NOW Supplements, Phase 2® (White Kidney Bean Extract) 500 mg, Weight Management*, 120 Veg Capsules

I know there is a lot of debate about this product only being able to neutralize starches, but I suspect it works for other carbs as well (simple carbs). I did read the studies, and without providing all of the science behind digestion - all carbohydrates are broken down beginning with amylase (in the mouth). Since white kidney bean targets amylase, this is my reasoning behind it also working for simple carbohydrate and not just starch. However, there are some caveats, and I do not know what the upper limit for carbohydrate digestion would be.I follow a ketogenic diet, in which I choose to restrict my carbohydrate intake because I am carbohydrate sensitive, and really it's about having my body run a certain way, reducing cravings, etc. However, I work out 5 or 6 days a week, and sometimes decide to go outside of what I normally eat, like pizza, which is definitely not on my weekly menu!! In order to avoid a massive glucose spike, get a sympathetic response (i.e., rapid heart rate, etc), I take 4 of these + Heather's Tummy Tamers Peppermint Oil Capsules (to avoid digestive issues). I take it about a half hour before I enjoy a couple of slices of pizza in order to avoid the major glucose spike as well as the sympathetic response insulin seems to give me. If I didn't take these, I wouldn't be able to eat too many carbohydrates, because unfortunately for me, it doesn't take much for me to get an undesired response. The thing is, it works fine for a couple of slices for pizza, but if 2 hours later I have that piece of cheesecake, I will get a slight sympathetic response even if I take 4 more capsules. This is why I say that I have no idea what the upper limit is for inhibiting digestion of carbohydrate. Curiously enough, I will be back in ketosis by the next morning, even after 2 slices of pizza and a small slice of cheesecake. However, I don't do this often, so I am quite adapted to the way I already eat. I could experiment with more than 8 capsules, but I am not interested in the accompanying gastric distress - 8 is enough for one night.Obviously, I don't think one could eat carbs all day and just take these, nor would I think you would want to. Carbohydrate is not inherently "bad", and I don't avoid them because I think they are, but I am particularly sensitive to them. Plus, I lift heavy weights, so I tend to consume more protein anyway, and the way I set up my macros fits me perfectly. I have always known I was carb-sensitive, even when in med school, when my friend told me she thought it was all "in my head". Of course, one has to consider this if you aren't checking glucose regularly, but if I had never eliminated carbohydrate to begin with, I would have never known how bad the sensitivity actually was. These work well for what I need, but I also don't take them every day, nor every week - only when I decide to eat pizza for that high calorie day, or when we are out running errands and we stop to eat at our favorite restaurant.I hope this review helps someone...

This controlled my appetite waaaay better than I thought it would! I started out by taking just 1 in the middle of the day, as 3 causes my belly to feel off. I’ll take 2 if I know I’ll have a big meal, but 1 feels safest for my tummy and I still get the benefits of what feels like controlled blood sugar and cravings. 10/10! I’ll be taking this for a while, since it’s so safe and actually works.

It is blocking carbs but there are two reasons why people are not seeing the weight loss:1) Psychological use of this pill as a crutch. One takes the pill and then eats more carbs since they think that they have entered the "Free extra carbs" zone. Well it doesn't work that way. You either eat the same amount and take the pill so you can loose weight, or eat a BIT more and maintain the weight.2) The undigested carbs makes bacteria in your large intestine do what they are designed to do...digest starches...but gas is a byproduct. So the more undigested starches that enter the large intestine the more bacteria is created (supply and demand), the more they digest it, the more gas is produced. Also, your body realizes that something is amiss, so more fluid is now required to pass this "foreign" matter. So what you get is bloat and fluid retention which leads to slight weight gain or weight maintenance. Now, since majority of fat cells are water, then all you see is your fat cells swell. Not with lipid but with water.In the end the weight stays the same...BUT BUT! If you followed #2 (ate less and took Phase 2) then even though your weight stays the same, you loose the adipose tissue. So you are "healthier" even though you can't see it. All you have to do is stop taking it for a week or two to actually notice the weight loss.

I am a type 2 diabetic and I just received this product yesterday and gave it a test at dinner time to see if the carbs would raise my blood glucose. I took 3 capsules before having a bowl of macaroni with tomato sauce and tested my sugar 2 hours later and it was 87; normally my sugar would be 170 after having that. When I tested my sugar this morning, it was 111 and that made my day! Today I did a second test by having potato salad and tested my blood glucose 2 hours later and it was 114 and potatoes would normally raise my sugar to about 180. I am on Metformin. If you are on a medication that can cause low blood sugar, I would advise you not to use this as it might get too low. My medication (Metformin) never caused low blood sugar, at least for me anyways. I was skeptical about buying this product because it says not to use if you are diabetic or hypoglycemic, but I figured I would give it a shot just to see for myself if it really works and it does. Overall I am very happy with this product and will continue to buy it.

This is a nice placebo pill. It may work, it may not. But for those days where you really feel like eating that entire bag of chips. It may make you feel better. Note these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.Diet and exercise make up 90% of your weight loss. I have lost 60 pounds doing just that. I can't say whether or not this pill blocks or neutralized carbs. But I do know, getting off my but and exercising, eating right did.

use this regularly, cut out sugar and you will see a difference. It will take months. You can't eat huge meals. I had no side effects

Definitely not felt anything regarding weight loss or appetite control. Only thing is after taking these according to directions, it hugely messed up my "schedule" if you know what I mean.I've had white kidney bean extract product from other brands before. Some of the cheaper ones would do that. Now I know what kind NOW is.