Lipozene review – is it Good for weight loss? Does this glucomannan based fat blocker pill work?

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October 28, 2015

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REVIEW OVERVIEW
Cost
Safety
Efficiency
User reviews
SUMMARY If you don’t plan to diet and exercise, don’t bother taking Lipozene. If you’re trying to include it as a part of some serious weight loss program, exercise, and diet, then it may help mildly! It works only by one mechanism or line of action :- appetite suppression by making stomach full by fiber. However, appetite suppression and weight loss in general is not that simple. Besides, many users have reported fatigue, weakness and intestinal side effects.	2.6 OVERALL SCORE

In this article, you'll read

Introduction
- Editor’s Note
What is Lipozene?
How Does Lipozene Work? (Does It Even?)
Why Lipozene isn’t the best solution to your weight problems?
Cons of Lipozene
Lipozene Side Effects – Reasons To Avoid This
Conclusion
More information on Clinical trials on Glucomannan
References

Introduction

Hi, this is Ana Shrum. I have been working as a diet coach for over a decade and have been reviewing weight loss products for quite some time now and this is my blog Thelingeriediet.com.

In this article I review Lipozene and try to explain in layman terms, the good and the bad points about this pill.

Editor’s Note

I’ve been getting comments from the readers, regarding what diet pill I consider the best. In my opinion, the best weight loss products are those which target the hormones and neurotransmitters that govern your body fat.

The functions of these hormones and neurotransmitters is to mobilize the brain and body for action and activities and create a systematic balance of fat and muscle in the body needed for survival. They also provide the appropriate signals to brain and the body’s cells whether you should feel hungry/tired or full/satisfied/energetic.

And that’s why I would recommend PhenQ and Genf20 Plus for weight loss as they target these hormones and neurotransmitters comprehensively..

Read more on my approach towards hormonal weight loss.

What is Lipozene?

I’m sure many of you have already heard about Lipozene. This is a weight loss pill, very actively marketed across various marketing channels – TV, internet, print.

However the review here on Lipozene is going to be critical. If you’re looking for a great review on this product, you might be disappointed.

Lipozene is sold by a company called “Obesity Research LLC.” It is a dietary supplement that has gained a lot of attention.

Glucomannan (a water-soluble polysaccharide that is considered a dietary fiber) is a substance in Lipozene and it is the main active ingredient. It comes from the root of a plant called Konjac.

There are “potential” health benefits nesting behind Glucomannan. These benefits include controlling cholesterol, treating constipation and may be useful for Type 2 diabetes.

Glucomannan is also available as a stand-alone supplement, in drink mixes and is also added to food products, such as pasta and flour. It is also the main ingredient in shirataki noodles.

Glucomannan comprises 40% of the dry weight of the elephant yam, found in Southeast Asia.

The main reason it got my attention, and many of the consumers attention, is because of the weight loss claims.

Glucomannan has an exceptional ability to absorb water. Infact it is one of the most viscous dietary fibers known to man.

Take a guess on its viscosity and water absorption– if you empty one glucomannan capsule into a small glass of water, the entire thing turns into a gel.

These unique properties of this ingredient are believed to cause weight loss in people using Lipozene.

There have been many scientific theories and explanations as to why fiber works for weight loss.

Besides that, here are few other things regarding Glucomannan:-

Its calorie content is very low
It takes up space in the stomach which causes one to have a feeling of fullness (satiety), thereby making the person eat less
It delays emptying of the stomach, resulting in increased satiety post-meals. However it may lead to constipation
Like other soluble fibers, it has the potential to block protein and fat from getting absorbed in the body

What are Lipozene’s other Ingredients?

As I mentioned in the above paragraphs, the main ingredient in Lipozene is Glucomannan, which is a dietary fiber. For centuries, people in the East have used Glucomannan to help relieve bowel troubles.

Just like all of the other fibers on the market, it is a good remedy for constipation.

Some double blind tests using combination of Glucomannan and a calorie restricted diet have been successful, but there still isn’t enough convincing proof that Glucomannan can help with fat loss.

Other ingredients in Lipozene include: Microcrystalline cellulose, Gelatin, Stearic Acid, Magnesium Silicate, Titanium Dioxide and added colors.

How Does Lipozene Work? (Does It Even?)

It’s main job is to help you consume less food (suppress your appetite). It claims to reduce the capacity of your stomach, by filling it up with natural fiber that has zero calories. They claim that when the pill hits your stomach, it starts swelling as it is taking in the water available, leaving no room for anything else.

So, apparently, according to them, all you have to do is gulp down the pills and drink a lot of water for them to absorb. When you drink a lot of water, the fiber swells up and takes up a lot of room in your stomach.

