This inquiry has gotten complicated.
It started with a Life Extension Magazine article – and a personal desire to get over a low carb stall.
And now I feel like an investigative reporter.
I am NOT an investigative reporter – just someone curious about irvingia as a way to facilitate weight loss. This has brought me into a world of ‘weight loss supplements’ – I don’t think I ever tried a weight loss supplement in my life, to be honest.
Why I even thought about irvingia was that, to me, Life Extension, the people who send me the magazine where I first read about irvingia, have some level of credibility in my book.
There’s some things about them that don’t jibe completely for me – hence there’s no slavish devotion to them or their cause – if an excellent study came out that said supplements were worthless, I doubt they would trumpet this on their shiny 4-color magazine cover.
But I think they are doing some things right. Yeah, they shill supplements, but they do so responsibly. They don’t push some of the supplements that people hurt themselves with – and they usually mention the side effects of the stuff they sell, and who shouldn’t take it.
That seems pretty responsible to me. A world where individuals are given the information needed to make an informed decision as to the possible risks and rewards of any substance they might ingest seems to me to be a worthwhile goal that they also embrace.
So when they mentioned irvingia, and they breathlessly endorsed it as ‘more weight loss than any other discovery in supplement history‘ – I took notice.
28 lbs. in 10 weeks is phenomenal, but ingesting something I never heard of, as well as a cost over $100 for a 10-week supply, led me to do some digging.
I’ve let you in on my first bit of digging, then the next bit, but now what I’ve come across requires a bit of a detour.
As I mentioned, irvingia searches on the Internet didn’t turn up much. Irvingia is a tree nut from Africa used in food. It has a lot of fiber and can act as a ‘bulk-forming’ laxative when eaten.
There have also been some studies, so far they all seem to have been done in Cameroon, that indicate that it might also have favorable blood-sugar and cholesterol profile effects.
I also found that bodybuilders have been the most vocal about this stuff on their boards.
Seems to me that bodybuilders are about the smartest folks you can find when it comes to bodyhacking – they are always looking for ways to get more pumped, and more healthy, and will play with all sorts of supplements to do so.
They have also been scammed a lot by peddlers of supplements that claim to provide bodybuilder nirvana but fail to deliver, so many in their community cast a very skeptical eye to any claim for the next great supplement.
I found an interesting comment on irvingia on one board on http://www.mindandmuscle.net/ - here it is:
Studies should be looked at as highly suspect
Both of these studies on irvingia gabonensis were conducted by Julius Oben, which raises huge red flags to me. Oben is the researcher behind a study earlier this year showing that cissus quadrangularis was effective as a fat loss aid.After digging around, I found that Oben, the lead researcher, is actually employed at Gateway Health Alliances Inc, which supplied all the testing materials (and probably funded) all of these studies (if you search, you’ll find “All testing materials were supplied by Gateway Health Alliances”). Apparently, they’ve hired Oben as the “Chief Scientific Officer” at Gateway. How’s that for impartial.
In addition, Oben holds a patent on Cissus’ use as a weight loss aid: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P…S=PN/7,175,859. Oben is the “inventor” and Gateway Health Alliances is the assignee. Apparently Oben and Gateway Health Alliances have been working together since as early as 2000.
In 2006, Oben published a similar study “The use of a Cissus quadrangularis formulation in the management of weight loss and metabolic syndrome”. In that study he used a different product from Gateway Health Alliances called Cylaris. It was a mixture of several ingredients including cissus. Of course, it had amazing results, results that Gateway Health Alliances relies on heavily in their marketing: http://www.cylarisweightloss.com/
This doesn’t mean that Oben’s research is necessarily bogus, but can you tell me why an American corporation is having an obscure university in a poor West African country do all the research on their products, while simultaneously employing the lead researcher? Smells like bad fish to me.
Further, how reputable is “Lipids in Health and Disease”, the journal that these were studies were published in? From a dispute about Cylaris:
Some things to think about.
