December 14, 2007, Newsletter Issue #94: Carb supplements
Tip of the Week
Supplements sold as carb or starch blockers inhibit the body's production of the starch-digesting enzyme, alpha-amylase. Clinical-strength blockers are good enough to use them in diabetic diets. Not all commercial blockers efficiency were clinically validated so it's hard to tell whether the effect will be greater with greated doze.
The exception is the bean extract - Phaseolus Extract, which isi clinically tested but it seems that the dozes in the trial is higher than those sold as supplements.
Sources:
Bo-Linn, G.W., et al., Starch blockers--their effect on calorie absorption from a high-starch meal. N Engl J Med, 1982. 307(23): p. 1413-6.
Layer, P., G.L. Carlson, and E.P. DiMagno, Partially purified white bean amylase inhibitor reduces starch digestion in vitro and inactivates intraduodenal amylase in humans. Gastroenterology, 1985. 88(6): p. 1895-902.
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