They claim that since your brain thinks you don’t have any additional room for food, you no longer feel hungry. The pill causes you to eat less, which in return causes you to consume less calories, which leads to weight loss … that is their concept.

What an interesting concept, but in reality it isn’t really all that interesting. Your brain is too smart to get fooled by “fiber”. “Obesity” is a complex phenomenon and several body systems work in tandem to create the body weight you have. More on this, later in the article.

Look, in reality, there’s so much going on in your body that you cannot “fix” yourself by eating less. Basically, what these pills do is try to cause you to eat “less food.” However, whether it works and works for good is something yet to be seen.

During my research, I found that there were no laboratory tests conducted specifically on Lipozene in order to validate their claims.

Why Lipozene isn’t the best solution to your weight problems?

I don’t even know where to begin with this. Diet Pills that contain lots of fiber and/or also work as fat/carb blockers have been promoted before. The concept behind them is nothing new, although it seems to be fascinating to the average consumer and these pills sell.

However, with the increasing number of scams, FDA has been actively warning the consumers against using these kinds of pills that are promoted as fat/carb blockers.

And the role of dietary fiber and fiber is known to be beneficial to overall health and anti aging, but it’s not something that will result in dramatic weight loss. In fact, claims that more fiber will lead to weight loss is questioned as well.

Truth is “obesity” is a complex phenomenon. There are far more complex systems involved than just “fiber” and “diet” in making you fat and “causing” hunger, for example your body’s hormones and neurotransmitters.

It’s not so simple to fool your brain. The brain makes use of a variety of hormones and neurotransmitters and then decides if the body is really hungry or not. Merely using more fiber is not going to fool the brain.

In a nutshell, here are the hormones and neurotransmitters :-

Dopamine, the primary motivation deeply connected with brain-rewards system and playing a huge role in eating behaviors, food addiction etc.

Serotonin, the primary satisfaction neurotransmitter, that works as natural appetite suppressant

Norepinephrine, the arousal and alertness neurotransmitter and also responsible for fight or flight response

Acetylcholine, the primary neurotransmitter for cell energy signaling

Leptin, the anti-hunger hormone,

Insulin, the anti leptin hormone, Read more on leptin and insuin here.

Cortisol, the stress hormone

Human growth hormone, the Master hormone causing weight loss

So basically, the functions of these hormones and neurotransmitters is to mobilize the brain and body for action and activities and create a systematic balance of fat and muscle in the body needed for survival.

They also provide the appropriate signals to brain and the body’s cells whether you should feel hungry/tired or full/satisfied/energetic.

Unfortunately, Lipozene does not target even a single of these factors listed above.

After comparing with other products in the market like Belviq, Contrave, PhenQ etc., I come to the conclusion that Lipozene is merely acting on your “physical” system and is not as effective as psychopharmaceuticals that can change the entire body’s chemistry from the inside out.

You need to change the homeostasis system of your body. It is this system that seeks to maintain the same body weight and the same BMI. And merely using a pill that contains more fiber, is not going to cut it. You can’t fool your body’s systems and the brain so easily.

So, in my opinion, there are better options available in the market. Like PhenQ and Genf20 Plus, that target the entire biochemistry of fat loss and in a much more effective and comprehensive manner, influencing the above mentioned hormones and neurotransmitters.

Then there are issues of Leptin and insulin resistance, which a mild appetite suppressant like Lipozene can’t tackle.

There are plenty of reasons why people get fat and why they overeat. There are issues of Emotional eating and eating under stress.

There might be food addiction involved or several complex reasons why your food intake is more. Besides your eating habits, your overall hormonal profile might be such that favors gaining fat.

To be honest, Lipozene is too weak an appetite suppressant to deal with all these issues.

Besides, Lipozene will make you feel fatigued and weak, because it reduces the calories somehow but does not target your brain chemistry, unlike PhenQ and Genf20 Plus.

Your brain is aware that you are cutting your intake, but your body is not. This puts your body into defensive mode, which has the symptoms of weakness and fatigue.

Ingredients in PhenQ and Genf20 Plus target the “energy giving” hormones and neurotransmitters, thereby causing your brain to think that there is already energy in the body and the brain does not trigger “hunger”.

This is more effective and balanced approach of appetite suppression, than merely taking a pill that contains more fiber.