When you read through all this, it does seem that Dr Oben does have a relationship with the Cylaris product, and the Cylaris product does make similar weight loss claims.
what I found most interesting was the cylarisweightloss.com website – or the lack thereof. There’s nothing there, there’s nothing in Google’s cache – and there’s nothing in the Wayback machine that archives much of the internet.
Was there something here at one time? I can’t find evidence that there was – but the forum poster above implied that there was. This will have to remain a mystery for now.
The company that markets the stuff – Iovate – has a website, but it’s rather minimal, to say the least. Here’s a link to some of their other products, in case you’d like to get a taste for what they sell.
As to the author’s questioning of the journalistic credentials of ”Lipids in Health and Disease”, I do find this journal listed on the Georgetown University Library website, so at least the librarians there think it’s legit.
The dispute about Cylaris was started by a competing product, which helps to make all of this even murkier.
Anyway – let’s steer clear of sinister motives – it helps nothing. It’s fun, but it gets in the way of truth.
What follows is conjecture – I am making this up – it’s one potential scenario.
What might be going on here is that we have a researcher that specializes in looking for weight-loss formulations. He came up with one around 2000, and sold it to a company that licensed it to Iovate, where it met with some success. You can read comments about this stuff here.
Fast-forward. Dr Oben has moved on to the study of irvingia. Though perhaps flawed, his studies reveal that something is going on here. Maybe this one is the real deal. He goes to the Life Extension folks, instead of Iovate, and shows them the research. They do their own research on the product and they think that the stuff is the real deal, and launch a product.
Now, if you go to the Life Extension site, these people have a lot more to lose. They sell a lot of supplements, memberships, and even prescription drugs, and in my years reading their magazine, I honestly believe that they believe in what they are doing.
If they were to back this product and put their name on it, and it is garbage, or a dud, there could be blowback. This could harm their reputation and credibility. Life Extension has been around for 28 years. This is from their About Us page:
The Life Extension Foundation is a nonprofit organization, whose long-range goal is the extension of the healthy human lifespan. In seeking to control aging, our objective is to develop methods to enable us to live in vigor, health and wellness for an unlimited period of time. The Life Extension Foundation was officially incorporated in 1980, but its founder has been involved in antiaging research since the 1960s.
My conclusion at this juncture is we can’t be certain of the effects of irvingia – or low carb – or paleo – or vegetarianism – or nearly anything that researchers conclude. Studies contradict each other daily.
Why? Because clinical research is hard. It’s also expensive and time consuming. In addition, researchers are human and suffer from the same cognitive biases that everyone else does. That’s why there’s the concept of peer review.
But peer review can’t save us when the peer holds the same biases, so all research, especially in the life sciences, is pretty much a pointer – a placeholder, an approximation, that stands until a better study, that asks better questions, comes along.
We need to research the decisions we make about our health to the best of our ability, based on the best information we have, knowing that it is lacking, and make informed decisions on them.
This post is just as suspect as all the other information presented here. I suffer from the same biases and blind spots that the researchers do. In addition, I am not a researcher, a science writer, nor a journalist. What this post does is reveal my own research and thought process while considering if I should try irvingia.
We can harm ourselves by doing something – and we can harm ourselves by doing nothing. Be informed to the best of your ability, take action, and for goodness’ sake: take responsibility for your actions.
At this juncture, I see a product that might work. I still have questions, and will probably continue my research.
Lastly, a number of folks out there have mentioned they are trying irvingia. Let us know how you’re doing on it, OK? You can comment on any of these postings, or drop me an email at lcc@lowcarbconfidential.com.
Filed under: External Links, Supplements | Tagged: irvingia
I received my Irvingia supplements from LEF in the mail and started taking them yesterday. Obviously, it’s way too early to draw any conclusions yet but at least I haven’t experienced any negative side effects so far. The only thing I noticed today was a slight after taste, similar to that after taking fish oil, evening primrose, or other oil-based supplement. I’ll update you in a week or two and let you know about my progress in terms of weight loss.
I started taking the LEF Irvingia with fucoxanthin from garden of life. I read about a synergistic relationship between Irvingia and Fucoxanthin.
