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Everything You Need to Know About Carb Blockers

Losing weight is among the hardest things for anyone. Losing the extra pounds takes an iron will in addition to experiencing pangs of hunger and exhaustion. The worst part is that in a few months or years, many people regain the weight they previously lost.   

It’s easy to fall into desperation and throw caution to the wind when this happens. However, life doesn’t need to be that tough, and luckily, there are ways to make this process simpler.

Carb blockers are the new slimming med on the block. But many people aren’t sure about their efficacy, and they’d welcome the opportunity to learn a few more things about it. Well, we’re here to tell you everything you need to know about carb blockers.

What Do We Need to Know About Carb Blockers?

First of all, we should get better acquainted with the carb blockers. The name is quite promising for anyone who appreciates carbs but dreads the extra weight that piles up with every hearty meal. 

Before getting into the nature of these substances; let’s start with what carb blockers aren’t. This might be a real bummer, but they aren’t a sponge that sucks up all the carbs that a person ingests. And they aren’t a silver bullet that targets the extra calories and eliminates them before they turn into fat.

Simply, carb blockers are substances that decrease the absorption of complex carbs. For quite some time they’ve been commercialized as dietary supplements believed to aid in weight loss.   

What we need to know about these supplements is how they work, how effective they are, and are they safe to use? 

How Exactly Do Carb Blockers Work?

If the idea that there’s an organic substance is capable of disarming carbs sounds amazing, wait till you learn some of the science behind this. It’s absolutely mind-blowing!

You might recall from sixth-grade biology class that there are two basic categories of carbs:

  1. Simple Carbs: These are basic molecules found in many sources like white sugar, the stuff in sodas, the glazing on doughnuts, and fructose sugar from fruits. Plus the latent simple carbs in dairy products and seemingly innocent foods like frozen yogurt. 
  2. Complex Carbs: These are more sophisticated structures built from a group of simple carbs. One of the best-known examples is potatoes. The list also contains grains, legumes, starch, nuts, and of course pasta.

To keep the carbs from entering the circulation causing a spike in blood sugar and insulin, there are only two routes that we know of. Either destroying the carbs or distracting the enzyme that allows them to go into the bloodstream. The first solution works in computer games and cartoons only, so we don’t need to discuss it.

Inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down complex carbs and transforms them into simple carbs is viable though. This way, the complex carbs pass through the intestines without contributing their calories or causing an insulin spike. 

There are a few points to keep in mind here though: carb blockers are helpless around simple carbs. Also, not all the complex carbs would be eliminated, some would still manage to enter the bloodstream. Lastly, there are various substances that can work as carb blockers, each one employing a different principle to achieve the same goal.

What Are the Different Types of Carb Blockers?

The main types are a naturally occurring supplement and a pharmaceutical drug. They’re both used to aid in weight loss programs, and they both inhibit the absorption of complex carbs, but they work in different manners.

White Bean Extracts or Phaseolus vulgaris

Some foods contain alpha-amylase inhibitors, which are natural substances capable of deterring this enzyme’s functionality. Various forms of amylase are secreted in the saliva, pancreas, and small intestines. It’s a part of a large family of digestive enzymes, and its job is to break down complex sugars into simpler forms.

White kidney beans are among the foods rich in this inhibitor. So it wasn’t surprising that several years ago a supplement containing its extract was studied for possible positive outcomes on weight loss.

Being a natural substance, and a dietary supplement that doesn’t interfere aggressively with the body increased the popularity of this type of carb blocker. The preliminary results of using these supplements showed satisfactory results of losing around 2-5.5 lbs in 12 weeks. This is not exactly a groundbreaking slimming pill, but it certainly helps.    

Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors, Also Known as AGIs

This is actually a prescription medication that’s normally used for treating hypertension associated with type-II diabetes.

In recent years it was also utilized in weight loss regimens to suppress the digestion and absorption of complex carbs. It’s not an over counter drug, and should only be used under the advisement of a doctor. 

What Are The Benefits of Using Carb Blockers?

Carbohydrate blockers with a natural origin are believed to be generally beneficial as weight-loss dietary supplements. Here’s how and why this is the case.

Carb Blockers Might Contribute to Slimming

Research demonstrated that taking carb blockers on a daily basis for a duration from 4-12 weeks has a positive effect on weight loss. And the subjects under study lost from 2-5.5 lbs during that time. Other studies showed an even higher weight loss reaching up to 8.8 lbs.

The test subjects were from both genders, and there was a control group who copied all the parameters except for taking the supplement.

There’s, however, a bit of controversy surrounding these studies, since some of the funding came from the manufacturers of these supplements. And some other labs claim that they didn’t get similarly optimistic results.

While there’s still no solid consensus on the matter, there’s a comfortable majority supporting the conviction that carb blockers might in fact aid in weight loss.

Carb Blockers Could Suppress the Appetite

Bean extracts often contain phytohaemagglutinin; which is a compound that affects the hormones responsible for sending satiation signals. Thus, when these supplements are used, the body gets a nice dose of these appetite suppressors as well.

It’s worth noting though that in an experiment conducted on rats, it was observed that the little guys experienced an initial phase of reduced hunger. However, a few days later they started eating enthusiastically again. Even more than they did before!

This phenomenon wasn’t seen in human testing thus far, so there’s that! 

Carb Blockers Could Enhance the Presence of Resistant Starch

Carb blockers act on the enzymes that break down complex carbohydrates and force them to leave these complex carbs in an indigestible form. They pass from the small intestine generally unchanged, till they reach the large intestine. In that state, they’re quite similar to insoluble fiber.  

