Hi, folks. Not sure if anyone has mentioned this in this thread, but chemically speaking, sugar molecules (and starches break down into sugars) have open spots on them, and those open spots like to grab onto water molecules. The ration tends to ba about 4 waters to one sugar. Hence, when you eat extra carbs, you can expect extra water to come along for the ride. That's why pancakes, hamburger buns etc seem to make you gain way more poundage than you ate of those foods then next day. That's also why the extra 'weight' comes off so fast if you go back to low-carbing. Fewer sugars inthe system equals less water, too.

As for the blockers, I have no valid opinion, except to say that if you use them a lot, to take extra vitamins. Blockers, be they fat blockers, carb blockers whatever, tend to operate like fiber, grabbing onto whatever and taking it through the system undigested. Unfortunately, they also tend to reduce absorption of vitamins and mineral - and any prescription medication you may be on. (as in, don't take it on top of your birth control pill, lol)

Cheers,

Friday

lol fridayeyes.. i have been takeing them everytime i eat.. just so not to get any carbo's... and it is working

I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned or not, but carb blockers (at least Phase 2) aren't intended to block sugars in their natural state. They're for blocking starches and their subsequent conversion into sugars. From what I can tell, normal sugar, such as in ice cream or a candy bar, would get processed as normal by the body and turn into fat as usual. Starches, on the other hand, would be "neutralized," as they say, and pass through the body without being processed...in theory anyway.

In theory.... In reality..what happens when a load of undigested starch hits your intestinal tract? Fermentation is a breakdown process...and far less pleasant than digestion the "normal" way, IMHO.

There are some "sugar blockers" on the market now too...and even some combination sugar/starch "blockers".... Gosh, in theory, if I took them, and a few "fat blockers" (the ones notorious for "anal leakage and oily discharge"..THEIR words, not mine..lol) I could live on chocolate cake!!! and wither away...

Pototofree,

That is why I am so suspicious of the starch blockers. If sugar could be blocked as the label claims on the combo pill, one could literally take the pills and not bother to LC, losing weight at the speed of a locomotive. One of the brands I tried was a starch/sugar blocker, did not work at all in my opinion. I tried the prescription fat pills prior to Atkins, they worked and really did not give me the side effects. Unfortunately I was not fat enough for my insurance to pay for them so after the thirty day sample was gone I had no more as they were well over a hundred dollars a bottle. Those pills actually prevent the body from digesting about one third of the fat you eat, and the claims are substantiated. If the ones sold at the health stores actually worked as they claimed, I would have to believe there would be more credible proof.

How do you know you would not be losing the same weight without the pills, have you measured results?

Regards,

BRat

I just think the whole "magic pill" theory is bunk... I remember when somebody asked Oprah Winfrey if she took a certain diet pill to lose her weight, she just cocked an eyebrow and said "If there was a pill that could do this without working my butt off, girl, I'd OWN that pill!!!"

There will always be companies churning out "cures" as long as there are people willing to pay for the hope that they'll magically be able to shed their weight.

The carb blocker i'm using is definitely working! It is supposedly a blend of natural plant extracts that blocks both sugars and starches to help you lose weight. I've continuously been losing weight despite eating carbs.
It blocks up to 500 carb calories. Hehe.. so you can imagine how happy i was when my friend recommended this product. The carb blocker i'm using contains some soy bean extract that is suppose so prevent sugar digestion, and white kidney bean extract for starch digestion. So i recommend if you guys are interested in trying carb blockers, try to look for ones with the above ingredients

I have seen the "carb blockers" in a huge display in the centre of aisle at WalMart beside another huge display of "frankfood" LC products. Again, this all gives a true LC diet, a bad rep!

Frankly, my favourite carb blocker is a nice juicy steak!

Just MHO!

Sorry for my scepticism, but three remarks:
a/ Last year FTC busted 200 companies - selling "clinically proved" diet pills - the only thing those people lost were 2 billions dollar... They all had wonderful advertisments, alleged doctors, researches behind them etc, and of course hundreds of testimonies.
b/ In 2001-2002 more than a million men bought a certain type of "penis enlargement" pills (clinically proved, hundreds of testimonies, endoresements from doctors, everything) - the ony thing that grew was the family's bank account who owned the company.
c/ If it blocks up to 500 carb calories, it hardly helps. Average Americans consume 1000-1500 carb calories. It will not help with the insulin reaction, with the cravings, with the carb addiction, with the diabetes, with many carb related conditions. The only thing it might do induce an "I can do/eat everything" type of binge.

Good luck to any of you who believe in it, congratulations any of you who lost weight with it, but I will wait for the "Oprah Co." pill :-))))))))

Till it comes my recommendation to millions: skip that supersized Coke, and you already blocked 500 carb calories. Skip that supersized burger/French fries, and you blocked another 500 carb calories. (And saved $3-5:-)))

actually i meant up to 500 carb calories for every 3 pills, up to 9 pills per day.

I have money saving carb blocker solution even for 1500 cal. Ok, so skip the supersized coke, fries/burgers AND the evening tv ice cream+potato chips:-))) Carb blocking (up to 1500 carb cal) is SURE. (And I do not even mentioned the candies, cookies, etc. ) Btw my solution is a fat blocker too. (If somebody is on a low fat diet.)

What do you think , which would be more effective? The pill or skipping those drinks/meals?

Minerva, faith can move mountains. I do not question your choice. If it helps you, go ahead. I only recommended another way for people who tried these pills, and have not seen any effect.

Galadriell-- I see the point. There's nothing like a big bottle of Placebo, taken three times a day, to help cure what ails you!

I don't take it every single day, but occasionally, when i'm out with friends or family or whenever i'm invited for meals. More often then not, there are a lot of carb based food or worse yet, hidden carbs in the gravy! It helps keep me on track.

We all have our own opinions towards carb blockers. While you may disagree to them, my family is able to enjoy their meals and hence, i'll continue taking them as when it is needed

How can you tell you wouldn't have kept losing anyway? Just curious, since I've never seen a controlled study that they actually work.