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Dietary supplement

Garcinia Cambogia Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Cellusyn Laboratories

Capsule Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Garcinia Cambogia is a dietary supplement by Cellusyn Laboratories with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for weight loss, appetite suppression, curbing sugar and carb cravings.Based on those ingredients, 704 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Super CitriMax Garcinia cambogia. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Garcinia Cambogia by Cellusyn Laboratories

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product has one active ingredient: Super CitriMax Garcinia cambogia, a tropical fruit extract standardized to contain hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which is the compound believed to be responsible for its effects. The capsules also contain gelatin and rice flour as inactive ingredients (fillers and binders).

Does it work?

Not established
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not established

The graded evidence we hold for these ingredients covers different conditions than the ones this product is marketed for, so there's no established rating for its stated use — see Garcinia's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: weight loss and appetite suppression.
  • We looked for evidence on: Obesity, metabolic support, appetite control.
  • The closest evidence on file: Garcinia is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Obesity (Natural Medicines).

The evidence we hold shows insufficient reliable evidence to rate garcinia cambogia for obesity, high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), athletic performance, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). While the ingredient has been studied for these uses, the data doesn't establish that it works for any of them — so we can't tell you whether it'll help with your particular goal.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Garcinia

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Garcinia is generally well tolerated in short-term use, but that doesn't mean risk-free. The most common side effects are mild — diarrhea, stomach discomfort, headache, and nausea — but rare serious effects have been reported, including liver injury and liver failure.

There's also a rare case of acute heart inflammation linked to garcinia use, and several reports of mania (especially in people with bipolar disorder) developing 1 to 8 weeks after starting the supplement. Don't use this product if you're pregnant or breastfeeding — there isn't enough safety data to know either way, and the product facts advise against it.

If you have a history of liver disease, bipolar disorder, or heart problems, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Garcinia

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Garcinia.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs; diabetes medications.
  • For scale: 705 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before starting this product, double-check with your doctor or pharmacist if you take serotonergic drugs (antidepressants and similar medications), blood thinners or antiplatelet medications, drugs that can damage the liver, or diabetes medications. Garcinia may increase the risk of serotonin syndrome, bleeding, liver injury, and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) respectively.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no established evidence rating for its marketed use. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Garcinia cambogia is marketed for weight loss and metabolism, but the evidence we have doesn't establish that it works. If you're considering it anyway, know that it interacts with a wide range of medications — especially blood thinners, antidepressants, diabetes drugs, and liver-damaging drugs — and rare serious side effects (liver injury, heart inflammation, mania) have been reported.

Check your exact medications with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this product.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Aug 26, 2014.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Garcinia Cambogia, straight from the product label.

Brand Cellusyn Laboratories
Barcode (UPC) 794504419238
Net contents 60 Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Aug 26, 2014
DSLD ID 36564
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years)
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Garcinia Cambogia by Cellusyn Laboratories, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Capsule(s)
Servings per container
60
UPC/BARCODE
794504419238
IngredientAmount% DV
Super CitriMax Garcinia cambogia800 mg--

Other ingredients: Gelatin, Rice Flour

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

RECOMMENDED USE: Take 1 capsule twice daily with 12-16 ounces of water. Best times to take are before breakfast, lunch, dinner or exercise. Do not exceed 2 capsules per day.

Precautions

WARNING: Not intended for use by persons under 18 years of age.

Do not take this product if you are pregnant or nursing.

Keep this and all drugs out of children’s reach.

Do not exceed recommended use. Improper use will not improve results and is not advised. In case of an accidental overdose, seek professional assistance immediately.

Storage

Store in a cool dry place.

General Statements

Made in USA

800mg per serving

NATURAL WEIGHT LOSS AID

Reorder online at www.Cellusyn.com

General

v1301 13.9

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Formula

[ SUPER CITRIMAX(R) (60% HCA) ]

FDA Disclaimer Statement

The statements made hereon have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Brand IP Statement(s)

(C) 2013 Cellusyn Laboratories, LLC

See for yourself

Garcinia Cambogia by Cellusyn Laboratories label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Garcinia Cambogia by Cellusyn Laboratories

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container60 Amounts shown are per serving.

Super CitriMax Garcinia cambogia

Interacts with
704 drugs
800 mg per serving Form: HCA

Garcinia is a tropical fruit whose rind contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), widely marketed for weight loss and appetite control. The scientific eviden...

