Guggulsterones are found naturally in Commiphora Mukul, and have been shown to boost thyroid output as well as conversion of T4, a mostly inactive thyroid hormone, into T3, the thyroid hormone responsible for most of the thyroid gland’s physiological effects. There are two types (Z and E) of gugglesterones, found in Commiphora Mukul, and both have been shown to produce effects on the body’s level of T3 and T4, however it should be noted that the Z form is more potent, and that although they effect both thyroid hormones, it’s primarily through T3 that physiologic effects are noticed.

Here’s why:

Although T4 can bind to many of the same receptors within the body as T3, it does so at roughly 10% of the affinity as T3. T3 affects nearly every cell in the body in some way, shape, or form. However, its most pronounced effect is on metabolism and caloric expenditure. Although all of T3′s metabolic effects aren’t perfectly clear, some research suggests that T3 affects the mitochondria directly and increases the metabolic rate through additional energy expenditure at this level.

When thyroid levels are decreased, as seen in dieting, the metabolism will grind to a stop. At this point, lower and lower calories are required by the body to maintain its weight and fat levels, which is exactly the reason we see people stop losing weight on diets…unless they keep cutting calories – which is a losing formula, because eventually you can’t go any lower.

This is where gugglesterones come in. They provide the stimulus for the thyroid gland to continue functioning optimally, even while calories are restricted…they allow the body to continue converting T4 into the active T3, and therefore to keep the metabolism from slowing down.