01/10/12 Update: My Last Post on Irvingia
Here is my last post on Irvingia from 12/30/11 – 3+ years after the experiment.
04/09/09 Update: Some Survey Results
Some of you filled in the survey – thanks for taking the time to do so. Check out my post on my 5-minute analysis of the results here.
01/31/09 Update: Irvingia Survey
In order to gather info in a slightly more scientific fashion, I’ve put together a survey for people who have been taking the product for at least 8 weeks.
I’ve also broken it out into 2 surveys – one for the guys, and one for the gals – please be sure to fill in the correct one. If you are unsure about your gender, I can’t help you.
As the survey asks a lot of questions about bloodwork, type of diet, and BMI, make sure you have this stuff handy when you begin. Click the links above for a listing of diets and a BMI calculator to help you out before you begin.
Click Here to Take the Survey for Males
Click Here to Take the Survey for Females
Important Update 01/11/09
Please tell us the type of diet you are following. As we have recently learned that the type of diet can make a difference, let us know what diet you follow. If of your own design, let us know as much as possible about it (Ex: low fat, low calorie, vegetarian, calorie-counting, etc).
Here is a list of nearly every diet out there for those of you unsure what a certain diet mentioned here might be all about.
Anyone taking Irvingia is encouraged to post their ongoing experiences to this page. This way, all of the posts will be in one place, and people coming to the site can find them without having to jump around to a bunch of different posts.
Try to be specific as possible. Try to weigh yourself and report this. Measurements are helpful, too. Any info you are comfortable sharing. If you want to remain anonymous, email your experiences to lcc@lowcarbconfidential.com and I’ll post them here.
If you are commenting on a specific post, or some other topic than Irvingia, please post that elsewhere on the site. If you want to comment and share your Irvingia experiences, post your experience here, and put your other comment on the appropriate blog post.
Let’s give this a try, eh?
My wife and I are trying this (on day 3) after reading about it in life extension. Noteably there are only two articles siting studies in humans and one of them was just recently submitted for publication, while the other small study was from 2005. The newness of this could explain why we haven’t heard more about it. If this were a drug and not a supplement, you would have heard about it because the drug company involved would have seen to it. The reported results look phenominal. After the first dose we noticed a very marked change in our appetite and satiety which has continued. We simply are not hungry and have no desire to snack between meals. Normally we eat lunch right at noon. Today we forgot and didn’t even get hungry until 2 PM. Also we are filling up faster at meal times and eating less. My wife noticied this on her own because she had not read the info in the lef article. I suspect this is going to be a block bluster of a supplement.
I’m on Day 3 of the LEF Irvinga supplement. I haven’t noticed any substantive effects thus far, good or bad. I suspect this kind of supplement is one that requires long term participation to obtain the desired results. I don’t own a scale, and am not a big believer in constantly weighing myself. Nor do I subscribe to any particular “diet”. I would say that I take in information from various sources as to what to eat and what not to eat with a good measure of what I want to eat thrown in. I will weigh myself at my next doctor visit which is just before christmas. At that point I will have an objective measure of the initial success of Irvinga. Regardless of that result, however, I do intend to take the supplement for 90 days before I make a judgment as to its success or failure for me.
Day 4 -
I’ve noticed no change in appetite for the most part. The biggest thing that seems different is I seem to be more thirsty. No weight change, which is what I would have expected – the study shows that this does take time to work.
Day 3 of LE Irvinga: No change in appetite or thirst; no noticeable effects of any kind. I’m down one pound, but that’s within the daily fluctuations.
I started Irvingia on Dec 2. I weighed myself this morning for the first time in seven days and I’ve gained three pounds!! Obviously, one week is probably way too soon to make a fair assessment of this supplement. According to the study in LEF magazine the group taking Irvingia lost 8 lbs by the 4 week mark. So I’m very interested to see if some sort of weight loss effect will eventually kick in for me within the next three weeks.
Hi ,
Just a pep talk. My mother has lost almost 60 lbs on Irvingia. She didn’t diet or exercise, and she stayed the same weight more or less for the first 3 months, but if you can stick with it, after 3 months, the weight literally falls off!