Super CitriMax Garcinia cambogia monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Gelatin, Rice Flour. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Garcinia Cambogia by Cellusyn Laboratories Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Garcinia Cambogia?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
704Drugs
704 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Garcinia Cambogia with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Super CitriMax Garcinia cambogia4 drug types · 704 drugs

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, hydroxycitric acid (HCA), the main active ingredient in garcinia, might increase the risk of bleeding when used with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs.
HCA inhibits platelet aggregation in vitro. The inhibitory effect seems to be greater in platelets extracted from diabetic subjects than non-diabetic subjects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, hydroxycitric acid (HCA), the main active ingredient in garcinia, might have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs and increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
HCA reduces fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels in animal models, theoretically by delaying glucose absorption. This effect has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Hepatotoxic Drugs

Theoretically, concomitant use with other potentially hepatotoxic drugs might increase the risk of developing liver damage.
There have been reports of acute hepatitis with elevated liver enzymes associated with garcinia, when taken alone or in combination with other ingredients. Case reports collected from the Drug Induced Liver Injury Network suggest this risk may be greater in people who carry the HLA B*35:01 allele.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Serotonergic Drugs

Theoretically, combining garcinia with other serotonergic drugs might increase the risk of serotonergic side effects, including serotonin syndrome.
In one report, a patient experienced serotonin syndrome after taking garcinia extract (60% hydroxycitric acid) 1000 mg daily in combination with escitalopram 20 mg, which had been taken for a year. The patient was switched to sertraline 50 mg daily and again experienced serotonin syndrome.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Garcinia Cambogia, from the product label.

Cellusyn Laboratories

See all Cellusyn Laboratories products
Name
Cellusyn Laboratories
City
Orem
State
Utah
ZipCode
84057
Web Address
www.cellusyn.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Garcinia Cambogia by Cellusyn Laboratories: Common Questions

Does Garcinia Cambogia by Cellusyn Laboratories interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Garcinia Cambogia has a known interaction with 704 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Garcinia Cambogia contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Can I take garcinia cambogia with my antidepressant?
Not without checking first. One patient developed serotonin syndrome (a serious condition with agitation, confusion, and rapid heartbeat) when taking garcinia extract with the antidepressant escitalopram. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your specific medication before starting garcinia.
What are the most common side effects?
Diarrhea, stomach discomfort, headache, and nausea are the most often reported. Most people tolerate garcinia well in the short term, though rare serious effects like liver injury and heart inflammation have been documented.
Is garcinia safe to take while pregnant or breastfeeding?
No — the product facts advise against use during pregnancy and breastfeeding because there isn't enough safety data. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist for personalized guidance if you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Does garcinia cambogia actually help you lose weight?
The evidence we hold shows insufficient reliable evidence to rate it for obesity. We can't say whether it works based on the data available — if weight loss is your goal, talk with your doctor about proven approaches.
What is hydroxycitric acid (HCA)?
HCA is the active compound in garcinia cambogia thought to be responsible for its effects. It's believed to lower blood sugar and affect how your platelets clump together, which is why garcinia interacts with diabetes and blood-thinning medications.
Can garcinia cause liver damage?
Rare cases of acute liver injury and liver failure have been linked to garcinia use. If you have existing liver disease or take other drugs that can harm your liver, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether it's safe for you.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Garcinia Cambogia is safe with your meds?

