Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have most likely heard about the miracle plant with weight loss benefits from which Forskolin is derived - the Coleus forskohlii plant. This plant is part of the mint family and has gained popularity in recent years as being the key to effective weight loss results. Forskolin is the active compound found in the roots of this plant and it is what the infamous forskolin weight loss supplements contain. 

With claims that Forskolin works “lightning fast” to melt away belly fat and get you the body of your dreams, no wonder this supplement is selling like hot cakes. But can Forskolin really melt away fat? The answer may surprise you. 

While the many health benefits of Forskolin are nothing new, science is only now catching up to what Eastern medicine has known for centuries. Traditionally, the Coleus forskohlii plant has played a central role in Ayurvedic medicine to promote wellness and help treat a range of health conditions including:

• Heart problems
• Skin disorders
• Digestive issues
• UTIs
• Asthma and other respiratory issues
• Glaucoma
• Lowering blood pressure

Today, research has shown that this plant can, in fact, provide many health benefits and that Eastern cultures were on to something. So how does Forskolin work to achieve so many amazing health benefits and how will this help you lose weight? In short, it works by regulating the messages between the hormones in the body and the different cells these hormones impact. To get more technical, Forskolin has been shown to play an important role on the activation of cAMP (cyclic AMP) in the body which, in turn, affects how the cells in the body function. 

Basically, cAMP translates the messages from various hormones, such as endorphins and adrenaline, so the cells of the body can understand them and respond to them accordingly. This process is what has garnered Forskolin a reputation as a weight loss aid. But what does this have to do with melting fat?

There have been two prominent human studies to show the weight loss benefits of Forskolin. The first study was conducted on a group of 30 overweight and obese men, who were randomly divided into two groups. One group was given 250 mg of Forskolin standardized to 10% twice a day for 12 weeks, the other group was given a placebo. The group taking the Forskolin lost significantly more fat mass than the placebo group, but interestingly, their body weight did not change. 

The second study consisted of 23 overweight women who received the same dose as the previous study for the same period of time. Again, the results were similar in that there was no significant weight loss. However, it did appear that Forskolin helped to slow any weight gain. So what does this mean? Are all the claims about Forskolin as a weight loss supplement false? Not exactly, it just doesn’t work in the way you may think.

There are no supplements which will magically make you lose weight and you should stay away from products that claim to help you lose a ton of weight in a short period of time. For weight loss to happen, there needs to be a reduction in calories consumed and an increase in calories burned. Forskolin won’t do this. But it can still help you lose weight. How? 

Well, as mentioned earlier, it helps regulate the various processes in the body to keep the cells functioning as they should. When the body is working as it should and when hormones and blood sugar levels are balanced, it is easier to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. 

One clear example of how Forskolin can help you lose weight is by managing the stress hormones. When we are in a constant state of stress, levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) become elevated which puts our body into fight or flight mode. This survival mode is only supposed to be short-lived to get you to react to a dangerous situation. However, nowadays, most of us are in a constant state of stress with excessively busy lives and demanding jobs which keeps levels of cortisol elevated for much longer than it should be. We are in a constant state of fight or flight and one thing this survival mode does is prepare our body for starvation. Our body will hold on to fat as a way of protecting the internal organs (hello, belly fat). To put it simply, increased stress results in elevated cortisol levels which makes the body store fat. If you can manage your stress levels, you can manage your weight. 

Will a Forskolin supplement “melt away belly fat”? No. Should you be wary of supplements that claim this? Yes. BUT, a Forskolin supplement can be beneficial to helping you lose weight as mentioned above and it also provides many health benefits at the same time. Make sure you only take a supplement that follows the same formula as that used in the clinical studies such as Forskolin MD. It should provide a 250 mg serving twice a day (total daily serving of 500 mg) and be standardized to contain at least 10% Forskolin. 

References

1. Godard MP, Johnson BA, Richmond SR 2005. ‘Body composition and hormonal adaptations associated with forskolin consumption in overweight and obese men’ Obesity Research, Aug;13(8):1335-43. doi: 10.1038/oby.2005.162

2. Henderson S et al. 2005 ‘Effects of coleus forskohlii supplementation on body composition and hematological profiles in mildly overweight women.’ Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, Dec 9;2:54-62. 

Doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-2-2-54.

* Results will differ for each individual, depending on existing health factors, lifestyle and physical condition. The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice provided by your doctor or physician. The information, we provide should not be used for diagnosis, treatment or prevention of any disease. Testimonials and results contained are reflective of the typical examples consumers experienced and may not be an implication of future results for you. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration

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