I’ve been on it for 2 months, and I’ve lost 18 lbs. No diet, but I did drastically reduce my stress level.
Good Luck!!!
Amanda
HELLO IM EXCITED SBOUT YOUR POST .. I WANT TO KNOW DID YOU TAKE THE JUICE OR THE PILL AND DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?
Day 4 of LE Irvinga: Still no side effects. Still only one pound lost, and I’m taking three caps a day. I’m starting to smell some very fishy science here.
Just a note on the three pounds; I drink two 8oz cups of coffee and grab 1 pound – so don’t worry about the three pounds – might have been the day. But it would be nice to have had – 10 pounds on the week! I’m going to try this stuff but here’s what has worked for me – morning 2 eggs and 1 or 2 sausages (if I feel like it) noon – a tendergrill chicken sandwich at burger king – pick the bread away as you eat the sandwich so you don’t have any bread with it. 5 – 6 pm dinner – fish or chicken. Works for me but I would love for this pill to work as well!
I am one of those people who doesn’t believe in weight loss supplements but when I received the LEF magazine and read the statistics on this product, I figured I’d give it a try strictly because of LEF’s reputation. I’ll be happy if I don’t gain weight during the Holidays taking this stuff. I’ve given up trying to diet during the Holidays – too many parties and too much feeling deprived – so I usually start again January 2 every year. I intend to try it at least 90 days. I started taking it December 2. It took about 5 days to feel any difference but I am definitely not hungry now and forgot to each lunch yesterday. And I have no desire to snack between meals.
Have been taking it for one week. I have a slight odd taste in my mouth, strongest right after taking the capsule. I am having a little bit of virtigo, but I can’t be sure it is related. I’ve been dizzy at times in the past. No change in appetite. Gained one pound. Will keep using it for at least one month.
Some tips:
Only weigh in the morning before breakfast.
Drinks lots of water to flush the fat.
If you eat high sodium foods you will retain water.
Leptin DIET is low in saturated fats. Less meats.
Eat more low glycemic vegetables and small portions of protein for faster loss. Don’t eat for 3 hrs. before bed. All has to do with balancing Leptin
Thanks for the direction to Field Reports, I’ll start posting here. I was really frustrated when I first posted but after reading several comments about how it might take some time I’ll try to relax a bit (not my strong suit). Great to find this site as well because I’ve always done well on lower carbs & this will remind me to moderate any sugar (also not my strong suit). I still have great faith in Life Extension after belonging for so many years so hopefully they will come through. Has anybody had any ill effects (If I were paranoid (and I am), I’d say my liver hurts!
But I’m not even sure I know where my liver is! I’ll keep posting and checking back here. Best luck to everyone!!!
One tiny issue with this method of determining whether or not irvingia works or not is….the sham posters from LE will certainly begin to appear soon posting about their “incredible results in just 3 weeks!!”. How will we be able to weed out the real posters from the viral marketers?
BTW- I am on my second day on it and have noticed nothing good or bad yet.
I started on Irvingea two days ago. I have notice an incredible increase in thirst, especially in the wee hours of the morning. I never have that kind of thirst, which is a good thing as I am guilty of not drinking enough water. I have not lost any pounds yet, but have had a horrible craving for chocolate. Not sure what that is about, but it could be a hormone thing and what possibly may be my cycle, but I don’t deal with that any more as I am the next speed limin in my life (55). I also have my hubby on this because he has colesterol issues and he is diabetic, so it will be interesting to see his markers in January at his next visit. I took him off the stuff he was taking for this for now to give Irvingia a good run for the money to see if it does what Life Extention touts. For me, in two weeks I need to see some results, if even one pound lost. At this point it is too soon to tell anything and I live by a 90 day rule before making a full judgement call.
“the sham posters from LE “–BG
Go over to the LE forums. The news on Irvingia isn’t any better there.
My observations on day 5 and 6 is at that bottom of this post – Eats, December 10
Here’s another comment from someone who emailed me:
Just FYI….I have been taking Irvingia for a couple of days now….one 150 mg. pill in the a.m. and p.m. I am a Type 2 diabetic. I have noticed lower blood sugar readings. I have decreased my dose of Lantus from 30 untis at night to 15 untis.
