Forskolin for Weight Loss

The big weight loss rave

As the question stands, “Is there a miracle pill for weight loss?” We are all searching for the one diet, the one supplement, or the one workout that is going to give us the body we desire.  There have been endless diets and fads that provide short-term results but often fall short of the long-term and sustainable results we are seeking.

As I continuously keep up with research and integrative medicine trends, I couldn't help but notice the recent talk about Forskolin, a root from the mint family that is being categorized as the new weight loss cure. It has been endorsed by well known nutritionists and doctors as the phenomenon that can instantly burn belly fat. Naturally, I wanted to know more about this herb and if it has the ability to catalyze weight loss. If so, what is the true mechanism of how it is working to evidently burn fat?

What is Forskolin

Forskolin is extracted from the plant Coleus forskohlii. This root is a chemical compound that’s been used for centuries in various forms of natural medicine. Historically, Forskolin has played an important role in Ayurvedic medicine, for the treatment of various health conditions that include heart disease, skin issues, respiratory issues, and more.

As it turns out, the herb is quite fascinating and facilitates various processes in the body that can “indirectly” enhance weight loss while providing other benefits. While using herbs, roots, or other natural supplements, I have found that they tend to effect various pathways in the body which is why you will experience a variety of changes when introducing them to your daily regimen. Forskolin specifically influences pathways in the body that modulate the inflammatory response, calm the stress response, and detox neurotoxins. All three of these processes will, indirectly, induce weight loss and improve metabolic function.  

The Back Story

Many of us are aware that chronic stress is detrimental to our health. Which is why people dealing with chronic stress often struggle with weight loss, appetite, and their energy levels.  

Chronic external stress from life events, work, and relationships can increase stress hormones in our body. One specific stress hormone that can elevate is cortisol. Excess cortisol can play a significant role in our ability to lose weight. Cortisol can also increase when we are overworked which I call burning the candle at both ends. Many people always say “yea, i’m busy but I can handle it.” Despite being able to “handle it” or keep on keeping on, your body will still perceive this as stress which will continuously create a biochemical change that elevates our stress hormone, cortisol.

The increase in cortisol shoves us into survival mode which is also known as fight or flight. Fight or flight is only meant to be a short term response to get you out of dangerous situations. In the days of hunter gatherers, we would have a fight or flight response when we were in the woods and needed to prepare to fight or flee from an animal that wanted to eat us. In this day and age, most of us live in this constant state of fight or flight because of our high demand jobs and lifestyle. The longer we live in this state of stress, we start to feel “tired but wired.” This translates to, you are tired all day and struggling to concentrate but when it comes time to sleep you have one-million thoughts and worries running through your mind.  Unfortunately, this scenario is all too relatable for most. 

In addition, when your body is in survival mode it prepares for a famine which is why we will  accumulate fat in abdomen,intended to protect our vital organs.  This is one of the reasons people will struggle with weight loss by strictly changing their diet while not addressing their stress levels.  

This stress response and overabundance of cortisol will also disrupt hormone balance which will affect a variety of systems. We will find dysfunction with the thyroid, increased water retention, mood imbalances, constricted breathing, and elevation in blood pressure.   

How does it actually Work

The forskolin herb will clear excess cortisol from the blood by improving the function of the cortisol receptor [ 2 ]. The cortisol receptor grabs the free floating cortisol from the blood to utilize it or break it down. An important aspect to keep in mind is to make lifestyle modifications to lower cortisol to improve the effectiveness of forskolin. The forskolin root affects the cortisol receptor in a unique way.  It is not that the herb upregulates the receptor, it actually improves its responsiveness by removing toxins that can block the receptor [ 1 ].  The forskolin root specifically removes a group of toxins called neurotoxins from the receptor to allow it to work better. Some of you may be thinking, what the heck is a neurotoxin and why would I be exposed to that? Well my friends, the category of neurotoxins include:

Silver fillings in your mouth, other dental materials, fluoride, pesticides, herbicides, aluminum foil, antiperspirant, non-stick cookware, mercury in fish, arsenic on rice and in brown rice syrup, sugar-free gum, sugar-free anything, diet anything, MSG, alcohol, lead in chapstick, and the list goes on.  

There are claims that  forskolin can raise the blood levels of cortisol which is partly true.  If there is an overabundance of neurotoxins in the body such as mercury, aluminum, or other heavy metals, the detoxification of those substances can increase blood cortisol temporarily as the neurotoxins are being mobilized. When the toxins are eliminated out of the body the cortisol will stabilize.

Circling back to weight loss, forskolin is not promoting weight loss through amping up the metabolism but by helping to detox the body in addition to removing excess cortisol from the blood. Toxins and excess cortisol are the top issues that keep the body inflamed and puffy.  The inflammation will also be improved by the upregulation of anti inflammatory proteins and the repression of pro-inflammatory proteins in the cytosol which is another benefit provided by Forskolin.

For those of you that aren't as familiar with the concept of inflammation , some of the most well known inflammatory conditions include obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and autoimmunity to name a few. Unfortunately, we are living in a society where we are all battling some level of inflammation due to our daily exposure to toxins, herbicides, pesticides, bacterias, and viruses. I often discuss with my patients the concept of overloaded filtration systems. We have various filtration systems in our bodies which include tonsils, the spleen, liver, gut, and lymphatic system. Over a lifetime, we are exposed to many toxins and organisms which cause our filtration systems to become overloaded which then creates inflammation. You need to understand that everyone's filtration system works differently which is based on our genetic makeup. Here are a few examples:

You have less effective liver detoxification if you are extremely sensitive to caffeine, medications, or alcohol.

You have a compromised lymphatic system if you do not sweat easily, have varicose veins, water retention, or even belly distention that is hard and round (pregnant looking belly).

