synthesis of lipids absolutely necessary for the upkeep of individual cells, but excesses contribute to a host of illnesses, such as atherosclerosis and heart disease.
Guggul has been reported to limit the gastrointestinal absorption of triglycerides. By so doing, it prevents excesses of free fatty acids in the bloodstream and promotes the uptake of lipoproteins by liver cells. Guggul is one of the most popular natural remedy for high cholesterol in India, and it has enjoyed a significant presence in the supplement industry on a global scale.
Try Guggul
If you are looking for an herbal remedy for cholesterol, give Guggul a try!