{"ok":true,"entry":{"slug":"guggul","kind":"supplement","name":"guggul","aliases":["Commiphora mukul","guggulsterone"],"brands_sg":["Himalaya","Super Nutrition","NaturesPlus","Nutricost","NOW Foods"],"class":"botanical","tags":["heart"],"use_for":"marketed for cholesterol; one rct saw ldl-c rise instead","use_after":null,"use_duration":null,"take_with":null,"pros":["long use in asia as a cholesterol-lowering agent","mechanism is plausible: guggulsterones act on fxr","generally well tolerated over 8 weeks in the rct"],"cons":["8-week rct: ldl-c rose 4–5% versus placebo","hypersensitivity rash in 6 of 67 given guggulipid","review: not enough evidence for any medical condition"],"dose_note":"the 2003 jama trial used a standardised guggulipid containing 2.5% guggulsterones at 1000 mg or 2000 mg three times daily for 8 weeks, and neither dose lowered ldl-c; the natural standard review concluded no dose is supported for any condition — as directed on the label or by your pharmacist or doctor","dosage":{"ul":null,"unit":"mg","fda_dv":null,"rda_ai":null,"ul_status":"none_established","population":"general adult","hsa_max_daily":null},"ul_status":"none_established","sg_class":null,"cautions":["pregnancy or breastfeeding — the 2005 review says it should be avoided","children — the same review says it should be avoided","high cholesterol — an 8-week rct saw ldl-c rise, not fall","beyond 4 months — safety of longer use is not well studied"],"clashes":[],"sources":[{"id":"szapary2003","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/MED/12915429","label":"Guggulipid for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia: a randomized controlled trial (Szapary et al., JAMA 2003)","quote":"both standard-dose guggulipid (n = 33) and high-dose guggulipid (n = 34) raised levels of LDL-C by 4% (P = .01 vs placebo) and 5% (P = .006 vs placebo), respectively, at 8 weeks","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"szapary2003_bg","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/MED/12915429","label":"Szapary et al. 2003 — background and proposed mechanism","quote":"Herbal extracts from Commiphora mukul (guggul) have been widely used in Asia as cholesterol-lowering agents … guggulsterones … have been shown to be potent antagonists of 2 nuclear hormone receptors involved in cholesterol metabolism","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"szapary2003_ae","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/MED/12915429","label":"Szapary et al. 2003 — tolerability and adverse events","quote":"While guggulipid was generally well tolerated, 6 participants treated with guggulipid developed a hypersensitivity rash compared with none in the placebo group.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"szapary2003_design","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/MED/12915429","label":"Szapary et al. 2003 — doses studied","quote":"Oral, 3 times daily doses of standard-dose guggulipid (1000 mg), high-dose guggulipid (2000 mg), or matching placebo … a standardized guggul extract (guggulipid, containing 2.5% guggulsterones)","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"ulbricht2005","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/MED/16338199","label":"Guggul for hyperlipidemia: a review by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (Ulbricht et al., Complement Ther Med 2005)","quote":"The effects of guggulipid in patients with high cholesterol are not clear … At this time, there is not enough scientific evidence to support the use of guggul for any medical condition.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"ulbricht2005_safety","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/MED/16338199","label":"Ulbricht et al. 2005 — safety and who should avoid guggul","quote":"Guggul may cause stomach discomfort or allergic rash as well as other serious side effects and interactions. It should be avoided in pregnant or breast-feeding women and in children. Safety of use beyond 4 months has not been well studied.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"hsa_prohibited_2025","url":"https://file.go.gov.sg/hsa-chp-prohibited-restricted-ing-guidelines.pdf","label":"HSA — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev. No. 001 (Oct 2025) — guggul / Commiphora mukul / guggulsterone not listed in Annex A or B (PDF full text searched)","quote":"The objective of this guideline is to highlight the substances of concern when used in HS and TM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"iherb_sg","url":"https://sg.iherb.com/c/guggul","label":"iHerb Singapore — Guggul category page, default (best-selling) order; no Singapore shipping-restriction notice shown","quote":"Himalaya, Guggul, 60 Vegetarian Capsules … Super Nutrition, Plant Sterols & Policosanol Complex with … Guggul Extract … NaturesPlus, Herbal Actives, Gugulipid, Extended Release, 1,000 mg … Nutricost, Guggul Extract … NOW Foods, Guggul Extract","accessed":"2026-08-27"}],"brand_certs":null,"updated_at":"2026-08-29T16:16:21.812539+08:00"},"disclaimer":"kozen-x is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. it lists what published sources have written down. absence of a record is not the same as safe."}