Cons of Lipozene

So, based on above observations, we can conclude in a nutshell, the cons of Lipozene:-

i. It’s a weak appetite suppressant

ii. There is strong probability that it will cause fatigue and weakness

iii. Because people won’t feel good and low in energy, it is not a diet pill that most people would stick to for long term

iv. You’ll begin gaining whatever small amount of weight you lose, once you stop taking this pill and you may even end up having more body weight because your body’s defensive mechanisms are triggered

v. It comes with side effects like bloating and constipation

vi. Better options are available in the market like PhenQ and Genf20 Plus

vii. There are a lot of bad user reviews, adverse customer complaints that can be located throughout the Internet — consumer reviews are not very kind

viii. Reading some of the reviews, consumers should be wary that the company might automatically place additional fees on customers credit cards, especially if they are getting Lipozene through any free trial offer

ix. It is recommended on their official website that you take two capsules of Lipozene three times a day. At that rate, a one-month supply will cost $90.

x. If you don’t plan to diet and exercise, don’t bother taking Lipozene.

xi. If you’re serious about weight loss, exercise, and diet, then it can help mildly! However, even in that case there are better options out there like PhenQ and Genf20 Plus to give you the edge you need.

xii. Lipozene does not target the hormones and neurotransmitters responsible to make you fat. Refer to the section “Why Lipozene isn’t the best solution to your weight problems?”

You see, Lipozene isn’t exactly good for you, definitely not the best weight loss pill and I can’t recommend it.

Lipozene Side Effects – Reasons To Avoid This

To start with, the first major issue I found with Lipozene is the side effects nesting behind it. Yes, it is made up of natural fiber, which is usually recommended to those who are suffering from constipation, but I cannot get past the side effects.

Bloating

When you consume a large amount of fiber, you will become bloated. Technically, when you take these pills, it doesn’t feel as if you are taking a lot. The serving size is 2 capsules of 750 mg each, which comes to a total of 1500 mg.

It is recommended that you take this 3 times for a total of 4.5 grams each day.

Here’s the truth …

It’s not about the amount of fiber you consume that is causing the problems – it’s the type, purity and form.

When you consume regular nuts, fruits and vegetables that contain fiber, they contain many other things that are not in plain fiber supplements, like this pill right here.

As a result, eating these natural foods that contain fiber will not “choke” your gut. In fact, it will help nourish your body.

Anyhow, the bloating is a big reason why people quit after being on Lipozene.

Constipation

When you consume too much fiber, you may become constipated and this is never fun. When you eat clean, natural foods, you don’t take in extra fiber, just the right amount of fiber that actually helps constipation. Having more fiber is only going to block your colon.

Gas and Flatulence

Your body isn’t able to fully digest fiber and many people may not realize this. This is one of the biggest reasons as to why it is offered as a remedy for constipation, because it passes through the intestine at a rapid rate.

Yet, it cannot be digested, so it does ferment … In return, this causes a lot of flatulence and gas.

Colon Injuries

When you use excess fiber for a long period of time, it can cause severe colon damage. You can get diseases such as inflammatory bowel syndrome and crohn’s disease.

In short, you don’t need extra fiber – in the long run, it isn’t going to do your body any good.

Fatigue and Weakness

Due to the fact that you will be eating less food, you will feel fatigue and weakness. Yes, your conscious brain is aware of this, but your unconscious mind and body are not. This puts your body into defensive mode, which has the symptoms of weakness and fatigue. It does this in order to save energy.

Conclusion

If you don’t plan to diet and exercise, don’t bother taking Lipozene. If you’re trying to include it as a part of some serious weight loss program, exercise, and diet, then it may help mildly! However, even in that case there are better options out there like PhenQ and Genf20 Plus to give you the edge you need.

More information on Clinical trials on Glucomannan

As I mentioned earlier, there were some successful clinical studies on the use of Glucomannan along with a calorie restricted diet. Having said that, there also studies where Glucomannan did not come out to be highly effective, only mildly effective.

This makes one think that there is a lot of marketing hype around the Lipozene product.

These are 6 articles from medical journals on glucomannan and weight loss.

Here’s a summary of clinical articles:

One well-designed, large study with 200 overweight people found NO statistical difference between glucomannan and sugar pill for weight loss.
A small study with 42 people found that glucomannan statistically improved body fat WHEN both resistance and endurance exercise was added.
A clinical review article concluded that “Further investigation ….is needed to determine whether glucomannan can help to decrease the high prevalence of overweight and obesity…”
In a study with 176 people, glucomannan induced a body weight reduction of 1.76 pounds a week WHEN given with a 1,200 kcal diet for 5 weeks
In a small study with 25 people, glucomannan WITH a low-calorie diet produced more significant weight loss compared to the group on a low calorie diet alone
In another small study of 20 people, glucomannan produced an average weight loss of 5.5 pounds over an 8-week period.