Fat binders are weight management products that limit the amount of fat the body is able to digest from consumed food. Fat contains a lot of calories. Typically a gram of protein or carbohydrate contains around four calories.
A gram of fat can provide nine calories—over twice as much—so it’s easy to see why fatty food is not a figure-friendly diet choice. Eating too much fatty food can quickly provide the body with more calories than it requires. When that happens the body takes the excess calories and stores them as body fat.
Of course the easiest way to avoid the problem is to shun fatty foods entirely, but some people find this hard to do. Fat binders provide a means by which fatty food may still be eaten, but the consequences are greatly reduced.
Do Fat Binders Really Work?
Most fat binding products work, but some work better than others. Xenical is probably one of the best known products, but it’s a prescription-only dieting option and doctors rarely prescribe it for anyone whose body mass index (BMI) is less than 30.
Xenical usually blocks around 30% of any ingested fat, but many over-the-counter fat binding products can be just as effective so begging a doctor for a prescription is not a necessity.
Fat binders have become ‘cool’ in recent years bridging the gap between the chemical prescription only and non-prescription naturally formulated.
Todays celebrities have no problem in being associated with fat binders – in particular Proactol XS. Former Orange County star Mischa Barton has claimed that using Proactol XS helped her get back into shape quickly and naturally.
How Fat Binders Work
Fat binders are usually taken up to half an hour before eating any meal that contains fat. They tend to be produced in capsule form and contain one or more ingredients that have two very special abilities:
- They cannot be digested
- They attract fat (from ingested food)
Because they cannot be digested fat binding ingredients do not provide the body with any nutrients or calories; so their passage through the stomach and intestines would be pretty pointless if it was not for their second ability.
When the food arrives in the stomach any fat it contains is attracted to fat the binding ingredient, becomes trapped by it (bound) and cannot be digested. The combined mass (fat binder and bound fat) then passes through the body in the normal way and is eventually released with the stool.
Fat binders can be particularly effective for people who eat large quantities of fatty food, but used over time, on a daily basis, their ability to restrict calories can produce some respectable weight loss results. They are not, however, the best dieting option for people who are already following a strict low fat diet because the body needs to obtain a small amount of fat each day to maintain normal function.
Fat binders only restrict the absorption of fat from food. They do not suppress the appetite, or directly encourage the burning of existing body fat, but if the amount of fat blocked results in the calorie intake becoming too low to support the body’s needs fat burning will be initiated to free up enough calories to compensate for the lack (of calories)
Are fat binders safe?
Most fat binders can provide safe weight loss, but the fat binding ingredient chitosan can be problematic to some users because it is manufactured from chitin—a substance made from the shells of marine crustaceans, including lobsters and shrimp. This can make chitosan a highly unsuitable choice for anyone who is allergic to sea food. Fortunately it is now possible to purchase fat binding products that contain chitosan created from fungus and this form of chitosan has been shown to produce superior results.
Fat Binder Usage Issues
It is not unusual to experience greasier or looser stools when using fat binding products, but this is hardly surprising considering the way they work. Xenical users who eat a lot of fatty food often experience more dramatic reactions that can result in a sudden need for fresh underwear, but such reactions are not generally attributed to other fat binding options.
Concluding Thoughts
Fat binders are an effective weight management tool that can also provide the added benefit of helping to lower cholesterol levels. Results should be good and will likely be improved upon by combining the use of fat binders with a healthy diet and regular exercise and/or fat burning products, appetite suppressants or carb blockers.
Recommended Fat Binder
There are several commercial fat binders available (to both UK and Ireland customers) including brands such as XLS Medical Fat Binder, Biobind Lipobind, Ravsa and Alli (although Alli is technically a fat blocker and has now been discontinued).
Pur preference is for Proactol XS – a clinically proven slimming pill that is classed as a Medical Device Type II. Proactol XS invites potential customers to take the 30 challenge and see if they can lose 12lb (in 30 days)
Learn more about Proactol XS here
