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The Dr. Oz show website claims:

Researchers have found that forskolin can help to promote the breakdown of stored fats in animal and human fat cells. It may also release fatty acids from adipose tissue, which results in increased thermogenesis, resulting in loss of body fat and, theoretically, increased lean body mass.

The link above is dead, but another example is this video clip from the Dr Oz show where he spruiks forskolin, and googling "Dr Oz Forskolin" leads to many dodgy looking websites peddling the stuff. Is there any evidence that forskolin promotes the breakdown of stored fats in humans?

John Lyon
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  • Link is dead. I was unable to find the proper one (e.g. on Youtube) to replace it with –  Oct 20 '15 at 12:48

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Yes, here's one scientific study that says that forskolin causes weight loss in humans: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16129715

Note that a single study of 30 people is not sufficient to conclude that forskolin is effective and safe from side-effects. Readers are advised to consult a doctor before taking forskolin.

Sklivvz
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Ronald Chavin
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  • I removed the second part of the answer. Avoid giving medical advice. – nico Apr 01 '13 at 10:49
  • You should really note in your answer that the first study applies specifically to *obese* males, and that the number of participants was fairly low at 30. Nonetheless, looks like an interesting study - thanks for the answer! – John Lyon Oct 08 '13 at 05:58
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    I fear this is a dangerous answer. A single study of 30 people is not sufficient to conclude that forskolin is effective and safe from side-effects. Readers are advised to consult a doctor before taking forskolin. – Oddthinking Oct 20 '15 at 08:39
  • Good call @Oddthinking. I suppose I selected it at the time because *some* supporting evidence is better than most of the stuff on this show. I've deselected the answer and would encourage either improvements or other answers including more robust studies. – John Lyon Oct 20 '15 at 21:29