Cissus Quadrangularis

Cissus Quadrangularis, (a key ingredient in IGNITE) is a perennial plant that is part of the grape family. It is believed to be native to either Sri Lanka or India but is also found within Arabia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. It has also been imported to the southern United States and Brazil. Nicknamed “bone-setter”, it has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal properties. In Ayurvedic and Siddha medicines it is popularly used for pain relief, and to help heal injured tendons, bones, and ligaments.

Benefits of Cissus

Weight Loss Benefits - Several studies have confirmed the remarkable weight loss potential of Cissus Quadrangularis supplements:

• Study 1) Those who took Cissus Quadrangularis lost 187 percent more weight in comparison to the placebo group. Researchers believe that this supplement can help burn fat, reduce appetite, and increase lean muscle mass. Since lean muscle mass supports a higher metabolism, you can burn more calories, even at rest.
• Study 2) Another study compared the different effects of taking Cissus Quadranularis, a placebo, and using Cissus Quadrangularis in combination with a diet plan. After eight weeks, it was found that both groups taking Cissus Quadrangularis lost a significant amount of weight in addition to reducing their blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides, while better balancing their blood sugar.

While these particular studies have some impressive findings, its also important to know how Cissus promotes weight loss.

1. It may help balance blood sugar levels.¹
   
   High blood sugar levels result in the body releasing insulin. Several studies have confirmed that the presence of insulin encourages the body to start storing fat. The higher the insulin levels – the more significant the weight gain can become. In a study where type 2 diabetic rats were administered Cissus Quadrangularis for 60 days, the treated rats showed a significant improvement in blood glucose levels¹, liver toxicity markers, inflammatory and lipid peroxidation markers, as well as an increase in antioxidant activity. Since Cissus Quadrangularis helps control one’s blood sugar, it can also reduce one’s risk of becoming pre-diabetic and then developing type II diabetes, which is highly correlated with obesity.
   
   
2. Cissus Quadrangularis can help improve gut health & trigger weight loss.^2,4
   
   The latest research confirms that overweight and obese people tend to have bacterial imbalances in the digestive tract – which can ultimately have a negative effect on metabolism. Recent studies have confirmed Cissus’s long purported gut healing benefits – showing its ability to help heal the lining of the digestive tract, reduce inflammation, enhance antioxidant defenses, and control bacterial imbalances². In a study involving rats with induce ulcers, Cissus Quandrangularis decreased gastric secretions and increased gastric mucin content and glycoprotein levels (R).In another study, rats with aspirin-induced ulcers were given cissus quadrangularis extract. Treated rats showed a reduction in the ulcer size and a restored protective mucus layer³. Further showing cissus’s shows antiulcer and gastroprotective benefits, another study showed that in rats that were given cissus quadrangularis, aspirin did not significantly affect the gastric mucosa in the ulcers of rats, whereas non treated rates showed depletion of gastric wall mucus, glycoproteins and gastric mucosal NPSH concentration³.
   
   
3. Cissus Quadrangularis has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
   
   We all know that antioxidants and anti-inflammatories are a good thing health-wise, but you may not know how this pertains to weight loss. Inflammation sends a signal to the brain telling it that there is an injury or malfunction somewhere. For our ancestors, who relied on their hunting and gathering skills to survive, an injury could be catastrophic to their ability to gather food. To help ensure survival during a period where food may be scarce, the body evolved to slow the metabolism down and start storing any excess energy it can. The body does not differentiate between inflammation caused by a crippling injury versus inflammation caused by a weak gut lining, stress, or a poor diet – they can all trigger the body into going into survival mode. Packed with vitamin C, Cissus is a natural antioxidant. Its ability to fight inflammation, which can reduce pain and swelling is probably a large part of its popularity for use as a pain killer in Ayurvedic and Siddha medicines. It has also been shown to help reduce LPS-induced free radical damage⁶, by helping reduce both inflammatory nitric oxide (iNOS) and the core inflammatory gene signal NF-kappaB. In a study determining Cissus’s protective qualities, liver damage was induced in rats – creating elevated levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin - all toxic to the blood in high levels. Rats treated with methanol extract of Cissus Quadangularis showed a significant lowering of these levels, decreased lipid peroxidation and increased activity. Another recent study showed cissus quadrangularis to be highly protective of the liver³, offsetting the toxic effects of a TB drug by drastically reducing free radical damage. This is relevant to weight management, as the liver is often subject to inflammatory and free radical-producing insults coming from both the digestive tract and white adipose tissue. Thus, cissus quadrangularis helps offset metabolic stress associated with gut imbalance by a variety of mechanisms.

Additional Benefits:

In addition to its fat-burning benefits, Cissus has been shown to be extremely beneficial to bone and joint health. Today, it’s currently used by athletes for exercise-related joint pain. When studying rats, it appeared to be an effective painkiller. Many health experts in the field have compared cissus quadrangularis to the same pain-relieving effects as aspirin.

Although few human studies have been conducted, one study focused on athletes and yielding positive effects. Those who took Cissus Quadrangularis experienced a reduction in joint pain by a third. This could be promising for athletes, as most joint health supplements do not report much athlete-based evidence, as most research is conducted on people with osteoarthritis.

Cissus Quadrangularis is best known for its potential ability to heal broken bones faster than normal – earning it its nickname, the Bone Setter. When studying dogs, it was proven that Cissus Quadrangularis offered healing effects. One group of dogs were given Cissus Quadrangularis while the other were given a placebo. After 21 days, those who were given a placebo had not healed, yet those who ingested Cissus Quadrangularis had healed completely.

A similar study was conducted in rats, as those who were given Cissus Quadrangularis healed 50 percent faster. While studying these effects, researchers believe that Cissus Quadrangularis may help increase the uptake of calcium. This makes sense, as calcium is one of the key nutrients that’s required for optimal bone strength. There’s also evidence suggesting that Cissus Quadrangularis taken every day could reduce the risk of fracturing a bone by up to 40 percent.

One study on cissus quadrangularis and bones shows that cissus quadrangularis works at the level of gene transcription to turn on osteoblasts and to specifically boost their production of osteocalcin¹. This is a powerful finding, as it means that the nutrient is a bone-building gene regulator, elevating it to a new status of usefulness. Additionally, osteocalcin² acts as a hormone elsewhere in your body by boosting adiponectin,3 production in your white adipose tissue, in turn helping protect against insulin resistance and cardiovascular inflammation⁴.

What are the Potential Side Effects?

Since cissus quadrangularis is an all-natural supplement, it’s considered to be highly safe and side effects are rare. Within clinical studies, most participants did not experience any adverse effects at all. For those who did report side effects, they were mild in nature and included flatulence, headaches, and nausea.

Do not take if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as there’s not enough information and research to confirm whether this is safe or not. Like most supplements, it may interfere with certain medications. Please discuss proper dosing with your doctor before taking cissus quadrangularis.

If you’re diabetic, speak with your doctor before taking cissus quadrangularis. Since it naturally lowers blood sugar, taking cissus quadrangularis along with your regular diabetic medications could cause your blood sugar to dip too low.