I track my diet very closely and will report back on my findings.
Jeff
I started my LEF irvingia on December 3rd and will see how it works. I also tried the Fucoxathin and saw some weight loss, but it was a pain remembering to take so many of them every day along with my other supplements (also expensive). LEF is really the only organization out there that can fight the pharmaceutical’s and get in the FDA’s face, so I belong to it. This will be very interesting to see if it works because I am 56 and no matter how I diet and exercise, I simply cannot lose any significant amount of weight around my stomach. I am not obese, but if I do not watch every single bite I take, I can easily gain weight. So we shall see.
I also immediately ordered 2 bottles of Irvingia from LEF (wi
thout the fucoxanthin, which I took last fall with no success.) I started taking Irvingia on the 4th of Dec. It will be valuable to hear from you others who are taking it.. By the way the only success I’ve had in recent years with weight loss is making a contract with STICKK.com (free) . I lost 7 lbs. in 10 weeks. Not a lot , but better than the nothing I was losing. Check it out.
Excellent blog and posts, thank you for taking the time to do this research. I found you after Googling Irvingia. I last bought a weight loss aide about 20 years ago, when I was around 16 and not the least bit overweight. I saw the LE magazine claims (I buy vitamins from them) and joked with hubby that I was going to buy this *brand new miracle weight loss supplement*! I can afford to gamble with $100, and as I approach 40 my middle has started to look chubby (I should lose 25 pounds in order to be slim). So…what the hell! I bought it.
By way of background, I have never dieted, ever, and I exercise somewhat regularly (3x per week) , and am not fat (but cannot figure out how my spare tire suddenly came to appear one morning!). I started taking Invirginia today, and will let you know what happens. I have no grand hopes and figure that most likely, nothing will happen.
Well, today is one week that I have taken Irvingia. I have not lost any weight – but I haven’t gained either even though I had a piece of birthday cake and a bowl of pasta which, in my case, would have added a couple of pounds. I find that the Irvingia does curb my appetite somewhat and I do think it takes time to get in your system to really start working – we shall see. I also think that if this product does what it promises and does bring down cholesterol and glucose, you will see the pharmaceuticals pressure the FDA to get it off the market VERY quickly. I will keep monitoring my weight progress and keep you informed.
Hi there,
So interested in reading your comments. I ordered this product on the strength of Life Extension’s reputation and the fact that I have belonged for 20 years. I thought it sounded too good to be true and was frankly “irritated” at Faloon for writing the article in that over-the-top fashion; but I was compelled to try it as I am desperately trying to lose weight prior to an upcoming hip surgery. Well, it’s been one week and nothing so far – not one pound. I’m mad and saddened, I called LEF yesterday and talked to an Advisor and really dumped on her. She said the article was written that way because the results they say were definately “over-the-top” She said maybe a week wasn’t long enough to tell. What do you think? Have you started on it?
Hi Barbara,
Check out the link at the top of the site named Irvingia Field Reports – there are a number of people reporting their experiences there.
Right now I’m coming up on a week, and it seems like there has been little or no effect.
The study *did* make clear that it takes some time to begin to work, and I bought 60-days worth, so I’ll keep at it – and report my progress on the Field Report Page with the other folks.
I encourage you to post your progress as well.
Thanks,
LCC
Barbara & LCC,
Did you happen to gain weight this week or are you holding steady? I think it may take more than a week to see any kind of actual loss (in the study the first 4 weeks was the lowest amount of weight loss and it looks like it accelerates as you go along). I know my thyroid is “off” and I am not going to the doctor until the end of December, so I wonder if the Irvingia would still work with that imbalance. Again, we shall see. I hate waiting, but I think that we have become accustomed to “immediate” results with everything. LCC, I will add this to Irvingia Field Reports from this point forward. You can reply there. Thanks.
LCC:
It’s very comforting to read that you had the exact reaction to the Life Extension article and subsequently performed your own personal research on line as I did, coming upon the same sparse research results.
