Carb blockers/calorie blockers?

[Anicka65]

Hello! Maybe this topic has already surfaced on one of the discussion boards, but here goes:

Has anyone used one of the carb-blocker or calorie-blocker products (such as the StarchAway chewables) that I'm seeing on the store shelves? If so, what is your experience with/opinion of them? Are they safe and effective? Are they worth the money?

Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.

Anicka65

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"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~ Philippians 4:13

[bfdzio]

Well, they only block the starches, which you won't be taking in anyway.

That and I hear they make you poop something fierce.

[Logan]

they'd be contrary to this way of eating anyway as the few carbs we do eat are recommended and calories aren't usually a problem.

better to learn to eat properly. :thup: :)

[Ladycody]

I havent used them but was told by a pharmacist that there is evidence that they do in fact work. He pointed out, however, that they only help block starch carbs such as potatoes, pasta, and breads...which I dont eat anyway...so it would really be useless for me to take them. I may, however, use them on occassion after reaching my goal to minimize the impact of any "planned" cheat days that I allow myself at that time. Honestly...I think they are a bad idea overall because they will still reintroduce cravings and poor eating habits for those of us fighting the battle of the bulge. Having said that, they may be a useful maintenance tool for the rare and elusive "planned cheats" that we allow ourselves after reaching goal.

[peapod]

dana carpenters carb blocker test::

LINKIE (http://www.holdthetoast.com/archive/020131.html)

I did not post the article in full, so you need to read her whole article ^.

excerpts:

I did modestly extensive tests of my blood sugar when I was trying to determine if those widely advertised "carb blocker" pills work...

I took my fasting blood sugar...

I then ate a carefully measured portion of the food I was testing - for the carb blocker tests I used, alternately, either 1 cup of brown rice with a little "Butter Buds" - I didn't want to alter the results by adding a lot of butter into the equation - or 2 slices of toasted 100% whole grain rye bread, a dense, heavy, chewy bread with conveniently equal-sized slices that I get from the local health food store. I did split 1 teaspoon of butter between the two slices of rye bread..

I then took another blood sugar measurement approximately every 15 minutes for 3 hours or so..

Having established my body's reaction to a goodly dose of relatively benign carbohydrates... I then re-did the tests, taking the carb blockers, eating the same quantities of the same foods..

When I did the tests by taking the carb blockers according to the package directions - ie, 1 capsule 15 - 20 minutes before eating the carbohydrate food - they did not work at all. I got virtually identical blood sugar readings as I had when I had tested the foods without taking the carb blockers...

when I redid the tests taking 3 carb blocker capsules, one just as I started to eat the rice or rye bread, and another 2 halfway through eating, I found that there was some result. Not a huge, phenomenal result, you understand - just some result. My blood sugar still went up fairly high, and came back down again, so my body was, indeed, digesting and absorbing at least the majority of the carbs I ate. However, my blood sugar came down more slowly, instead of crashing down the way it had without the carb blockers. This would appear to mean - and I want to make it clear, this is only a hypothesis - that my body was not secreting as much insulin, as rapidly, as it had without the carb blockers...

One last caveat: These things work only modestly on starches; they do not work at all on sugar. Be warned.
HTH!

[mio1996]

Much better to learn to eat properly!

[HoserLC]

I dunno how well they work but they can come in handy when you are a guest and can't control what is set on the table before you. Such as when you go home to Mom's at Thanksgiving and you must eat some mash potatoes and dressing or else you're out of the will ;)

[Anicka65]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my questions about the carb-blocker supplements. I've also read some of the other threads relating to this topic, and they were helpful, too.

Although I have no reason to use products like StarchAway while my weight-loss is in this early (OWL) stage, they may be an option for later on, when I've reached my weight-loss goal and have entered the maintenance phase.

Again, many thanks and enjoy your weekend!

Anicka65

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"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~ Philippians 4:13