10 HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF BITTER KOLA

Garcinia Kola which is commonly known as bitter kola has amazing health benefits which some of us are yet to discover. This tropical flowering plant is common in Cameroon, Nigeria and other parts of central and West Africa. The fruit, seed, nut and bark of the bitter kola tree has been used for centuries in treating and preventing diseases.

Bitter kola contains bioflavonoids such as kolaviron which is responsible for many of its health benefits. 

1 It relieves joint pain associated with arthritis

Bitter kola helps to relieve arthritis by reducing swelling, inflammation, pain and increases movement around the joint. 

A study conducted showed that bitter kola possesses antinociceptive(the action or process of blocking the detection of a painful or injurious stimulus by sensory neurons) and ant-inflammatory properties(1).
This justifies why many African natural healers have recommended bitter kola for pain relief.

There are other super foods that help in relieving joint pain such as Turmeric. If you are interested in getting fast relieve, try using supplements for joint pain that have been shown to aid in relieving joint pain and promoting healing of the joints. 

2 Reduces eye pressure (glaucoma)

Garcinia kola 0.5 aqueous eye drops were used on patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or Ocular hypertension to test the efficacy of the eye drop. This study showed that bitter kola opthalmic solution can significantly reduce intra ocular pressure(2).

3 Bitter kola is an anti-poison

Eating bitter kola after eating any food suspected to have bacteria will prevent infection and poison. Chew bitter kola to detoxify your system when food poisoning is suspected. 

It is also very common for people in west and central Africa to eat bitter kola before embarking on a long journey. This will help as an anti-poison if they eat poorly prepared food that can cause food poisoning  along the way.

4 Helps in weight loss
Bitter Kola suppresses hunger and stimulates the thirst for water and it can be used when trying to lose weight. Majority of the inhabitants of Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana chew bitter kola when they are hungry because it suppresses the quest for food. 

There also exist weight loss supplements that aid and hasten weight loss. Garcinia Cambogia Plus and Raspberry Ketone Plus are 2 weight loss supplements that are renowned for enhancing weight loss. 

5 Alleviation of malaria symptoms
One study showed that bitter kola possesses anti-malarial properties and may be able to protect us against plasmodium infection(3).

Studies have shown that bitter kola is able to relieve symptoms of malaria. One study showed that extracts of bitter kola were an important ingredient of anti-malarial medicines.(4).

6 Detoxification

A study conducted showed that bitter kola is able to boost the anti oxidant status of our liver and it had no adverse effect on the liver of rats after long term exposure(5).

Eating bitter kola can therefore help the liver in detoxification.

7 Immunity

Due to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties, consuming Garcinia kola regularly can boost our immune system. 
A healthy immune system will be able to fight common diseases and ensure that we stay strong and healthy. 

8 It can help with Diabetes 

by Lowering blood glucose levels

One Study showed that bitter kola is able to reduce elevated levels of blood glucose and may be beneficial in the treatment of Diabetes and its associated complications (5). 

Furthermore, extracts from bitter kola are able to prevent cognitive and motor dysfunctions in rats that were suffering from type 1 Diabetes(6).

More studies are needed to exploit the benefits of bitter kola, because many of the studies have been conducted with animal subjects. 

 9 Improves prostate health, increases Libido and erection in males
Studies conducted on animals show that extracts from bitter kola can enhance prostate health. The compound kolaviron, which was extracted from bitter kola is able to improve sperm quality and quantity(7, 8 9). 

Furthermore, a study also revealed that bitter kola extract possesses potent aphrodisiac properties and it is also able to increase sperm count and testosterone level in male rats(10). 

These studies were conducted on animals and further investigation is required on human subjects.

10 Treatment of cough, cold and catarrh
one study showed that bitter kola possesses anti-microbial properties which makes it useful for fighting against infections caused by bacteria(11).

Kolaviron, an essential chemical found in bitter kola  is able to prevent our bodies from detecting pain. Kolaviron is also a powerful anti- inflammatory agent(1). Therefore, eating  bitter kola will help relieve the symptoms of cough, cold and catarrh.