✓ No active regulatory warningsFDA MedWatch, EMA EudraVigilance, WHO VigiBase, WADA Prohibited List · 2026-05-29
📰Read the full Guggul evidence review on GMJ News →Complete clinical article, references and updates on news.gmj.ge. This page is the structured safety summary.⚠ See overview for critical safety points [1]
ℹ️ Not obtained from food. Not applicable — this is not obtained from food in meaningful amounts; supplementation is the practical route.
🔬 Lab interpreter
ℹ️ No validated blood test. There is no established laboratory test to assess status or guide dosing for this ingredient. Clinical response and symptoms are the practical guide.
⚕ For professionals — confirm ranges against your local laboratory.
Clinical verdict
Guggul is Ayurveda's premier lipid-lowering herb, but the best Western RCT (n=103) showed it INCREASED LDL by 5% — directly contradicting Indian trials. This evidence conflict is unresolved. Guggulsterones activate thyroid hormone receptor: genuine concern for thyroid patients. The FXR antagonism mechanism is pharmacologically interesting but clinically unreliable [1].
1 How much do I need?
👤 Adults: Specific dosage data under clinical review
👴 Elderly: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🤰 Pregnancy: See guidance
AVOID — traditional emmenagogue. Uterotonic. Thyroid-stimulating [1].
👦 Pediatric: See guidance
Not recommended without specialist guidance [1].
🏃 Athletes: Standard dose
⚖️ Obesity: Standard dose
Fat-soluble compounds may require dose adjustment in obesity.
🩺 Renal: Consult specialist
Dose adjustment may be needed in renal impairment.
🌱 Vegan: Standard dose
How to take
🍽 Timing: See overview [1].
💊 With food: See overview [1].
🚫 Avoid: See overview for contraindications [1].
2 Which form?
| Form | Bioavailability | Vegan | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ['Various commercial forms', 'standard', 'See product labels [1].'] | Standard | Check label |
3 Common questions
Key clinical point ▼
Guggul is Ayurveda's premier lipid-lowering herb, but the best Western RCT (n=103) showed it INCREASED LDL by 5% — directly contradicting Indian trials. This evidence conflict is unresolved. Guggulsterones activate thyroid hormone receptor: genuine concern for thyroid patients. The FXR antagonism mechanism is pharmacologically interesting but clinically unreliable [1].
4 Clinical evidence
Strong
See overview [1]. HIGH
Moderate
See overview [1]. MODERATE
Insufficient
See overview [1]. LOW
5 Safety, toxicity & adverse events
Absolute contraindications
✕ Pregnancy — uterine-stimulant activity
Relative
⚠ Antagonizes FXR and induces CYP enzymes — may lower levels of propranolol, diltiazem and others
⚠ Thyroid medication — may alter thyroid hormone levels
⚠ Anticoagulants — bleeding risk
⚠ Hormone-sensitive conditions
🚩 Red flags
● See overview for safety alerts [1]
6 Interactions
Drug interactions
Thyroid medications (levothyroxine) Major
Mechanism: Guggulsterones activate thyroid receptor — may cause hyperthyroid symptoms or interfere with thyroid dose titration [1].
7 Regulatory
United States (FDA): Dietary supplement / restricted [1].
8 US supplement products
117
on-market products containing Guggul (NIH DSLD)
Brands carrying Guggul (66)
Click a brand to see its Guggul products.
9 Frequently paired with
10 Cite this page
Vancouver: Pkhakadze G. Guggul — safety profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2026 [cited 2026 Aug 07]. Available from: https://supplement.ge/ingredients/guggul/
APA 7th: Pkhakadze, G. (2026). Guggul — Safety profile. Public Health Institute of Georgia. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/guggul/
📋 Editorial information
Author: Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Institution: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG)
Affiliation: David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU)
First published: January 2026
Last reviewed: 2026-05-29
Next review: February 2027
References: 2 cited sources
COI: SupplementIndex receives no funding from supplement manufacturers. All content independently authored by PHIG.
Process: Systematic literature review
📄 License & reuse
Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may share and adapt for any purpose with attribution.
Pkhakadze G. "Guggul — Safety Profile." SupplementIndex, PHIG, 2026. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/guggul/ CC BY 4.0.
GP
Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor of Public Health · Head of Department, DTMU
Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (ISSN 3088-4322)
Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia · UEMS Public Health Section
Educational and public health purposes. CC BY 4.0. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Corrections: info@accreditation.ge. Publisher: PHIG