Page Contents
Overview
- What is Forskolin and will it help me lose weight?
- Is Forskolin a scientifically proven natural fat burner?
- Research and Conclusion
- Forskolin health benefits
- Does Forskolin have side effects?
- What kind of results are achieved with Forskolin?
- Conclusion about Forskolin
What is forskolin and will it help me lose weight?
Forskolin is extracted from the Coleus Forskohli plant and is a chemical component that has been used for centuries in various forms of natural healing. It is also referred to as borforsin, coleus forskohli or coleus barbatus.
Coleus Forskohlii was previously used in Brazil, East, and Central Africa, India and other Asian countries. It is often said that it is an important part of Ayurveda medicine, an age-old health science that focuses on the holistic health of the body. Forskolin has been used to treat heart problems, digestive disorders, damage to the skin (such as burns and cuts), skin problems (such as eczema and psoriasis), urinary tract infections (UTI), asthma and various other problems.
Nowadays Forskolin plays an important role in scientific research because of its ability to activate an enzyme called adenylate cyclase. This results in an increase of cAmp (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) in cells. “Cyclic AMP belongs to a class of substances known as “second messengers,” and is one of the most important cell-regulating compounds” (Source).
These messengers help to increase the activity of neurotransmitters. Because of this special enzyme and its touted effects, supplements of pure natural Forskolin are associated with the potential to help stimulate memory, improve cardiovascular activity and assist in activating faster mechanisms to get rid of body fat.
In simple terms, Forskolin stimulates the process which releases stored fat from fat cells. This fat is then destroyed because it is converted into energy.
Is Forskolin a scientifically proven natural fat burner?
There are probably more than a 1000 slimming supplements on the market which all claim that scientific research has been done into the effects of the main components of the supplement.
With the vast majority of slimming supplements, the scientific evidence is thin or completely absent. The manufacturer of these slimming supplements will at best sell you a weight loss supplement that is only suspected to have a positive effect on weight loss. It is therefore strongly recommended to only purchase weight loss products that have a scientifically proven effect.
In the case of Forskolin there is limited, but demonstrable scientific evidence that the fat burning process is stimulated. With a marked decrease in body fat percentage and fat mass as a result. The two Forskolin research studies that have investigated the effect of Forskolin in the area of weight loss are as follows:
Research 1
The first study with subjects on the Forskolin benefits for weight loss was carried out in 2005. 30 overweight or obese people participated in this 12-week study. The participants twice a day orally took either a placebo or 250 mg of 10% Forskolin extract twice a day.
The group of subjects who took Forskolin twice a day for 12 weeks realized a significant reduction in body fat and fat mass. At the same time, an increase in bone mass and serum-free testosterone levels was observed in this group. (Source)
Research 2
This study investigated the effects of Forskolin on body composition of 23 females over a 12 week period. Both the ability to lose weight with Forskolin and the safety of the intake of Forskolin as a supplement were tested. The results of this study were less convincing as it shows that Forskolin does not seem to promote significant weight loss but can help to keep weight gain in check. (Source)
The conclusion of scientific research
One study shows Forskolin has been proven to be an effective fat burner. The only study has determined that Forskolin has the ability to influence weight, albeit in the fact that it can help the mitigation of weight gain.
Based on the above, Forskolin seems to contribute to healthy body weight.
The question is, to what extent? Current studies demonstrate the potential of Forskolin. However, closer and larger-scale research is needed to get a clearer picture of the extent to which Forskolin will help you obtain a leaner body. In other words, are you going to drop 1, 4, 8 or 10 pounds of fat per week or is Forskolin “only” able to achieve minimal weight loss in combination with an inhibiting factor on further weight gain?
Forskolin health benefits
Although Forskolin may not be the panacea you had hoped for, there are several health benefits that are supported by scientific evidence.
Some health benefits of Forskolin are:
1: Reduces the risk of high blood pressure
Forskolin has been used for a long time to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and typically is where the reading is higher than 140/90.
A study conducted in India found that the active substance Forskolin in the Coleus forskohlii plant caused a reduction in blood pressure in more than 75% of the participants (source).
In addition to supplements, there are also enough foods that have a positive influence on lowering high blood pressure. Think of fatty fish (omega-3 fatty acids), garlic, dark chocolate, green tea, etc.
And of course, regular exercise and stress reduction play a major role.
