Obesity or corpulence is a condition of the body characterized by over-accumulation of fat under the skin and around certain of the internal organs. While the state of health differs from person to person, other things being equal, the father a person is, the slower he will be.

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In some cases fat persons are slow of wit. Doctors and actuaries have calculated the weight that a person of a particular height should have and anybody having a weight much above the average is likely to be unhealthy and would have a lower life expectancy. Insurance companies hesitate, and in some cases refuse, to insure the lives of people who are too fat. It has been proved from experience that the obese have a grater chance of dying early than those of average weight. Recorded cases exist where extremely overweight people did not live beyond their thirties, some of them passing away even before they entered middle age.

Women are more prone to obesity, particularly after childbirth. In our country, this is especially true because the new mother is fed on fatty and starchy foods under the impression that the blood loss attendant on delivery must be made up by extra rich diet.

In Ayurveda, obesity is known as Medo Roga. It is simply defined as the condition in which excessive amount of fat is accumulated in the body. There are two main reasons for this abnormal deposition of fat – (i) excessive fat intake through the diet and (ii) some metabolic problem which does not allow the proper utilization of fat in the body. Ayurveda holds agni, or the digestive fire, responsible for obesity. When the agni is vitiated, then the ama (toxic substances) is built up in the body, leading to obesity.


Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Obesity


Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia): Guduchi is an indigenous Indian herb which is not very well-known out of India. It is a commonly prescribed herb in Ayurveda for the condition of obesity. It helps in the proper canalization of fats in the body and thus reduces obesity.


Gooseberry (Emblica officinalis): Known as amalaki in Indian medicine, the Indian gooseberry is the richest source of vitamin C among all foodstuffs. Vitamin C can disintegrate fatty buildup in the body. Hence, it is a very effective herb for the treatment of obesity and related conditions. The amalaki is an integral component of Triphala, which is commonly prescribed in the treatment of obesity.


Guggulu is prescribed by most Ayurvedic physicians as the drug of choice in the control of obesity. It may be prescribed in its pure form (in the dosage of one gram four times a day), or it can be given in a mixture form as Navaka Guggulu or Triphala Guggulu. These are given in tablet form, followed by some hot drink. Mineral supplements such as Tapyaadi Lauha and Shilajitawadi Lauha are given in conjunction with the Guggulu tablets.