My doctor actually mentioned the irvingia to me. I am a low carb dieter and have lost only 5 lbs. over the last 8 weeks. He thought the irvingia was worth a try and he is a skeptic usually.
I will let you know how it goes.
TRM
And another comment emailed to me:
Hi,
I’m trying Irvingia from Life Extension – and I agree with your assessment of them. I’ve been taking it for 5 days now and I can say so far that it has decreased my appetite. It’s too soon to know about long term results.
I’m pretty careful about what I eat – almost no processed food, mostly organic fruits and veggies, watch carbs, etc, etc, but have had weight creep. A few pounds a year really adds up over time. I’ll let you know if it works – I think it might, or maybe I’m strongly hoping that it will.
Thanks,
n
Day 6 of the LEF Irvingia, and I’ve gained a pound overall. I’m discontinuing this product. As far as I can see, it does nothing.
LEF is constantly running down the pharmaceutical industry for foisting dangerous and ineffective drugs on the American public, but here they are themselves, rushing out an ineffective and expensive herbal product with inadequate testing. It occurs to me, however, that they may have been doing this all the time, but the public had no way of verifying their wild claims. Until now, that is. They’ve totally lost credibility with me, and maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe I have a drawer full of expensive sugar pills from LEF, but had no way of knowing.
I think day 6 is too early to conclude that the stuff is worthless.
As I mentioned in today’s post, their research showed only 7 lbs lost in a month, and the weight loss increases after that to 10 lbs. the next month, then 10 lbs. in just two weeks.
Do what your heart tells you to do Lou, but to think that this – and by extension all of LEF’s products – are worthless might be the wrong conclusion to draw from 6 days on the stuff.
It *still* might prove to be worthless – but I don’t feel that’s proven yet.
Some have reported various effects–increased thirst or reduced appetite, for instance. Our host here said, “I also seem to notice increased thirst – also noted by someone else, and an odd an unexplainable reduction in my coffee drinking.” I think this is all just natural fluctuations. For instance, I’m a heavy coffee drinker, and yesterday I drank two pots instead of my usual one. But I do that occasionally anyway. I can’t attribute it to Irvingia.
For me to drink one cup of coffee in the morning, have none at work – *and* do this 2 days in a row is not a normal fluctuation – it’s like the sun coming up in the west.
I agree about the thirst, however – might have nothing to do with it.
Lou, You didn’t even give it 7 days! The study talks about weight loss in 4 week increments and it says nothing about losing from the first week on. You should give it more time. You have already spent the money so why not just take the two a day and see what happens? It is definitely NOT instant gratification. Today is my 7th day and I have lost 1 pound. I have not noticed any side effects at all.
“Lou, You didn’t even give it 7 days!”
I’ll admit to being impatient. But I’ve tried a lot of things, and this has to be least effective. The most effective was a watermelon diet, where I lost a pound a day for a week. Until I reached my 181 pound barrier, and then, mysteriously, it stopped working. And perhaps every method would stop at that point, short of fasting. Still, looking at the results being posted by others (here and on the LEF forum), I feel as though the public is beta testing this product for LEF, and paying big bucks to do so. And the results, taken together, suggests that it does nothing. As for denigrating all LEF products because of this one episode, I’ve been getting the LEF journal for a decade, and I’ve often noticed very strange statements. Statements that smacked of BS, or were just outright wrong. But it’s advertising, not a scientific journal, so I let it pass. But now I wonder, if LEF is this reckless with something that can be tested by the public, why should I trust them at all?
Looking at the charts on PubMed, the weight loss is indeed slow, but seemingly steady. The results are actually for a different herb, however–Cissus quadrangularis, and Cissus quadrangularis in combination with Irvingia gabonensis.
So why is this product just Irvingia? The moderator of the LEF forum said that “Dr. Julius Oben, was convinced the Irvingia was the real active ingredient responsible for the weight loss, so he conducted another study with similar structure using only Irvingia, and got similar results.”