TIP:  The best way to know if your body is actually holding inflammation versus fat tissue is to weigh yourself each day.  I know that can seem like a depressing and daunting task but if you yo-yo 2-5 lbs on the daily, you are extremely inflamed [not overweight]. 

All in all, forskolin can assist in reducing circulating cortisol which can reduce the stress response, reduce inflammation, and ultimately result in weight loss in the abdomen.

The other important benefits 

More recently, Forskolin has played an important role in scientific research because of its effect on relaxing smooth muscle in the body. It has the ability to do this by activating a messenger called cAMP also known as cyclic AMP [ 3 ]. What does that mean? Well, cAMP is a “second messenger” that impacts various biological processes in the brain, muscle, and metabolism. These second messengers are responsible for signaling specific processes that signal for your body to regulate hormones, activate neurological pathways, burn sugar, store sugar, and much more. One of the main benefits of cAMP activation is the relaxation of smooth muscle. Smooth muscle makes up various organs of the body such as the lungs, cardiovascular system, and gastrointestinal system. The relaxation of smooth muscle in each organ system creates different health benefits.  

The lungs   

The relaxation of the smooth muscles in the respiratory system can dilate the bronchioles and open up air passages. This creates an overall improvement in breathing and lung capacity. Research has also shown that Forskolin can reduce asthma attacks in mild to moderate persistent asthma. [ 6 ]It is best, to rule out if you are living or working in an environmentally toxic location. Toxins from mold, asbestos, and building materials can impede proper lung function.

The heart

The heart, arteries, and veins are composed of smooth muscle. When the muscle is inflamed or constricted it can raise blood pressure and create risk for more serious heart conditions.  Forskolin effect on the smooth muscle can ultimately lower blood pressure and improve heart health. If you are taking blood pressure lowering medications, it is best to consult with your doctor before taking forskolin. While on blood pressure medication, forskolin could result in abnormally low blood pressure. [ 4 ]

The Gut

The gut is a large and complex organ system. There are many components to proper digestion and normal bowel movements. One thing that can restrict bowel movements is abnormal function of the bowel smooth muscle.  A relaxed bowel allows for proper motility and a reduction or elimination in constipation.  For ideal results, it is best to be evaluated for food sensitivities and allergies to assure you are not eating foods that are causing a disruption in the gut. [ 7 ]

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action of forskolin have made it an effective solution for heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, constipation, and asthma.

So does it really help you lose weight?

The effect of forskolin on the body can create weight loss as an EFFECT. The root is working on specific physiological pathways that will reduce inflammation, decrease excess cortisol, and improve detoxification which will all result in some level of weight loss. Forskolin can be most effective with a low glycemic diet like paleo or ketogenic diets. Eliminating out excess glucose and carbohydrates will create less blood sugar instability which will keep cortisol levels more stable. Less stress on the cortisol receptors will enhance the weight loss benefits of forskolin. Most importantly, the management of stress is key in keeping cortisol balanced.  Despite Forskolin enhancing the cortisol receptor function, if you continue to be stressed and overworked you will not necessarily see benefits with the use of forskolin.  

How to incorporate Forskolin

Forskolin is an over the counter supplement that is available in various forms. It can be consumed as a powder, supplement, or topical lotion. The key to purchasing supplements is quality. Always review the active and inactive ingredient to make sure they are pure and sourced properly. I always say, “don't trust cheap supplements”. Herbs and roots sourced from their indigenous land, processed, and packaged properly will go for a premium price so do not be fooled by the marketing of less reputable companies. Look for products that contain organic 100% forskolin, Coleus forskohlii, and contain no additives. If you believe Forskolin may be beneficial to you, please see your healthcare provider to establish a complete regimen with diet and  lifestyle recommendations.

Since forskolin has the ability to mobilize neurotoxins from the cortisol receptors it is best to have supportive binding and detoxification herbs.  CGF chlorella - a sophisticated mix of chlorella and chlorella growth factor and cilantro given together with a non irradiated Mucuna bean powder will properly support the mobilization of neurotoxins to be eliminated through the gastrointestinal tract.

If you choose to explore topical Forskolin, the specific studies revealed that a topical product combining tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, caffeine, carnitine, forskolin and retinol reduced the circumference of the abdomen and buttocks.  The best results were seen after 12 weeks of twice-daily application of the product. [ 5 ]

Why Is choose to incorporate Forskolin in my practice

In my clinical practice, there are many people struggling with the ‘mystery’ of their symptoms.  They do not understand why they can’t lose, get their energy back, or reduce their anxiety, and are often not getting answers from conventional lab testing.  They want clarity around their symptoms and most importantly they want a solution.  We use a specific style of testing to verify what supplements and herbs are right for the person to address their root cause.  We often find that Forskolin is a valuable supplement in a variety of patients that are dealing with inflammatory conditions, respiratory issues, heart palpitations, and obesity.  We often pair Forskolin with complementary therapies such as infrared sauna, diet recommendations, stress reduction therapies, bio-emotional techniques, and detoxification.  

The Highlights

1. Forskolin has been shown to enhance weight loss by lowering cortisol levels, decreasing inflammation, and eliminating neurotoxins.
2. Forskolin can reduce stress and anxiety by reducing cortisol.
3. Forskolin can improve many vital organs by relaxing smooth muscles. Studies have shown a reduction in asthma, blood pressure, heart disease, and constipation. 
4. A patient should be monitored if taking forskolin while on blood pressure medication.
5. Studies have shown belly fat reduction in use of topical forskolin blends.
6. Purchase only 100% pure forskolin with no added ingredients. 
7. Make sure to pair forskolin with a proper diet and stress reduction methods.