Lipozene Diet Pills Review: Effectiveness and Safety

Diet pill shelves are **packed to the brim**, like a treasure chest but for losing weight. Some shout about zapping calories while you chill, others battle the clingy fat. You’ll find pills jazzing up your calorie burn as you move, and ones claiming to keep up the work even during your sofa time. Lipozene, however, dances to its own beat by saying “nope” to those calories getting cozy in your body, making it unnecessary to sweat them out later. Think of it as the bouncer at the door, not letting unwanted guests in. This pill whispers promises of slimming down by simply not letting those calories crash the party, letting your body focus on melting the stored fat for energy instead. Pitched as the laid-back path to weight loss, Lipozene waves off the need for fat burners or shaking up your grub and treadmill routine. Born in California in 2003 by the Obesity Research Institute, Lipozene is part of a lineup aiming to take the battle out of bulge-busting. If shedding pounds without turning your life upside down sounds like a dream, stick around to see why Lipozene might just be your next slimming partner.

The active ingredient in Lipozene is glucomannan, which the Konjac Root contains in high amounts. When extracted properly it is claimed to help lose weight and pure body fat.

In this article, we’ll investigate its effectiveness, what makes it different from other weight loss regimen as well as its dosage and side effects.

What is it made of?

Closer inspection shows that Lipozene is primarily made of the Amorphphallus Konjac and a few additives that help maintain its effectiveness and longevity in capsule form. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate konjac supplements, so it is vital to purchase them from a reputable retailer. Supplement manufacturers can voluntarily submit their products to an independent laboratory for testing of purity and potency, so let’s check the contents of this product.

First is its main component, Amorphophallus Konjac is a plant that manufacturers use to make high-fiber dietary supplements, jellies, and flour. It plays a role in traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine. It has several potential health benefits. Many of these benefits relate to its high content of glucomannan, the soluble dietary fiber that naturally occurs in the konjac plant. The Latin name for the konjac plant is Amorphophallus. In other countries it is also referred to as konjaku, elephant yam, devil’s tongue, snake palm, and voodoo lily. It has glossy brown edible corms (bobo-tuber) that produce rhizomatous offsets each year. The plant is widely cultivated in Japan and China as a food source and as an ornamental. The corm is edible but contains calcium oxalate which makes it toxic if consumed raw. The large showy flowers are purple and appear in the spring. 

The tubers are starchy and edible when cooked like a potato. It is commonly dried and ground into flour and used in noodles and tofu. In case you get your hands on one, do not eat it raw, as it can be toxic to humans if eaten without preparation and cooking. (1)

Another ingredient is Microcrystalline cellulose is an anti-caking ingredient used in vitamin supplements or tablets.

There are a few more things that round up the list, Magnesium silicate is another additive, it is typically used to remove free fatty acids and other polar compounds from used cooking oils to extend their life.  Stearic acid is an emulsifier, emollient, and lubricant that can soften skin and help to keep products from separating. Titanium dioxide is odorless and absorbent. Its most important function in powder form is as a widely used pigment for lending whiteness and opacity. Titanium dioxide has been used as a bleaching and opacifying agent in porcelain enamels, giving them brightness, hardness, and acid resistance.

FD&C Blue 1 is used primarily as a blue colorant for processed foods, medications, dietary supplements

What makes it different from other diet pills?

It functions around its main ingredient, the glucomannan fiber. Now fiber is important to any healthy diet, the FDA prescribes a minimum amount that should be taken daily. Fiber has been proven to have a few benefits to the human body. However not everyone has easily accessible sources of fiber, some people may be gluten sensitive or sometimes just do not enjoy eating foods that are rich in fiber.

Dietary fiber itself is associated with a few key health benefits which can help a person lose weight.  The fact is that in the US, dietary fiber intake averages 17 grams a day. (2) However, the FDA recommends a daily value of 28 grams of dietary fiber a day. So for the most part, the majority of people are not actually able to eat as much fiber as they should.

First and foremost is the feeling of satiety. It is the feeling of being full, satisfied, or sated coming from a meal. Satiety and this feeling of fullness help minimize the temptation of snacking and overeating, which is one of the big causes of over-eating which leads to weight gain. Many epidemiologic studies have shown that fiber intake is associated with lower body weight. Satiety and energy intake are possible explanations for this effect. (3)

Dietary fiber absorbs water and stays in your stomach and then moves in your digestive tract slowly, this causes the feeling of satiety which reduces the temptation to eat, thereby fixing one of the largest problems when trying to lose weight, overeating (4). 

The advertising for Lipozene claims that the Konjac root’s fiber has the ability to absorb up to 200 times its own size when exposed to water. Which makes it a viable supplement to take in pill form.

Another benefit that perhaps might be understated is that the ingestion of fiber indirectly influences weight by promoting a better gut biome. Fiber consumption helps promote good gut health. Poor gut health has been linked to obesity. (5) So by promoting good gut health and fostering an environment for good bacteria in the stomach, fiber aids digestion and promote weight loss in a more long-term manner. (6) (7)

Fiber reduces total and LDL cholesterol by similar amounts. A meta-analysis on 67 different controlled trials found that it consistently reduced total and LDL cholesterol and that increasing soluble fiber intake can make small contributions to dietary therapy to lower cholesterol. (9) So it is helpful not only to lose weight but to lower cholesterol as well.

There’s no evidence to show Lipozene’s side effects include blood pressure issues. In fact, research suggests that supplementing your diet with soluble fibers like glucomannan may help lower diastolic blood pressure.

