Forskolin: This Little-Known Herb Might Be The Key To Lasting Weight Loss & Cortisol Control

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.

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 weight1. Cortisol can also increase when we are overworked. Many people always say, "Yeah, 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 your 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, the more we start to feel "tired but wired." If you're tired all day and struggling to concentrate, but when it comes time to sleep you have a million thoughts and worries running through your mind, this might be you. 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 the 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.

The forskolin herb will clear excess cortisol from the blood by improving the function of the cortisol receptor. 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 up-regulates the receptor, it actually improves its responsiveness by removing toxins that can block the receptor. The forskolin root specifically removes a group of toxins called neurotoxins from the receptor to allow it to work better. If you're thinking, what the heck is a neurotoxin and why would I be exposed to that? Well, my friends, the category of neurotoxins includes silver fillings in your mouth, other dental materials, fluoride, pesticides, herbicides, aluminum foil, antiperspirant, nonstick cookware, mercury in fish, arsenic on rice and in brown rice syrup, sugar-free gum, sugar-free anything, diet anything, MSG, alcohol, lead in lip balm, and the list goes on.

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 up-regulation of anti-inflammatory proteins and the repression of pro-inflammatory proteins in the cytosol, which is another benefit provided by forskolin.6

Unfortunately, we are living in a society in which 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 the tonsils, spleen, liver, gut, and lymphatic system. Over a lifetime, we are exposed to many toxins and organisms that cause our filtration systems to become overloaded, which then creates inflammation. You need to understand that everyone's filtration system works differently based on their genetic makeup. 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 gut is a large and complex organ system. There are many components of 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 ensure you are not eating foods that are causing a disruption in the gut9.

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 percent forskolin and coleus forskohlii and contain no additives. If you believe forskolin may be beneficial to you, please see your health care 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 nonirradiated mucuna bean powder—will properly support the mobilization of neurotoxins to be eliminated through the gastrointestinal tract.