2: Helps to keep a healthy weight
What has been proven is that it can prevent weight gain in people who are overweight or obese. In combination with a healthy lifestyle, Forskolin can be used to maintain a healthy weight.
3: Lowers blood sugar levels
There is evidence that Forskolin may help to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. In a 2014 study in rats, the effectiveness of Forskolin on blood sugar levels and oxidative stress was examined.
Oxidative stress is a disturbance in the balance between the production of free radicals and the defense system of antioxidants.
The study shows that regular administration of Forskolin for 8 weeks reduced blood glucose levels.
Although this preliminary study shows that this supplement may be helpful for (pre-) diabetics, research must first be carried out on people before their effectiveness can be proven.
4: Possibly effective in the treatment of Alzheimer’s
In 2016, a study on rats was published showing that Forskolin may be effective in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Admittedly, this is a rat study and the research is still in its infancy. But the results are promising.
In rats, the formation of harmful structures in the brain, including amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (source), is reduced.
Does Forskolin have side effects?
Is Forskolin safe to use? Evidence regarding any possible Forskolin side effects is scarce because it has been tested and researched relatively little.
Although the most commonly reported side effects are minor, there are some situations you should keep an eye on. These include high and low blood pressure when Forskolin is injected (not applicable to the oral intake of Forskolin pills), infection of the upper respiratory tract, cough, tremor, restlessness after intake, headache and increased heart rate.
The use of Forskolin should be avoided at all times in the following cases:
- When using blood thinners or anticoagulants.
- When using medication for high blood pressure. Certain medications taken for high blood pressure can lead to undesirable situations in combination with the use of Forskolin. This includes medication such as beta-blockers, calcium antagonists, clonidine, hydralazine. Therefore, avoid Forskolin if you are taking any of these or similar medications.
- In the case of kidney disease.
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
What kind of results are achieved with Forskolin?
Just as a car salesman will do everything to display a car in the best possible light, the same phenomenon is true with almost everything you buy.
If you want the most accurate picture possible of the potential of a slimming supplement and therefore also Forskolin, it is important to look beyond the biggest success stories. The average person normally does not lose quite as much weight as the biggest success story portrays.
Well, for many and probably you too, it may not be a problem if you lose 30 pounds in 12 weeks instead of the 72 pounds of another customer over the same period. However, it is nice to know to not have too high an expectation with any weight loss solution.
Finding reliable experiences with any product is not an easy task. In order to find reliable feedback, we focus on feedback from verified customers who have bought Forskolin products from a well-known online store like Amazon.
We looked at feedback from customers with a verified purchase of Forskolin. Forskolin customer reviews on Amazon was a starting point. The feedback on Amazon has surprised us positively. Most of the reviews that are left are positive. And that while people tend to normally leave a review to express their dissatisfaction rather than praise a product.
Of a 20% Forskolin Extract supplement with a total of 141 Forskolin user reviews (at the time of writing), 77% of buyers rated 5 out of 5 stars. 11% gave 4 stars, 3% gave 3 stars, 3% gave 2 stars and 6% gave 1 star. Here you can read all the reviews (just scroll down the page till you reach them).
The relationship between positive and negative experiences also gives a nice picture of the results that you can expect from Forskolin. From the feedback, we can determine that Forskolin seems to work for the majority of the customers, but that it is no guarantee that it will work for you. There are people who lost 30 pounds of weight in two weeks and then there are people who have not lost any weight.
Forskolin may not be a magic pill that burns 10 pounds of fat per week in 100% of people, but certainly, a product that has already achieved quite a lot of success and certainly is worth considering.
Conclusion about Forskolin
The positive experiences with Forskolin cannot be called a complete surprise if you look at the results of the scientific research discussed earlier.
The experiences with Forskolin are above average as a weight loss solution and therefore the decisive factor in the final assessment. If you keep in mind that there is no such thing as a magic pill that you are guaranteed to give you the body of a top model in a week, Forskolin is seriously worth considering.
Make sure you get a Forskolin supplement of the right quality. Unfortunately, it is still too common for manufacturers to market low-quality supplements, sometimes with harmful fillers, to reduce costs in order to compete on price or to increase their profit margin.
Forskolin of the right quality meets the following conditions:
- Consists of pills of 125mg or 250mg of 20% pure Forskolin extract
- Contains no fillers