The presence of resistant starch in the large intestine is considered a good thing. Its availability in controlled amounts helps the biome and ecosystem of the gut to be healthy. This in turn enhances the body’s overall wellness, in addition to catalyzing weight loss efforts.

This result might not be an intended purpose for carb blockers, but it’s certainly a much welcome effect.

 Carb Blockers Might Normalize the Spike in Blood Sugar Levels

Simple carbs and sugars often enter the circulation with a bang. Shortly after ingestion, these simple sugars rush into the bloodstream and cause a significant spike in blood sugar levels. Usually, this is accompanied by the need to ingest more sugars. It’s the sudden high and subsequent crash one feels after eating chocolate cake.

Overweight folks know this tendency, and the infamous sugar rush is a guilty pleasure we all know so well.

Carb blockers were observed to normalize this spike. And even after a hearty meal rich in carbs, people who take these dietary supplements regularly still didn’t have to deal with a sudden increase in sugar levels.

Moreover, carb blockers were seen to have glycemic control. And any noticeable increases in blood sugar soon returned to the safe values. This benefit clearly goes beyond slimming to the enhancement of overall health.

Are There Any Side Effects Related to Using Carb Blockers? 

The question of whether any drug or supplement is safe for use is definitely a legitimate one. And here we are exploring this point to the best of our knowledge.

Being of a natural organic source, the dietary supplement carb blockers are treated by many nutritionists as safe substances. There are some mild inconveniences associated with the use of carb blockers, but there were no reported side effects.

Digestive discomfort is among the observed side effects. With flatulence, cramps, and bloating as the main complaints. These inconveniences often disappear after a few days.

Carb blockers are known to affect blood sugar levels. So diabetic people who want to give it a try should do so after talking to their doctor.

What Are the Differences Between Carb Blockers and Weight Loss Pills?

Weight loss pills often work on one of three approaches:

  • Suppressing the appetite
  • Increasing the metabolism
  • Reducing the absorption of fat

We’ve explained earlier that carb blockers deter the absorption of some complex carbs via natural substances. These are generally safe supplements, and the side effects are often limited to bloating flatulence, and occasional cramps.

Contrary to that, most weight loss pills operate on blocking the absorption of fat. This, however, doesn’t show consistent success in decreasing body weight, in addition to causing several digestive inconveniences.

Other types of weight loss pills focus on accelerating the metabolic rate. And many types utilize caffeine as the substance of choice to speed up the body’s tendency to burn its stored fat. Studies showed that the best results showed a metabolic rate increase of around 10%. This doesn’t translate to huge weight loss, unfortunately.

The side effects related to the increased intake of caffeine included insomnia, anxiety, nausea, and irritability. In addition to the jittery feeling often associated with having too many cups of coffee.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is among the classical fat loss pills. It works on suppressing the appetite, but that wasn’t fully backed up by conclusive evidence. It’s been around for ages, even though it doesn’t have a stellar record of getting people back in shape. And worse still, it’s believed to have some serious side effects like increasing inflammation, elevating the risks of fatty liver, and increasing insulin resistance.

There are tens of other varieties with familiar commercial names. But the principles are often similar to the ones mentioned here. The important thing is to assess the efficacy of each supplement. Then measure the promised outcomes with associated health risks.

Who Can Benefit Most From Carb Blockers?

Carb blockers act basically on complex carbs and they are quite neutral to simple carbs. There are some associated benefits like suppressing the appetite, controlling blood sugar, and increasing the content of resistant starch in the gut. However, the exact effects and their consistency still need further research.

That’s why a person who opts for a high-fat, low-carb diet might not benefit too much from these supplements as much as a person who relies on a diet rich in complex carbs. Also, they might not be very effective with the folks who have a sweet tooth and can’t give up their sugar addictions.

The Mediterranean diet might be among the most suitable food plans that could complement the use of carb blockers. This diet often includes hearty amounts of legumes, starchy vegetables, and wholewheat bread. So people who like this cuisine are good candidates to getting the most benefits from carb blockers.  

Why You Should Only Use Regulated and Approved Carb Blockers

Being overweight is a serious health issue that millions of people worldwide suffer from. And losing the extra weight is never easy. Failure to drop the extra pounds is quite abundant, to the point that people don’t mind trying any new drug if it promises them quick results.

That’s the main reason there are so many unregulated and unauthorized weight loss pills and supplements. The online trade of these drugs is huge, and unfortunately, many kinds have severe side effects.

it’s important to procure carb blockers from safe and trusted suppliers only. Make sure that the ingredients are outlined clearly on the bottle. And more importantly, that this supplement has the necessary approvals from respected organizations like the FDA.

A trusted source you can check out is Healthy Fruition. The supplement facts are all outlined clearly. It’s made from white kidney beans and employs the simple principle of blocking the presence of alpha-amylase in the gut. That in turn, reduces the breakdown and absorption of complex carbs.  

The Healthy Fruition carb blocker is compliant with the requirements of major regulating organizations, and it’s tested in reputable labs. The 60-capsule container is offered at the fair price of around AUD$ 20, and it’s sufficient for a whole month.       

In Conclusion

Slimming is a goal we aspire to have, and it’s not just because it looks great, it’s also an indicator of good health. It’s not that easy though to maintain the ideal weight, and that’s why weight loss supplements always get our attention.

Carb blockers are definitely worth considering. In addition to that, eating well, sleeping sufficiently, exercising regularly, and hydrating, are all essentials for wellbeing. 

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