Fiber is also being studied with relation to lowering the risk of having small intestinal cancer. In conjunction with the anatomic and physiologic commonalities of the large and small bowel, as well as the mutually increased risks for second cancer for both organs, grain fiber and whole grain foods seem to protect against lower gastrointestinal cancers. (10)

If you have diabetes, fiber may help you control your blood sugar levels because not only does it lower your risk of heart disease but helps manage spikes in blood sugar in the same way that other carbohydrates can. The prevention of spiking blood sugar and sugar crashes, stabilizing your sugar levels just like other carbohydrates, without the excess calories. (11)

A number of studies have investigated how glucomannan, Lipozene’s active ingredient, affects weight loss. Many report small but positive effects as Glucomannan appears to have positively affect total cholesterol, triglycerides, body weight, and Fasting Blood Glucose. (12)

In one five-week study, 176 people were randomly assigned to a 1,200-calorie diet plus either a fiber supplement containing glucomannan or a placebo. Those who took the fiber supplement lost around 3.7 pounds (1.7 kg) more, compared to the placebo group.(13).

As mentioned earlier, a recent review concluded that glucomannan may help reduce body weight in overweight or obese people in the short term. (14)

Unlike other health supplements which may contain synthetic chemicals, Glucomannan is derived from a plant tuber. Lipozene’s main benefit is keeping calories from being consumed so it does not get turned into fat. It does not burn fat for you, It does not burn calories for you. It just helps you feel more satiated throughout the day and between your meals which then in turn reduces your food consumption. Overconsumption is one of the main reasons for obesity and being overweight (15). And the simple and elegant solution of just eating less is greatly made easier by having a dietary supplement that just makes you feel full for most of the day so you don’t eat as much as you used to.

It is not made from GMOs, it is Gluten-free, Caffeine-free and Soy-Free. Being caffeine-free has a few benefits that make it different for weight loss supplements and diet pills out there that try to pump you with caffeine.

This being a caffeine-free supplement, you would not have to worry about its side effects, its addictive qualities, or changes in mood, it has a few benefits, it can yield better sleep quality and duration (16), Caffeine has been shown to exacerbate certain psychiatric conditions. It can cause increased irritability, hostility, and anxious behavior. (17) This way you can still take the supplement without worrying about the effects of caffeine in your body.

Being Gluten-free and Soy-free has its benefits as well. Celiac disease affects around 1%  of people in the United States (18), or 1 in 133 people. A lot of people with celiac may not know they have it. This makes Lipozene a great supplement for those with this gluten sensitivity. Many products that contain gluten are high in fiber. (19)

When following a gluten-free diet, it is important to get dietary fiber from other sources, Lipozene would allow people with gluten sensitivities to meet their dietary requirements

Who is it best for?

If the main problem in your weight-loss journey is calorie counting and keeping the calories off through a healthy diet, Lipozene may work well for you. The temptation to eat is almost a constant these days. And we are bombarded with ads for food and takeout. Great food is very easily accessible. Not to mention the variety of snacks that are available in the market. It makes snacking and overeating such a big problem, especially for those struggling to lose weight, or those who have gotten used to eating very filling meals or just eat a lot in general.

For a lot of people, the hardest part of weight loss is not even the exercise needed but the discipline and self-control not to have another bite. It’s often the constant snacking and constant barrage of food advertisements and eating both in real life and online as well as the instant availability of take-out dining no matter where you are which encourages snacking that can lead to overeating and excess caloric consumption. Being satiated by having more soluble dietary fiber in your digestive system is a great way to avoid the problem.

Of course, supplements work best when used as intended, that is, used in addition to a healthy diet and appropriate amount of exercise.

Ultimately, weight loss is achieved by a very simple formula of having fewer calories going in and more calories going out. 

Calories going out can be achieved with exercise and physical activity. Burning those calories is one side of the equation.

The other part is making sure that you have fewer calories going in, which is where Lipozene comes in, as a part of a healthy diet, it helps you eat less so that you can keep the pounds off. And that is what it is, it helps you maintain healthy eating habits and a healthy lifestyle. No magic pill can do it for you. Lipozene helps you do what you need to do in order to lose weight.

Dosage

Their own website recommends taking two capsules and a full glass of water 30 minutes before each meal, up to six capsules each day. It is recommended that it should not be taken right before sleep. (20) The manufacturers recommend that you take 2 capsules of Lipozene 30 minutes before a meal with at least 8 ounces (230 ml) of water. You can do this three times per day for a maximum of 6 capsules spread throughout the day. 

It’s also important to take it in capsule form — rather than the powder from inside the capsules — and to wash it down with a lot of water.

Additionally, you may want to start with a small amount and increase it gradually. Suddenly including a lot of fiber in your diet can cause digestive distress

Possible side effects

The website itself lists no side effects but provides helpful directions regarding its dosage.

Fiber supplements can cause abdominal bloating and gas, at least initially. If you have intestinal problems, such as a history of bowel blockage or Crohn’s disease, talk to your doctor before adding a fiber supplement to your diet. It’s also a good idea to ask your doctor or pharmacist whether fiber supplements interact with any medications you take. (21)

Fiber supplements can decrease the absorption of certain medications, such as aspirin. They can also reduce blood sugar levels, which may require an adjustment in your medications or insulin if you have diabetes. (22)

Final recommendations

At the time of writing, a mega bottle of 120 capsules cost 32.95 on Amazon. It is certainly not the most expensive diet supplement so there is no great barrier to entry when it comes to the price of the product. A two-capsule serving of Lipozene contains 1,500 milligrams of konjac fiber.  The manufacturer recommends that it be taken thrice a day and not too close to sleep and generally 30 minutes before each meal in order to maximize the satiating feeling that you would get.

Ultimately, there is no magic bullet that immediately gives you irreversible weight loss. Lipozene is a great source of fiber which when taken strategically before meals and combined with a healthy diet and active lifestyle, can really make weight management a lot easier.

References