That doesn’t make sense, because the Cissus quadrangularis alone gave almost the results that the combination did. So why would he think Irvingia was the active ingredient, and where is the study with Irvingia?
I think I can answer my own question. Perhaps LEF didn’t include Cissus quadrangularis, even though that appeared to be active ingredient in the studies, because Cissus quadrangularis is already widely available. And it’s dirt cheap. A hundred grams from CheapVitamins is just $12.
It is very simple. You can try the product using the dose & time length suggested and see if it works or not. I paid $34.90 for mine at Betterlife.com for a 1 month supply – I don’t think that is expensive. If you don’t lose you don’t lose but you can’t try it for a few days and assume it doesn’t work. I lost 18 pounds using fucoxathin, but it took a long time and is very expensive. (I stopped because my son became ill and I couldn’t be bothered.) I am just going to keep taking the Irvingia along with my other supplements and see what happens. It didn’t cost me much and I am curious. You know, when you take statins to bring down your cholestoral the doctor waits at least a month to see if your levels drop. Some things just take time and patience. btw – LEF was the one who pushed to have CoQ10 brought over to the US and it took 10 years before it became accepted no matter how much advertising was done. That and fish oil. So, while this may not work….perhaps it will – I personally want to find out. If we all keep taking it and record our results good or bad, it will only help others.
Day 3- I am not 100% sure, it has only been three days, but I think I have a smaller appetite. I’m eating less, but not at all willing to attribute it to the pill yet!
Day 7 – down 3 lbs. I’ve noticed a *dramatic* drop in my coffee intake, increased thirst, and mild stomach upset – none of which I could attribute directly to the Irvingia directly.
Day 5 on Irvingia for me. Down 3 pounds. I tried it because I am diabetic and post menopausal, and gained 55 lbs in 3 years even though I was low carb dieting at about 1500 calories the entire time. I’ve tried everything to stop the gain and turn it around and have nearly given up hope. I don’t care if I lose 28 lbs in 10 weeks, as the studies say – it
will be a miracle for me if I even lose 10 lbs!
Obviously my 3 lbs lost this week could be a normal weeks fluctuation, but so far I’m hopeful. I was more thirsty the first 2 days, but other than that my appetite is about the same, and I’ve had no side effects.
Just got my batch from LEF today, will begin tomorrow and post after each week. Not expecting a whole lot, especially reading many posts above (but by then my order was in). Does everyone do the 2X day dose? Has anyone tried 3X (prior to meals)?
Glad to see a couple of positive experiences included here!
Just checking in, it’s day 10 for me and I believe I’ve noticed a decrease in appetite but maybe only two pounds lost, still having some aching type pain in my upper right abdomen, probably totally unrelated. I’m hopeful this will pick up (the pounds, not the pain). But I must admit I am very skeptical. Even tho it’s my super trusted Life Extension, it still sounds too good to be true. Have to say I’m not spending much time thinking about food.
Best to you kindred spirits!
XOB
I have been on Irvingia for a week now and have had severe allergic reaction to the supplement – started with stuffy sinuses and developed into some dizziness and crawly skin symptoms – I feel like I have a terrible cold – body fatigue and fogginess – REALLY disappointed after reading the LEF article and getting stoked to lose 28 pounds in 10 weeks, I called LEF and spoke to one of the doctors there thinking there is something wrong with this stuff – he thinks it is just an allergy and I won’t be able to tolerate it. Ironically, I have also lost 2.5 pounds during this time…. Someone in an earlier post mentioned feeling some vertigo or dizziness – and BarbB has mentioned pain in the liver – have you tried cutting the dose in half maybe? After speaking to the LEF doctor, I got the impression it’s not a bad idea to play with the dosage that works best for you – Lou, you definitely have to give it more than 6 days – I may try stopping for a while and then just taking it every other day to see if I can develop a tolerance to this stuff. I definitely think there’s something to it. I didn’t change my eating habits at all, but dropped 2.5 anyway – I’ll let you know what happens in week 2 – good luck, everybody.
I’ve been using it about a week now. I haven’t lost any weight yet, but I have noticed less hunger, and I believe it is acting on my blood sugar, because after I eat I don’t feel sleepy the way I sometimes would before. And one time I took it after not having eaten for many hours, and I felt some serious hypoglycemic symptoms, so it’s definitely doing something.