I even laughed at your mention of Metamucil working possibly as well, and your thinking of the inconsistency of the 4-color glossy for a non-profit – both being my exact thoughts!
My husband and I will join all of the others and purchase our bottles online tonight and report back. My greatest concerns were any undisclosed (or just plain unknown) side effects. I agree that the $100 + is worth the risk as middle age bulge threatens more than our pocketbooks. There’s a lot of stuff we still want to do before we’re outta here! We’re not going quietly!
Alice and Bob
SusanM
That is an interesting point you make about the pharmaceuticals getting their panties in a bunch and getting the FDA to get this off the market….imagine all the people on statins and diabetes meds! I didn’t think of that aspect! Good old corporate greed!
Barbara,
As LCC, SusanM and I noted on the weight loss charts using Irvingia is sort of backwards rather than big results and then slamming into a plataeu, it starts out slow at about 2 lbs a week for the first 4 weeks, then 2.5 lbs for the next 4 weeks and the final 2 weeks subjects lost 5 lbs a week. I’m sticking it out…I want to know for myself and hopefully not get discouraged these first weeks expecting an immediate gratification and a miracle!
But ya, Faloon sure is passionate about his writing in an over the top fashion! LOL! Vitamin D is another one of his rants lately! He’s going down swinging that is for sure…he is not taking aging in stride is he?
Shelley
Got my delivery from LEF today. Will start taking it and will report back as times goes on.
Welcome aboard John! Goodluck!
Thrilled to have found this blog. I’ve been Yo-Yoing on the Atkins diet ever since it was published. I do believe in dietary supplements but I also know that I have no way of knowing which manufacturers are ripping me off. My first excursion into buying expensive vitamins from the Health Food store was very disappointing. I had positive proof that what I purchased was not working at all. How did I know? I saw the un-dissolved tablets in the toilet before I flushed!! And this was a top brand at the time. That’s when I looked for a seller I could trust. As most of you, I decided to invest with LEF. For better or worse, that’s where about $2000 of my yearly income goes. Anyway, I’ve been yo-yoing between 165 and 180 for 20 years. Now that I’m 60 I’ve reached new heights. They tell me it’s age related weight gain that has pushed me up to 195. I’m trying their product Slimsignals which contains both of the mentioned “magic potions” . I let you all know what I see after a couple of months. Everything in life’s a gamble. They way I figure is how much can I loose? A few hundred bucks to find out if it works? I don’t drink, I no longer smoke, I don’t gamble and I don’t have any expensive hobbies. I just write this off to the money I would have spent on all those things above that the average guy might spend that same $2000 a year on.
Regards,
Another Weight Warrior
Started 4 days ago. No change. But, (for women that is) we must wait until 4 complete weeks to see what happens due to hormonal, water imbalance in our bodies that goes up and down in a menstrual cycle period. Specially the ones that we are obese.
I have an appointment on Monday to measure Adiponectyne levels and all the rest of the biochemical markers. (I’m a radiologist).
Let’s see how it works. If what LEF says though is true, we must all take blood biochemical markers measurements. VERY LOW CHOLESTEROL IS BAD! SOMETIMES WORST THAN HIGH LEVELS.
Good luck to everyone.
Good morning from Athens, Greece
Hi Maria,
Your point on very low cholesterol is accurate, in so far as I’ve read. This seems to be overlooked frequently. LEF put it this way in the Irvingia article:
cholesterol below 150–160 mg/dL seems to increase overall mortality, probably from diseases like hemorrhagic stroke and cancer along with deficiencies of hormones that are made from cholesterol
Regards,
LCC
I started on Irvingia on December 12, so it’s been 14 days for me to this
date.
I am 5′6″ and hover around 142. I am 47 and peri-menopausal so my weight has been a real issue for almost 6 years. I had always been 132 and felt great at that weight. But once my hormones went haywire, my weight went nuts and I ballooned all the way up to 155 without changing my diet. No matter how much I exercised or starved myself, I could not lose the weight.
