Mailbag: What Carb Blockers Can Do (And Can’t Do)
Natrol Carb Intercept: A Phase II Carb Blocker Supplement
Q: I recently purchased 3 bottles of Natrol Carb Intercept & have a couple of questions:
1. Does Phase II stop the digestion of all carbs, (i.e. sugary snacks, candy, etc.), or just starches, (breads, rice, etc.)?
2. Does Phase II inhibit the calories of starches only or does it also inhibit the grams of carbs?
3. Does Phase II work on beer since it is derived from grains? Or does the alcohol just convert to sugar? What about any other alcoholic beverages?
Any other information would be greatly appreciated as I did not receive any information with my delivery.
TS
A: Carb Blockers are a great idea and smart product to keep on hand if you’re trying to lean up. They really aren’t the all-in-one weight loss solution some sources have made them out to be. But, they are still an invaluable resource because they let you eat carb-rich meals without sabotaging your diet and weight loss success.
Phase II, made from white kidney beans, works by inhibiting the enzyme that breaks carbohydrates down into sugars. It doesn’t work on simple sugars already present in the food, so it won’t work for things like soda pop, ice cream, or candy. It would be impossible to state how much of the total carb content of a meal will be “blocked”; that’s variable. But the clinical studies conducted on Phase 2 so far show that it reduced starch absorption in the study volunteers by amounts ranging from 28% to 85%. Phase II is designed to be taken with starchy food, but it should be able to block the conversion of carbs from beer – or any other beverage. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t work on sugars, it just prevents the conversion of starch into sugars. That’s why they’re known as “carb blockers” as opposed to “sugar blockers”.
