What are the health benefits of amla and is it safe?

Written by Meredith Worthington, Ph.D. — Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.

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Amla supplement capsules being poured onto a wooden table with amla fruit in the background

Answer:

What is amla?

Amla (Emblica officinalis), also known as Indian gooseberry, is one of the most commonly used ingredients in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. The fruit of amla contains vitamin C, tannins, phenols, including the phenolic ester β-glucogallin, and other nutrients that are believed to contribute to its health benefits.

Health benefits of amla

Although amla has been promoted for numerous conditions, including diabetes, heart health, digestive health, immunity, kidney and liver function, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, hair growth, age-related macular degeneration, cataract, aging skin, and cancer, many of these uses have not been evaluated in clinical studies. Among the uses that have been evaluated in humans, most of the studies have been small and preliminary. Larger, longer-term studies are needed to confirm the benefits of amla in people.

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