Using a starch blocker supplement with Phaseolus vulgaris extract may be helpful for reducing obesity, controlling blood glucose levels, curbing the appetite and supporting heart health.
Starch blocking supplements are diet pills that work by mimicking a calorie-restricted diet. They prevent some starches and carbohydrates from being absorbed by the body, thereby negating their effects on weight gain.
Phaseolus vulgaris is the botanical name for White Kidney Bean Extract, which is a source of the supplement ingredient Phaseolamin. Phaseolamin extract has demonstrated a significant starch-blocking effect in clinical trials and can be used to support weight loss goals.
When ingested before a meal, starch blocking pills allow certain carbohydrates and fats to pass through the digestive system without being metabolized. Carb blockers with Phaseolus vulgaris have been shown to promote reduction in body fat, reduce waist circumference, suppress appetite and increase fat excretion rates.



- Helps reduce the absoprtion of carbohydrates
- Suppresses the appetite & feel full
- May promote weight loss in a healthy diet
Starch blockers: How do they work?
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Starch blockers can include a number of different ingredients, but those that contain pure White Kidney Bean extract are considered to be the most effective.
White kidney bean contains an active substance called phaseolamin. It is able to block starchy food metabolism by inhibiting the actions of alpha amylase.
Alpha amylase is a digestive enzyme released into the small intestines by the pancreas in order to accommodate metabolic breakdown of certain fats and carbohydrates.
When you ingest a starch blocker supplement which contains sufficient amounts of phaseolamin, the actions of alpha amylase are suppressed in the intestines.
This allows starchy foods to be directed in undigested form to excretion via the colon, or fermentation by bacteria in the colon.
Either of these outcomes means that your body is essentially nor absorbing all of the calories found in these foods. This can prevent blood glucose levels from spiking too high after eating a carb-rich meal and can inhibit the secretion of insulin, which blocks fats from being metabolized.
Review of Starch Blockers for Weight Loss
Carbohydrates that exit the body undigested do not technically increase caloric intake.
In theory, taking a starch blocker before eating a carb-heavy meal decreases the amount of carbohydrate calories that will be metabolized. Calorically, this is the same as not having eaten the carb-heavy foods in the first place.
Many starch blocker users report that they are not as hungry as they were previously. They say that their appetites are decreased, and that they feel full faster than before.
Less food makes them feel satiated as they eat less frequently. Over time, this may be helpful with achieving healthy weight levels, maintaining those weight levels and reducing long-term obesity.
In one 60-day placebo-controlled trial, a particular white kidney bean extract supplement called Phase 2 was studied for anti-obesity effects. 1000 mg doses were administered orally, three times every day.
Treatment group subjects experienced an average weight loss of 4.19 pounds (1.9 kilos) while placebo group subjects lost only 0.89 pounds (0.4 kilos) on average.
In the treatment group, .75-inch waist reductions were noted relative to an average 0.16-inch reduction in control subjects. There were no changes reported in either group concerning hip circumference.
Starch Blockers and Diabetes
Research continues to explore the therapeutic potentials of White Kidney Bean extract and other starch blockers for preventing insulin resistance and improving risk factors for Metabolic Syndrome.
No dietary supplement can alleviate Metabolic Syndrome on its own, independent of diet and exercise interventions. However, these supplements may have a modest benefit for regulating blood sugar levels.
Most people begin using carb inhibting supplements to help them lose unwanted weight. However, more and more people are finding them beneficial for preventing after-meal blood-glucose spikes and other health benefits like reducing triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels.
In one study involving patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, subjects took 3 daily doses of a mixture containing Phaseolus vulgaris extract, white mulberry extract and bilberry extract.
Doses were a combined 15 grams each and mixed in 150 mL of an aqueous solution. The study progressed for 60 days.
Results showed a 24.3% decrease in blood-glucose levels in treatment subjects. Other research has also confirmed certain antidiabetic potentials associated with phaseolamin-containing starch blockers.
Those taking prescription medications for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes should seek medical advice before beginning to use supplements like carb-blocking diet pills.
Starch Blockers and Heart Health
In addition to the tacit benefits of weight loss supplements for helping to reduce body fat composition, there are other wide-ranging potential benefits on heart health.
Starch blockers with phaseolamin have been shown to induce positive effects on cardiovascular health. They act to reduce both triglycerides and LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol.
In studies, white kidney bean extract has been observed to balance LDL and HDL cholesterol and are commonly recommended to reverse hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol).
By reducing triglycerides and LDL-C, phaseolamin starch blockers may have a positive effect on arterial plaque formations.
These are known to increase the chances of developing clogged arteries (atherosclerosis), coronary artery disease and subsequent cases of heart disease.
Starch Blockers Side Effects
Starch blockers with phaseolamin are rated as possibly safe for proper oral usage. Doses as high as 3 grams per day have been used for up to 3 months consecutively without causing adverse effects.
In sensitive individuals, possible side effects include bloating, flatulence, stomach upset, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. These effects are not common and normally dissipate quickly.
Conclusions
The only starch blocker supplements which have been clinically demonstrated for their weight loss effects are those containing phaseolamin frim White Kidney Bean extract.
The most popular of these supplements is called Phase 2 Carb Controller. It is the brand that has been used most in human trials and can be found in Natrol’s Carb Intercept supplement.
It is important to know that starch blockers should not be used as first choices interventions for losing weight. The best ways to achieve your health goals is by controlling what you eat, when you eat, how much you eat and how often you exercise.
Talk with your doctor about how starch blockers may or may not help you to achieve better long-term health.
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Article last updated on: March 12th, 2018 by Nootriment