Fast forward to four months ago. I had to have minor surgery and my alternative doctor suggested I take systemic enzymes to reduce inflammation after surgery. She told me to take Zymessence as it has a healthy dose of pancreatin which promotes better digestion and stays inthe system longer than other systemic enzymes. It was a godsend as the enzymes also work to reduce excess estrogen (which creates fat buildup in the stomach and upper thighs) and they also reduce inflammation. Within 2 weeks on the supplement, my bowel was more regular than it had been in years and my digestion was incredibly good. I had been 145 and unable to go below that weight prior to starting on the Zymessence. By day 21 on the Zymessence, I was down to 143 — a real milestone as I hadn’t been below that in years.
Then I read the LEF article on Irvingia. I’m inspired as the enzymes are still making me feel great and I want to keep the momentum up. I’ve always had a problem with belly fat so the idea that Irvingia helps with leptin interested me. I bought enough to get me through the 100 day period.
Immediately, I felt reduced appetite. I’m not a big eater anyway but it was easy for me to go until 11am without eating because I just wasn’t hungry. That’s not always good as I have low blood sugar and Irvingia can lower blood sugar more (at least I think that’s what I read.) So, I’d eat a small protein rich breakfast just to make sure I had some fuel in my gut. But my desire for sweets was certainly curbed.
What I really noticed was that when I did eat that scoop of ice cream I did not gain any weight. Amazing! I could also eat a small amount of potato or pasta (a small amount, mind you) and NOT gain weight. This was great. I’d always easily gain a pound or more after eating pasta.
I decided that I wanted to make a goal and see if I could get down to 132 pounds by February. So, during the last two weeks on Irvingia, I have increased my exercise to five days a week, 45 minutes each time. I do 30 or more minutes on the eliptical and then do 15 or more minutes with weights. I find that I’m more able to do cardio now and not tire as much. Is this an effect of the Irvingia? It’s quite pronounced. I can also shovel snow for up to 2 hours before getting tired.
During this time period, I have also added two weight reduction methods that I hope will work in tandem with the Irvingia. One is purchasing a pair of compression shorts from Delfin Spa. These increase core metabolism and really heat up the body to burn belly and hip fat. The second one sounds silly but it seems to be working. It’s a cream called Fat Girl Slim from Bliss. It increases fat burning when you exercise. Yes, I’m taking this seriously. I’d say that the Irvingia is the main component here while the shorts and cream are secondary in their effect. Of course, the exercising isn’t hurting one bit.
Weight loss in two weeks? This morning I weighed 140.6. This is great as I certainly had a piece of pie at Christmas along with a hot toddy, hot chocolate, candy and some triple cream cheese. While my weight fluctuates, I’d say I’ve lost 1.5 pounds in 14 days. But I KNOW I’ve lost inches in my belly as it looks different now. As I understand it, Irvingia targets that stubborn belly fat via the leptin receptors. I can honestly say that I’m not as bloated and that roll of fat around my middle is reducing.
So, here is my recipe right now:
Irvingia (take on empty stomach in morning and before dinner at night and away from other supplements/herbs.)
Zymessence Systemic Enzymes (1 upon rising and 2 before bedtime)
Delfin compression shorts
Fat Girl Slim cream from Bliss
LD
I just feel that it is important to remember that a pound of pure adipose tissue contains about 3500 calories worth of energy. If you are on a low carb diet and then have a plate of pasta and some cake one day, you aren’t gaining one or more pounds of fat; your body is simply retaining more water as a result of consuming those carbohydrates.
It seems that a lot of people commenting here are forgetting this water-weight issue which I always understood to be one of the most immediate effects of low carb dieting.
Maybe this supplement and other fiber “laxatives” have the potential to allow greater carb consumption without disrupting the ketogenic state of dieters?
Like many of you, I found this blog when I googled irvingia, just looking around for some additional info. The article in LifeExtension snagged me two weeks ago and I ordered the irvingia (just like I did with fucoxanthin last year after the article by the same guy)! I’m totally okay with being a sucker and fool for weight-loss products, and consider myself a sort of pioneer.
