Gamma Oryzanol

• What other names is Gamma Oryzanol known by?
• What is Gamma Oryzanol?
• How does Gamma Oryzanol work?
• Are there safety concerns?
• Dosing considerations for Gamma Oryzanol.

What other names is Gamma Oryzanol known by?

Gama Orizanol, Gamma-Oryzanol, Gamma-OZ, Oryzanol.

What is Gamma Oryzanol?

Gamma oryzanol is a substance that is taken out of rice bran oil. It is also found in wheat bran and some fruits and vegetables. People use it as medicine.

Gamma oryzanol is used for high cholesterol and symptoms of menopause and aging.

Some people use it for increasing testosterone and human growth hormone levels, as well as improving strength during resistance exercise training.

Possibly Effective for...

• High cholesterol levels. Most research shows that taking gamma oryzanol by mouth decreases total cholesterol, "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and blood fats called triglycerides in people with high cholesterol. However, the effects of gamma oryzanol on "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are mixed. Taking gamma oryzanol along with vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and niacin by mouth for 4 months also seems to reduce LDL cholesterol in people with high cholesterol. However, one study suggests that consuming rice bran oil containing a high amount of gamma oryzanol for 4 weeks does not reduce LDL cholesterol better than rice bran oil containing a low amount of gamma oryzanol in men with high cholesterol.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Athletic performance. Early research suggests that taking gamma oryzanol by mouth for 9 weeks while participating in resistance training does not improve muscular strength or jump power in well-trained male athletes.
• Itchy and inflamed skin (eczema). Early research suggests that bathing in bathwater containing gamma oryzanol each day for up to 6 months improves symptoms of eczema in children.
• Menopause symptoms.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of gamma oryzanol for these uses.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).