De-Carb Pills / Carb Blockers - have you tried them?

[weezie_woo]

Hey guys, I know what I'm about to talk about may be a little controversial and I hope it doesn't cause too much of a stir!!

I was wondering if anyone had tried carb-blockers? I realise most of you are very loyal to the diet and probably stray very rarely if ever, I just thought one or two people might have tried them if, say you were out for a meal and there was nothing atkins-appropriate on the menu (and even if there is there's usually only one or two options because everything comes covered in floury sauce, or deep fried or breadcrumbed!!) and you don't want to starve... or if say, you visit your boyfriend's parent's house and he forgot to tell his mum you were on Atkins and she'd cooked you potatoes when you arrived and you didn't want to cause a fuss because then she'd want to get up and make you more veggies and she's disabled so you just ate them.... (specific, yeah :] - it happened to me the week after i started induction) or SOMETHING....

Can anyone tell me how these things work or what they actually do? Do they just make the carbs go straight through you? I've heard of some diet pills that just do that and have heard some horror stories about people who've used them but I've never heard anything specifically about carb blockers?

[bizzlekitty]

No idea on how or if they work, but I can tell you, you don't need them. All you have to do is do Atkins correctly.

YOU alone have control over what you put into your body, and that's sometimes saying no to your boyfriend's mother, cousin, etc. It's very simple. You just don't eat it.

As for accidental slip ups (you eat something you didn't consciously know was wrong), we typically buck up and move on and try and do better to avoid those.

I have yet to find a situation where I couldn't eat appropriately, and on more than one occasion have gone hungry rather than eat something I shouldn't. If someone's feelings are hurt, it's their problem not mine. This is my health and body and every thing I consume matters. It's my way of eating and I'm not going to be eating many things ever again and people I know and meet need to understand that.

As for carb blockers, I have no idea if they work, but would imagine they would be questionable like most "diet" pills. Anything that interferes with the body's normal digestive process sounds questionable to me.

[weezie_woo]

Atkins interferes with the body's normal digestive system.

I'm sorry if I care about other people's feelings. Why is everyone on this forum so bloody serious? I didn't ask for an opinion on my "self control" or whatever.

[thecheshirekatt]

Um..I'm not entirely sure how Atkins interferes with the body's normal digestive system? The food just gets digested as your body would do anyway :S

In reference to caring about other people's feelings...well it's up to you what you do about that, there is a way of saying "I can't eat that right now, don't worry I'm not too hungry right now anyway you don't have to make anything else" that will result in you sticking with the diet, but not hurting anyone's feelings. Bizzle is pointing out that you never HAVE to eat something off plan, it is your choice, if you choose to eat that food then you deal with the consequences of that, whether it means you don't lose, gain or whatever. In terms of carb blockers? How many "miracle" diet pills have you ever heard of? How many people do you see that are still overweight? If there were such a thing that would allow you to get away with cheats...well everyone would use it. I doubt they work, I don't even see how it is possible for them to work, but they definitely don't sound healthy.

As for everyone on this forum being "serious", well we have all struggled with weight issues, most of us for most of our lives. We give tough love, because at the end of the day if you turn round and binge on sugar, the last thiing that is going to help you is to hear that everything is ok it doesn't matter, it is only x etc. yeah don't beat yourself up, but at the same time we need to recognise what makes us go off plan, which situations, why, how we can deal with it better in the future. I'm not sure why you appear to have taken offence, you asked for advice and it was given.

[weezie_woo]

I've taken offence because I've been lectured for having no self-control which isn't true. I asked a question about whether carb-blockers worked for those occasions when you do slip up, which everyone does, not whether or not I was right to eat potatoes. I'm looking for an answer from somebody who's tried them, not somebody who has an opinion on them or on my choices.

[thecheshirekatt]

Well, I don't think there are likely to be many members of this forum who have tried carb blockers, but I did a quick google search about the effectiveness of them and found this article:

"What are carb blockers and fat blockers? Carb blockers, also known as starch blockers, are generally composed mainly of bean and wheat germ extracts -- particularly white kidney beans -- that are said to inhibit a digestive enzyme that breaks down starchy carbohydrates, such as potatoes, bread and pasta. This supposedly prevents the carbs from being absorbed by the body; instead, they are said to pass through the digestive tract and be eliminated. Most pills claim to inhibit between 30 and 45 grams of carbs from being absorbed.

Fat blockers commonly contain chitosan, which is similar to dietary fiber, but is derived from the exoskeletons of shellfish. Like fiber, they pass through the digestive tract without being digested, but it also purportedly absorbs between 6 and 10 times its weight in fat along the way, all of which is then eliminated in the stool.
When should you take them?

Both types of blockers are supposed to be taken right before meals in order to effectively prevent the absorption of carbs or fat, and lead to weight loss. However, when simply trying to maintain weight, they can be taken only before high-carb or high-fat meals.

Do they have side effects, and most importantly, do they work?

