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| Author | Topic: guggul |
| diannek 08-17-2001 09:59 PM | I've really been considering using guggul to dry up my oily skin but have been hesitant because I also have panic attacks and don't want to take anything that might aggravate that. Does anybody here have any experience with guggul? If so, did it have any effect on your mood, etc.? Any advice would be appreciated. |
| Veronica 08-17-2001 10:20 PM | Hi Dianne, we know each other, right? I'm Veronica2 from the Voy forum - nice to see you here! I took guggul (Syntrax guggulbolic) for about 8 months and noticed no mood effects, except that I was so happy not to have oily skin anymore! The only side-effect I noticed, and it was reported by two other people on the Voy board, was that you can't drink much alcohol while you are on it, or you get a headache. I did some research lately, and found out it's because guggul slows the liver's breakdown of blood alcohol. [ August 18, 2001: Message edited by: Veronica ] |
| Wiseguy 08-18-2001 12:47 AM | Well, I read that Guggul lowers the cholesterol level. And chemicals that lower the cholesterol level don't know the difference between totally intact cholesterol and damaged cholesterol, so that it lowers the level of essential cholesterol too. And undamaged cholesterol strongly influences your mood and sleep, since it indirectly activates the serotonin receptors in the brain. That is why fresh raw egg yolk is so good for your mood and sleep; it contains lots of good cholesterol. Guggul obviously acts opposingly. People generally think that HDL and LDL are good and bad cholesterol, but both LDL and HDL contain good and bad (damaged) cholesterol. A number of studies have shown that in people who tried or succeeded to commit suicide, the cholesterol level was clearly lower: Papassotiropoulos, A. et al, The risk of acute suicidality in psychiatric inpatients increases with low plasma cholesterol. Pharmacopsychiatry 1999 / 32 (1) / 1-4. , Kunugi, H. et al, Low serum cholesterol in suicide attempers. Biol. Psychiatry 1997 / 42 (2) / 196-200. , Kaplan, J.R. et al, Assessing the observed relationship between low cholesterol and violence related mortality. Implications for suicide risk. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1997 / 836 / 57-80. , Zureik, M. et al, Serum cholesterol concentration and death from suicide in men : Paris prospective study 1. Brit. Med. J. 1996 / 313 (7058) / 649-651. , Gallerini, M. et al, Serum cholesterol concentrations in parasuicide. Br. Med. J. 1995 / 310 (6995) / 1632-1636. , Gier, JA et al, Low serum cholesterol level and attempted suicide. Am. J. Psychiatry 1995 / 152 (3) / 419-423. , Engelberg, H. ,Low serum cholesterol and suicide. Lancet 1992 / 339 (8795) / 727-729. [ August 18, 2001: Message edited by: Wiseguy ] |
| maskus 08-18-2001 03:51 AM | Hi, Here is an interesting link concerning gugul where they summarize the result of three clinical trials. The articles focus on the effect of gugul on cholesterol and triglyceride levels. [ August 18, 2001: Message edited by: Mark ] |
| ASaint 08-18-2001 08:24 AM | I just started taking my guggul yesterday, with no side effects so far (I know it's early, but I thought I'd experience some kind of reaction right away like nervousness or something, but I felt absolutely nothing.) In my opinion... it seems like everything you could take for controlling acne or any ohter disease has some sort of risk. I think it's a matter or weighing the benefits with the risks. Veronica: I just posted something about guggul in the B5/accutane/guggul thread I started, then realized you guys started a guggul thread down here (I crack up everytime I write "guggul" what a funny word!) I'll continue to post under this thread, my results while on the guggul. Veronica seemed to have great results while on it, but has not needed to take anymore while on WAi's diet. As of right now, I don't feel I can commit to her diet for various reasons, but it sounds wonderful. I'm taking one step at a time... zinc hasn't been very nice to me and I've heard negative things, so on to the guggul!! |
| diannek 08-18-2001 07:37 PM | Thanks to all who responded to my guggul question! I have to say I'm more confused than ever due to all the wonderful links and info, but I think I will give it a try. If it doesn't work or causes problems in other areas, it won't be the first time I tried something and it didn't work! Hi Veronica! Yes...we do know each other! Would you mind telling me exactly what kind of guggul I need and the strength? I went to GNC and they didn't sell Guggulbolic but did sell a guggul product but I didn't know exactly what kind of guggul I needed. I also wanted to say thanks to "the angels" who created this board. I so appreciate having a place to ask questions without repercussions. Thank you so much! |