Anyway, I have been on irvingia for 12 days and I have two major observations to share:
1. I pretty much ate my face off over the holidays (starting the binge even before taking irvingia) and have so far remained the same weight! I’m talking cookies, wine, cheese grits, sausage, beef, ham, pie… pretty much eating with total abandon on a daily basis. It’s seems to be just what the author of the article in LE warned about, the temptation to overeat when you feel like the extra calories don’t seem to be sticking. No, I’m not on the LE payroll. It’s just that usually by the end of December I’m wearing my backup pants. And I’m not.
2. I have not had a migraine headache in the 12 days I’ve been taking irvingia. This may not sound like a big deal, but it is HUGE for me. I usually take Rx medication for migraines 2-4 times per week. I can’t remember the last time I went this long without taking any meds.
So, there’s my deal. I’ll post again in 2 weeks with an update. Meanwhile, gotta go order another bottle. I actually have a strange compulsion to horde, in case it becomes unavailable or ridiculously expensive.
I know what you mean Jen, I’m tempted to horde myself due to the timing of the release and those complaining so loudly after trying it for such a short time or who have little weight to lose. Anyway, I did gain back 4 lbs over the Holidays taking it faithfully, but honestly I chalk it up fluctuations caused from 2 lbs of water weight from the huge salt increase and and 2 lbs of colon sluggishness which I’m plagued with. I suspect it will be like Thanksgiving where once I returned to normal eating it disappears….when you eat three days nonstop, imbibe and don’t excrete the end product…well, four lbs is reasonable. Will report in the end of the week barring I don’t party like a Rock Star New Year’s Eve since we now live in town and our oldest Daughter is responsible enough to babysit!
My boyfriend and I have been taking it for a month now. Neither one of us has lost any weight.
I have eaten alot during the Holidays and have in fact gained weight as expected.
Hello all, this is my second post and 18th day on irvingia. Shelley H, I am hordeing! I bought 3 more bottles the other day.
Several days ago, I posted that I hadn’t gained any holiday weight thus far, despite daily gorging, and hadn’t had a migraine headache (or any kind of headache) for 13 days.
Well, on day 15, I got a migraine. It was my usual hormone-induced ovulation headache and it lasted for two days requiring some medication (three 50mg tabs of Imitrex). However the headache was not as severe as usual, and I took about half the mgs I would normally take. And I haven’t had a headache in the days since.
Within a month I normally take eight 2.5 Amerge tablets and nine 100mg Imitrex tablets, the maximum amount my insurance will pay for. Sometimes I even have to get a few extra sample pills from my doctor’s office. This month I have taken only 7 pills. Yay!
As for weight loss, a few holiday lbs have shown up on the scale, but only 2.5. Not bad at all, considering. I actually feel like I got away with some sort of crime!
One possible side effect I’m noticing is reflux, esp. at night. This has never been a problem for me in the past. I’ve had two major episodes as well as some random minor acid-y throat burn. Zantac takes care of it, but it’s concerning me a little. I’m not ready to attribute it to irvingia, but am keeping an eye on the problem.
I plan to continue taking irvingia for the next 14 weeks and let y’all know what happens.
I will also be switching my future posts to Irvingia Field Reports!
Hi! I bought Irvingia by Life Extension and I can save you all the trouble. I’ve just finished the first bottle and I have gained 3 lbs! Don’t waste your money! You would be better off buying Lean Cuisines for all 3 meals.
I’m on my second bottle and even though I’ve been binging a little due to holidays and on (but this is normal for me) I have not gained weight or lost it. Now LEF has released a letter of encouragement, but let me tell you this. Even if you are like the guy who wrote the letter and lost only about 20 pounds (less than the 28 average of the so called study), 20 pounds in 10 weeks is 2 pounds a week which translates into 7,000 less calories a week (3500 cal = 1 lb) or 1000 calories a day the irvingia should be taking care of. I am not eating more than 1000 calories over what I should be everyday so I should be losing weight and I’m not. So there. It is not all it’s cracked up to be.
