As many weight loss supplements claim to be the right drugs for the job, so does lipozene. Though it claims to contain a “clinically proven super-fiber” that aids weight loss and controls “calorie intake“, the million-dollar question is if it really works.
Sadly, there’s no magic wand that you can wave in the air that will suddenly burn your fats away. You have to put in the effort and be determined before you can see results.
The web can be tricky sometimes and it’s completely normal that you’d be skeptical of wonder products such as lipozene that seem to have all the answers you are looking for — or, do they?
We’ll take a closer look at how well lipozene works and how reliable it is to help you lose weight.
Really, what is lipozene?
Lipozene is nothing less than a weight loss supplement that contains glucomannan as the main ingredient. Glucomannan is an extract from the konjac root, also known as the elephant yam, found mostly in some parts of Asia.
Lipozene contains magnesium silicate, gelatin, and stearic acid but glucomannan is the only active ingredient. Meaning, only glucomannan will help you lose weight.
Glucomannan is referred to as a “super fiber” on the lipozene website and, indeed, glucomannan does do a great job in making the belly feel full by absorbing water like a sponge and swelling like a gel.
When that happens, you may not feel the need to eat as much as you would and that may reduce your typical calorie intake in a day and may eventually help you to lose weight.
Effects of glucomannan?
The lipozene page boasts of having glucomannan as its primary ingredient and that’s pretty much it. It’s safe to say that what lipozene really markets is glucomannan that, unlike many other soluble fibers, has a high thickening property and may promote weight loss.
There are studies pointing to the effect of dietary fiber in losing weight and here are ways glucomannan may help you lose weight:
- Contains very low calories: glucomannan has a very low level of calories.
- Makes you feel full: because glucomannan absorbs water and expands like a gel in your stomach, it helps you stay full for a longer period.
- Reduces absorption of carbs, fat, and cholesterol: glucomannan can help you absorb less of carbs, fat, and cholesterol from food intake which may help promote weight loss.
Interesting… but does *lipozene* really work?
One thing is for sure, glucomannan is a handy weight loss supplement that can help you lose weight and that’s exactly what Lipozene is marketing. However, some claims on the Lipozene website do raise eyebrows — my eyebrows, to be precise.
Lipozene, a product of the ORI (Obesity Research Institute), on its website (homepage) states that “you don’t have to change anything about your lifestyle in order to lose weight.” And on their ‘how it works’ page, they also claim that consumers of their products don’t need “strict diets” to see results.
Both claims are just too far from true!
In a 2003 Food and Trade Commission (FTC) staff report, it was pointed out that no dietary supplement is able to potentially cause weight loss without being complemented with some type of physical activity or decrease in calorie intake.
The short version is that you can’t expect to weigh less when you’re not eating less or doing some type of physical exercise, and that adds up to a change in your lifestyle, which is contrary to what Lipozene preaches.
In fact, most studies pointing to glucomannan as a potential supplement for weight loss complement its intake with physical activities or low intake of calories.
But, doesn’t glucomannan help you *eat less*?
Yes, it does, but not in every possible way, as people do not eat mainly because they are hungry.
Even when you know you’re not hungry, you could eat because you’re bored or stressed or for greedy reasons — if that’s a thing — and that limits the scope of how well lipozene or glucomannan works when you’re not eating less or engaging in physical activities.
The lipozene website also states that “ORI [the parent company] sponsored an 8 wk study where participants were instructed to take amorphophallus konjac (glucomannan), the active ingredient in lipozene, but were not given instruction as to diet/exercise or lifestyle changes. on avg, the compliant active subgroup lost 4.93 more lbs than placebo and at least 78% of weight loss was body fat.”
Great! But where else was the study published except on their own website? Nowhere!
We’ve seen chocolate companies sponsor studies to back up chocolate as healthy food to boost sales, so it’s no surprise that there would be a lipozene study on the only website that produces that product.
The study is just too vague to be considered a study and there’s no known evidence that the study exists.
On the contrary, there’s a Norwegian study that records a significant decrease in weight when participants were asked to take glucomannan supplements and to maintain a diet of 1200 calories a day.
Meaning that the reduction in calorie intake with the use of glucomannan supplements significantly reduced the weights of the participants. This is against everything on the lipozene website.
But that’s not to say Lipozene doesn’t work. The glucomannan in it may work more potentially when supported with less calorie intake and an increase in physical activity, unlike what the website claims.
What to know before using Lipozene
There’s no shortcut to weight loss. You have to be consistent and determined.
The lipozene website recommends that you take 6 pills a day. Meaning 2 pills in the morning, afternoon, and night, before each respective meal. The dose should be taken 30 minutes before eating with at least 8 ounces or 230 ml of water.
It is highly recommended that you use lipozene 30 minutes before your meal or it might not work effectively.
Also, you should always use the lipozene capsule and not the powder from the capsule or the powder might expand before it gets to your stomach and block your food tube.
You should also see your doctor before using lipozene or any other glucomannan supplement if you’re on meds or suffering from any health condition.
Are there side effects?
Yes, but before you run away, side effects are not common. Glucomannan is usually well-tolerated and considered safe if properly used
The side effects you might experience are:
- Diarrhea
- Stomach discomfort
- Loose stools
- Flatulence
A tip for you
Lipozene is considered a commercial branding of glucomannan and there are other cheaper brands you could try if you wanted, or you could buy the unbranded supplement instead. Most drug stores have them.
Michael Bankole is a health/fitness writer that has written for many fitness blogs.
About Author:
Khalid Irfan is a Fitness expert who enjoys spending time in gym. He also enjoys being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise as well as researching new topics to expand his horizons.