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Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Garcinia Cambogia label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Garcinia Cambogia’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Garcinia Cambogia's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 44 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Garcinia 44 references
  1. Heymsfield SB, Allison DB, Vasselli JR, et al. Garcinia cambogia (hydroxycitric acid) as a potential antiobesity agent: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1998;280:1596-600. PubMed
  2. Soni MG, Burdock GA, Preuss HG, et al. Safety assessment of (-)-hydroxycitric acid and Super CitriMax, a novel calcium/potassium salt. Food Chem Toxicol 2004;42:1513-29. PubMed
  3. Stevens T, Qadri A, Zein NN. Two patients with acute liver injury associated with use of the herbal weight-loss supplement hydroxycut. Ann Intern Med 2005;142:477-8. PubMed
  4. Willis SL, Moawad FJ, Hartzell JD, et al. Hypertensive retinopathy associated with use of the ephedra-free weight-loss herbal supplement Hydroxycut. MedGenMed 2006;8:82.
  5. Preuss HG, Bagchi D, Bagchi M, et al. Effects of a natural extract of (-)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA-SX) and a combination of HCA-SX plus niacin-bound chromium and Gymnema sylvestre extract on weight loss. Diabetes Obes Metab 2004;6:171-180.
  6. Mansi IA, Huang J. Rhabdomyolysis in response to weight-loss herbal medicine. Am J Med Sci 2004;327:356-357. PubMed
  7. Lopez AM, Kornegay J, Hendrickson RG. Serotonin Toxicity Associated with Garcinia cambogia Over-the-counter Supplement. J Med Toxicol. 2014 Apr 4. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
  8. Michno A, Skibowska A, Raszeja-Specht A, Cwikowska J, Szutowicz A. The role of adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase in the metabolism of acetyl coenzyme a and function of blood platelets in diabetes mellitus. Metabolism 2004;53(1):66-72. PubMed
  9. Asghar M, Monjok E, Kouamou G, et al. Super CitriMax (HCA-SX) attenuates increases in oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin resistance, and body weight in developing obese Zucker rats. Mol Cell Biochem 2007;304(1-2):93-99. PubMed
  10. Wielinga PY, Wachters-Hagedoorn RE, Bouter B, et al. Hydroxycitric acid delays intestinal glucose absorption in rats. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2005;288(6):G1144-G1149. PubMed
  11. Leonhardt M, Balkan B, Langhans W. Effect of hydroxycitrate on respiratory quotient, energy expenditure, and glucose tolerance in male rats after a period of restrictive feeding. Nutrition 2004;20(10):911-915. PubMed
  12. Bunchorntavakul, C. and Reddy, K. R. Review article: herbal and dietary supplement hepatotoxicity. Aliment.Pharmacol.Ther 2013;37(1):3-17. PubMed
  13. Vasques CA, Schneider R, Klein-Júnior LC, et al. Hypolipemic effect of Garcinia Cambogia in obese women. Phytother Res 2014;28(6):887-91.
  14. Marquez F, Babio N, Bullo M, Salas-Salvado J. Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of hydroxycitric acid or Garcinia cambogia extracts in humans. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2012;52:585-94.
  15. Allen SF, Godley RW, Evron JM, et al. Acute necrotizing eosinophilic myocarditis in a patient taking Garcinia cambogia extract successfully treated with high-dose corticosteroids. Can J Cardiol 2014;30(12):1732 e13-1732 e15. PubMed
  16. Dara L, Hewett J, Lim JK. Hydroxycut hepatotoxicity: a case series and review of liver toxicity from herbal weight loss supplements. World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Dec 7;14(45):6999-7004. PubMed
  17. Sharma T, Wong L, Tsai N, Wong RD. Hydroxycut(®) (herbal weight loss supplement) induced hepatotoxicity: a case report and review of literature. Hawaii Med J. 2010 Aug;69(8):188-90.
  18. Rashid NN, Grant J. Hydroxycut hepatotoxicity. Med J Aust. 2010 Feb 1;192(3):173-4. PubMed
  19. Actis GC, Bugianesi E, Ottobrelli A, Rizzetto M. Fatal liver failure following food supplements during chronic treatment with montelukast. Dig Liver Dis. 2007 Oct;39(10):953-5. PubMed
  20. Corey R, Werner KT, Singer A, Moss A, Smith M, Noelting J, Rakela J. Acute liver failure associated with Garcinia cambogia use. Ann Hepatol. 2016 Jan-Feb;15(1):123-6. PubMed