I purchased a bottle of Irvingia a couple of weeks ago and feel it may be helping me to loose weight. Each time I step on the scale I have lost weight. This may be just beacuse I haven’t been drinking wine these past weeks. I will report back at the end of the month.
Is anyone checking their blood labs to see if it helps their liptin and insulin levels? I also hear that there is a diabetic drug called Metformin 500mg 2 x a day (I think that’s how it’s spelled) does the same thing. But it’s not natural & you need a perscription to get it. At least most insurances pay for it. You do need an abdominal ultra sound done first. Most doctors will give you this drug especially if you are diagnosed w/ a fatty liver. I will be starting this regime in March.
Been on this for 3 months. Following it religiously and can report that it is junk. Haven’t lost a single pound! LEF will be hearing from me and I will get my money back. Very disappointed as I have been a long time client for their supplements. But then I should have known there was no magic bullet to weight loss, just more snake-oil.
To be fair, the LEF article about Irvingia does not promise weight loss for everyone. According to the article, the Irvingia weight loss phenomena is specific to those who suffer from what they call metabolic syndrome. What I read says that if you have borderline or high chlolesterol, are borderline diabetic, and have a high proportion of belly fat you may be suffering from Leptin resistance. i
I you are not of the classic big gut type overweight pattern (more often than not men), then the article makes no claims to cause weight loss.
While I agree that the hype of the article requires a careful read to filter this out, it is none the less accurate in isolating a specific group of people for the desired effect.
I am clearly in the target group and have started taking the supplement. I will report back with the results.
So, I wanted to drop 10 lbs and lower bad cholestrol and raise my good. Had all the lab work done… this has to fit my needs for weight and cholestrol if I am going to play the $ … I have been on it almost a month and no weight loss.
I lost more on Acai and Colon Cleanse in 3 weeks — 12 pounds… but it does not bring down the cholestrol. I switched over cause my doctor said it would work better for what I was wanting.
Blood work to be done in another week. I will let you know how the 1 month mark goes.
Has any one lost any weight?
I ordered the Irvingia from LEF in Dec 2008, took the whole bottle as directed. I did experience loss of appetite, but no significant weight loss. I would have done better with daily exercise and dieting. The product is supposed to be good for people with High Cholesterol, which I have. I haven’t had a blood test yet, but the product does not live up to the LEF weight loss promise.
On January 3, 2008 I weighed 223# with 24.5% body fat (according to my Tanita Scale). I am 70 years old.
I started taking Irvingia + Fucoxanthin at that time. I also kept very close count of my consumed calories (counted calories) and reduced them by 3500 calories per week below my required calories. This should result in a 1 pound per week weight lose. I continued my normal 3 day exercise routine which is: 2 hours of weigh lifting on first day; 2 hours of running on second day and no formal exercise on third day. I continued to repeat this.
On March 14, 2008 my weight was 213# with 23.4% body fat. This is the weight I should have lost due to my calorie restriction. I ate very healthy foods with lots of vegetables. salmon, turkey, yoguart, etc. It contained lots of fiber. According to LEF I should have lost 28 pounds with no special effort and no exercise.
I too feel the study that LEF used to be flawed. First of all the study came from Cameroon, which is part of Africa and Irvingia comes from Africa. Would anyone put much credence in a study done by someone who had something to gain by the results of the study? If you Googel Cameroon, the Cameroon and corruption will probably appear in some of the results. Apparently corruption is not unknow in Cameroon.
I have always believed (and still do) that LEF is interested in the truth and have a great interest in their reputation and are conservative in their recommendations. I feel they blew it on Irvingia. Before putting so much faith in Irvingia, I can’t believe they didn’t do their own study, especially considering the fact that the original study appeared to have some flaws as you pointed out
In my previous post, the dates mentioned should have been 2009 instead of 2008
I tried for two months both: irvingia and fucoxanthin by
LEF. All I need to loose is 7-8 pounds, which don’t want to leave my body.
Neither of those two helped a bit, veru disappointing.