| Veronica 08-18-2001 08:27 PM | Hi Dianne, I'm glad it's you, another Dianne would have thought I was nuts! I don't know if you saw what I went through on the Voy board with Rianne, but it's very difficult to find a brand of guggul with the correct standardization of the guggulsterones. The only brand I know of that is correct is Syntrax Guggulbolic. One person freaked out because of the "bolic" at the end, but that's just marketing hype, there's nothing in it except guggul. Here is the cheapest place I found it on the net: Esupp I also found places online that ship internationally if anyone is interested. If you want to look at other brands, you need to find pure guggul from Comiphora Mukul, not mixed with any other herbs, vitamins or minerals. The guggulsterones should be standardized so that you are getting between 75 to 90 milligrams a day, divided over 3 doses. In the Syntrax brand, you get 30 mg of guggulsterones in one 500 mg guggul capsule and take 3 per day. Mark, thanks for that link, I hadn't seen those studies. Here is a link for the acne study in case you didn't see it: Study Good luck, Dianne and Ange, I hope it gives you the same blessed relief I got with it. P.S. Ange, I answered your last question over on the B5/accutane/guggul thread, hope you saw it. [ August 18, 2001: Message edited by: Veronica ] |
| ASaint 08-19-2001 07:09 AM | Yes, Veronica...I saw your post on the other thread and referred to you as a "walking encyclopedia!" I read the study on the link that Mark provided, and it looks good w/ respect to the lowering of cholesterol. However, it stated that guggul was safe for pregnant women, and I have read much to the contrary. It is a uterine stimulant, therefore, NOT considered safe for pregnant women. This is not to say that it causes actual damage or birth defects to the fetus itself, but it could cause premature labor. If you need some links to those articles, I could find them for you... This board is great, by the way! I'm so glad it's here for us! Thanx Wai, and anyone else who had a hand in this! (I believe Veronica designed the top of the page? correct me if I'm wrong...) Have a great day!! |
| ASaint 08-19-2001 07:13 AM | BTW... Mark, I just re-read my previous post and I hope it didn't strike you as being antagonistic, or contradicting! You know how written language is...harder to interpret tone and inflection than spoken language! I really appreciate you sending that link, as it was very informative. Just wanted to clear up that "pregnancy" part, though! |
| maskus 08-20-2001 01:20 AM | No problemos ASaint! It's good to be critical, and I understand your concern regarding pregnancy. Though they say that gugul is safe for pregnant women, I myself wouldn't ever take anything like that if I was a pregnant woman (not that I can be , but you know what I mean). Common sence tells me that you should never ever expose youself to anything that you are not 100% sure about, when you are pregnant. So your comments are very justified, but otherwise I thought the articles where quite interesting so I posted the link. [ August 20, 2001: Message edited by: Mark ] |
| diannek 08-22-2001 08:53 PM | Hi guys! Thanks for the info. Veronica. Sorry it's taken me so long to get back with you but my son has just started kindergarten and life is chaos right now! I ordered the Guggulbolic and it should be here by the end of the week. I'm sure I'll sit here and stare at the bottle a couple of days before I try it (I'm such a wimp). BUT, I'm determined to give it a try! I'll let you know how it goes! |
| ASaint 08-24-2001 07:06 AM | Mark... I totally agree with you about that "common sense and pregnancy" thing. You're allowed to take Tylenol during preg., but I seldom did, just because you never know! Hi Dianne! Your son just started kindergarten? I was in your shoes at exactly this time last year! Isn't it sad? (baby growing up!) Of course, I was sadder than he, he had no problem getting on that bus and leaving mommy all day! He'll of course be starting 1st grade this year... it starts the day after Labor Day. I could go on and on about school...kids..etc. but I don't think that has a lot to do w/ fighting acne, so I'll stop now! LOL! RE: guggul... I've started a journal and will try to remember to post it next week when I've hit my 2 week mark. It just so happens I begin student teaching that day, so I hope I will have time to visit my friends on here! So far, so good, though w/ the guggul... I wouldn't say my skin is clear (never has been), but the larger blemishes that come and go regularly have yet to be seen the past week and 1/2. That may just be due to the time I've spent at the pool and the sun temporarily drying up that oil? (yeah, I know...."sun is bad"!) Good luck with both the guggul and the kindergarten thing! |