Read more: fat blockers - AskMen UK
Do they have side effects?

The FDA pulled several carb blockers off the market in the '80s because they were deemed ineffective and consumers reported side effects such as bloating, gas, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Even recent formulations have been shown to cause these side effects; manufacturers claim that they are a sign that the pills are working. Lovely.

Fat blockers can also cause cramping, gas and diarrhea, but they have other side effects. Since some vitamins -- such as A, D, E, F, and K -- are fat soluble, the long-term use of fat blockers can lead to vitamin deficiencies. In addition, some "good fats" that are essential for overall health, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, are also blocked in the process.
How much do they cost?

Although costs vary greatly depending on the brand you buy, expect to pay between $20 and $25 US for 120 capsules of carb or fat blockers.
Are they effective?

The side effects aren't too sexy, but the results sound great, right? Well, unfortunately, there is very little evidence that carb blockers work. Several studies conducted in the '80s showed that the bean extracts in carb blockers had no effect on weight loss.

However, more recent studies at the Mayo Clinic determined that much higher doses than those found in most commercial carb blockers -- namely, 4,000 to 6,000 mg of bean extract and 4,000 mg of wheat germ extract -- did slow carbohydrate digestion. Unfortunately, it has not been proven that slowing the digestion of carbs leads to weight loss. In any case, the carb blockers that can be found on the market contain 500 mg of these extracts at most, which is not even close to the supposedly "effective" dosage.

As for fat blockers, most studies have demonstrated that they are absolutely ineffective; they don't seem to block fat absorption or contribute to weight loss in the least.can't block this

If you were expecting a miracle weight loss solution, chances are you're disappointed. But the fact is that if there really were a miracle fat-burning pill, the obesity epidemic in the United States would never have reached such massive proportions.

I've said it a million times over: The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to adopt a healthy diet and a regular exercise regimen for life. So put down those carb blockers and potato chips, and get your butt to the gym."


It also refers to fat blockers, but it appears that carb blockers do not really work, and if they did it would be in huge doses. You would also need to take the tablets BEFORE a meal (which would mean you would have to know beforehand when you would be in a "tricky" situation, and take them, or remember to have them with you all the time). Also they only claim to be effective for 30-45g of carbs which isn't very much in terms of potatoes or other starchy, sugary foods.

Generally people post on this forum to aid in looking at a situation or problem that someone has to perhaps give a different perspective, even if they cannot answer the question through direct experience. I don't think anyone has attempted to offend you, (I know I haven't!!) merely to give some general advice about the situation you have found yourself in. There was no lecture on self-control, but a reminder that we ARE in control, which a lot of people take time to realise especially in situations where you feel pressured into eating something, it is good to know that you still don't have to. The reason for this is that generally people who rely on convenience products etc. on this diet do not manage to keep the weight off, or often do not get to goal. Obviously none of us would wish for you to not achieve what you are aiming to, and want to help you to have the best chance of doing this which is why we give the advice that we do.

[chinadoll]

I took them once several years ago when I wanted a pizza and cannot say they made a difference one way or another on the scale. What did happen, however, was that by eating something starchy my desire to stray was reawakened. The pill did nothing to prevent the cravings and hunger. That was enough of a wake up call that I never tried to use them in order to cheat again.

[imeanitthistime]

After years - decades - of struggling with morbid obesity I came to the conclusion that I have to eat what's good for ME. If my sister gets upset because I won't eat her pecan pie, friends get upset if I decline an invite to a pizza place or whatever others get upset about, it's their problem, not mine. If you were allergic to nuts, would you eat the pecan pie so feelings didn't get hurt? It's the same with carbs. I'm allergic to them. - they make me break out in cravings and fat. At this stage of my life, I want to be healthy and exerience life rather than observe from the sidelines. And frankly, if someone gets hurt or upset with my choices, too bad for them. If they don't respect my choices, I don't much care about their feelings. I realize his harsh that sounds, but people pleasing helped me reach 360+ pounds in the first place. It's "me"time.

[Cool Hand Luke]

I've taken offence because I've been lectured for having no self-control which isn't true. I asked a question about whether carb-blockers worked for those occasions when you do slip up, which everyone does, not whether or not I was right to eat potatoes. I'm looking for an answer from somebody who's tried them, not somebody who has an opinion on them or on my choices.

Well as I read your post and the response, I didn't get the sense at all that you were being attacked. While your question is interesting and I myself would be curious to know the "reality" of something being able to block carbs (sounds impossible really) the people who have decided that Atkins is the way to go are not generally looking for a quick little pill to help them along and make it easier to cheat, and those of us who have done the plan understand it is the antithesis of artificial intervention to lose weight.

Want some humor?

Q- How many surrealists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A- Fish.

[Delta Whiskey]

A diabetic friend was prescribed the fat blocking pills here in the UK. From what I can see it didn't do him much good, rather they screwed up his digestive system so badly he still has gastric problems two years later. He wishes he'd never heard of the tablets.