  21. Melendez-Rosado J, Snipelisky D, Matcha G, Stancampiano F. Acute hepatitis induced by pure Garcinia cambogia. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2015 May-Jun;49(5):449-50. PubMed
  22. García-Cortés M, Robles-Díaz M, Ortega-Alonso A, Medina-Caliz I, Andrade RJ. Hepatotoxicity by Dietary Supplements: A Tabular Listing and Clinical Characteristics. Int J Mol Sci. 2016 Apr 9;17(4):537. PubMed
  23. Dehoney S, Wellein M. Rhabdomyolysis associated with the nutritional supplement Hydroxycut. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2009;66(2):142-8. PubMed
  24. Fong TL, Klontz KC, Canas-Coto A, et al. Hepatotoxicity due to hydroxycut: a case series. Am J Gastroenterol. 2010;105(7):1561-6. PubMed
  25. Hendrickson BP, Shaikh N, Occhiogrosso M, Penzner JB. Mania Induced by Garcinia cambogia: A Case Series. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2016;18(2).
  26. Kaswala D, Shah S, Patel N, Raisoni S, Swaminathan S. Hydroxycut-induced Liver Toxicity. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014; 4(1):143-5. PubMed
  27. Lobb A. Hepatoxicity associated with weight-loss supplements: a case for better post-marketing surveillance. World J Gastroenterol. 2009;15(14):1786-7. PubMed
  28. Lunsford KE, Bodzin AS, Reino DC, Wang HL, Busuttil RW. Dangerous dietary supplements: Garcinia cambogia -associated hepatic failure requiring transplantation. World J Gastroenterol. 2016;22(45):10071-10076.
  29. Narasimha A, Shetty PH, Nanjundaswamy MH, Viswanath B, Bada Math S. Hydroxycut - Dietary supplements for weight loss: Can they induce mania? Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2013;47(12):1205-6. PubMed
  30. Shim M, Saab S. Severe hepatotoxicity due to Hydroxycut: a case report. Dig Dis Sci. 2009;54(2):406-8. PubMed
  31. Stohs SJ, Preuss HG, Ohia SE, et al. No evidence demonstrating hepatotoxicity associated with hydroxycitric acid. World J Gastroenterol. 2009;15(32):4087-9. PubMed
  32. Gavril A, Ribnikar M, Smid L, Luzar B, Stabuc B. Fat burner-induced acute liver injury: case series of four patients. Nutrition. 2018;47:110-114. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2017.10.002. PubMed
  33. Bystrak T, Cervera-Hernandez ME, Reddy N, King Z, Bratberg J. Garcinia cambogia, diabetic ketoacidosis, and pancreatitis. R I Med J (2013). 2017 Oct 2;100(10):48-50. NO DOI
  34. Smith RJ, Bertilone C, Robertson AG. Fulminant liver failure and transplantation after use of dietary supplements. Med J Aust. 2016;204(1):30-2. PubMed
  35. Nguyen DC, Timmer TK, Davison BC, McGrane IR. Possible Garcinia cambogia-induced mania with psychosis: a case report. J Pharm Pract 2019;32(1):99-102. doi: 10.1177/0897190017734728.
  36. Yousaf MN, Chaudhary FS, Hodanazari SM, Sittambalam CD. Hepatotoxicity associated with Garcinia cambogia: a case report. World J Hepatol 2019;11(11):735-42.
  37. Mas Ordeig A, Bordón García N. Hepatotoxicity caused by Garcinia cambogia. Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020;43(3):134-5. DOI
  38. Cho HK, Han YS, Park JM. Ocular complications of Garcinia cambogia extract diet pills: case report. Eur J Ophthalmol 2019:1120672119872364. PubMed
  39. Ferreira V, Mathieu A, Soucy G, Giard JM, Erard-Poinsot D. Acute severe liver injury related to long-term Garcinia cambogia intake. ACG Case Rep J. 2020;7(8):e00429. PubMed
  40. Iqbal U, Anwar H, Siddiqui HU, Mehmood A. Acute Pancreatitis Secondary to Use of Appetite Suppressant: Garcinia cambogia. Cureus. 2019;11(5):e4676. PubMed
  41. Grigos A, Benmoussa J, Sandhu J, Chaucer B, Clarke M, SH Patel. Acute pancreatitis secondary to Garcinia cambogia; the unknown cost of herbal supplements. JOP. J Pancreas (Online) 2016; 17(3):316-317.
  42. Sidhu RLS, Labana S, Khehra L. Garcinia cambogia: a link between the "miracle" weight loss pill and acute pancreatitis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2016. 111:S560-S561. DOI
  43. Vuppalanchi R, Bonkovsky HL, Ahmad J, et al. Garcinia cambogia, Either Alone or in Combination With Green Tea, Causes Moderate to Severe Liver Injury. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021. PubMed
  44. Calaquian LL, Yau I. Garcinia cambogia-A Supplement-Related Liver Injury. Cureus 2022;14(2):e22225. PubMed

See these in context on the Garcinia monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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