Carb and Fat Blockers – Do They Really Work?
In the late 80’s fat blockers and their carbohydrate counterparts hit the market promising people weight loss with very little activity. Over three decades later, we still have not learned our lesson, and the market is again being flooded with them. Carb blocker products along with the increasingly popular fat blockers are thought to work by preventing the body from digesting that which makes us fat, which are carbohydrates and fats from foods we eat.
The sad truth is that the only thing that will likely be lighter about you is your wallet. Fat blockers not only typically don’t work, but can contain ingredients that can make you sick or leave you with hazardous side effects such as liver damage. Green tea fat burner for instance, seems like a harmless enough substance, but the stimulating effects of this product will likely leave you at the same weight along with a case of the jitters. While carnitine weight loss products are all the rage right now, it has not been proven as an effective fat blocker.
Carb blocking products are no different. Currently there is no evidence to suggest that they block anything from anything that you eat. As a matter of fact, TrimSpa, a popular product years ago, was pulled from the market because it could not substantiate its own claims. Products like dietrine carb blocker claim to help you lose weight by blocking waist busting carbs, but in reality will do little more than leave you with a bad taste in your mouth, which could, of course, lead to appetite suppressing! (Pretty sure that’s not how they intended for you to lose weight however).
There is one gem in the fat blockers category that does actually work and is prescribed for people who are obese, and that is Orlistat. Whether in the over the counter version known as alli, or under one of its many prescription brand names, orlistat has actually been proven to stop the body from absorbing fat. Bear in mind however that the success of these products depends on a low fat diet, therefore you are still going to have to do some work to make these products work for you.