I’ve also had a weird taste in my mouth the entire time and a dry feeling in the back of my throat, as if I was very thirsty, but it never seems to go away. I never expect to see results from supplements in a week’s time, so I’m going to give it at least a month if I can bear the dry throat and weird taste for that long.
I’m on day 5 of the combo Irvingia and fucoxanthin. I’ve lost 0.7 pounds of fat and 1.0 pounds of weight by the scale. I don’t know if it is due to the supplement. A little lightheadedness but I’m prone to that as I have very low blood pressure. Did experience extra thirst the first two days but it’s tapered off. I also seem to experience a lessening of appetite but I eat five times a day on schedule anyway. Will keep reporting in.
Day 5…I definitely have a decrease in appetite. If we all eat less- then I’m not sure that the LE claims can be proven true (that you don’t have to change your eating habits and you will still lose weight). If I take the pill in the morning on an empty stomach I am light headed, so I take it with food. I eat/drink about 2500-3000 calories per day (I’m totally guessing here) and don’t have a scale, so I will update my weight loss success based upon looking at myself in the mirror- which is how I’ve always done it. I am 6 feet and about 170 pounds. I feel healthiest at 145 pounds.
I have been taking this supplement (irvingia) for two weeks now. 1st week I gained weight, went from 193 to 197 without any change in diet or activity. Now I am down to 194 without any change in diet and activity. May be normal fluctuation. I also am not craving food like I used to so my eating is more in moderation and only when I am truly hungry – I like that – and if that is what this does for me then fine, it helps. I am trying to get back to 175/180 range and have great hope this will help.
Hi, Just thought I would weigh in on this. I have been on the Carbohydrate Addict diet for about two years now. I lost ten lbs the first year and nothing the second. So I thought I would add the Irvingia. I started only a few days ago, but i notice already that I my appetite is a little bit decreased and my stool is softer. i may be a little thirstier too. Will report back when something happens to my weight. I have always trusted LE also.
This is day 10 for me, my weight is wobbling between 140-141. I bought 2 bottles from LEF and I think taking irvingia for one month is a fair trial. Right now it’s tricky trying to eat lean with various holiday parties, plus the cold weather cause me to crave heartier food. Soooo I’ll stick with it and wait and see. I appreciate all the posts. I think we’ll get a pretty good idea here if its going to work.
CH – wouldn’t 2 bottles last 2 months?
Also – what diet are you following? I’m sure people who follow a similar diet to yours might be more interested in your results than of someone following another type of diet.
Let us know.
LCC
I just looked at those Irvingia studies online and learned they were done in Cameroon. This is the country in Africa where this herb originated. Certainly makes me wonder about their credibility.
LCC: You’re right 2 botlles will last 2 months, but I believe LEF will take any unopened supplements back.. I am following a low carb diet: lots of organic fruit and veggies and lean protein, with occasional straying from the straight and narrow.(one or two times a week0 . I have also made a commitment on stickk.com to lose another 10 lbs, which is helping me stay focused, since if I dont reach my goal each week I’ve pledged to give money to an anti-charity (something I REALLY dont want to give money to. Kind of a fun challenge.
LEF’s tests weren’t stated to be done in Cameroon, but the one LCC references online were. What I know of being a member for several years is that they do their own research, reference past research and make sure to use the most effective safest part…I used Butterbur as an example in a previous post. I am a fan of Life Extension, but I am NOT a fan of weight loss supplements because I’ve been taken in many times by the newest weight loss craze (hence my skepticism and not using any products for years) but I’m going to try to report my results without bias. I must note, we’ve sure picked probably the worst time of the year to test this supplement with the Holidays at hand. My best hope is it keeps me from gaining back through the Holidays. I think some of the light headedness reported could be from it lowering glucose especially since low carb diets are already very low in glucose. Do you crave carbs at that point, if so does it make your light headedness go away? I noticed I’ve been hitting the midnight mini reeses cups during the night a bit more! Not in huge excess…just 2 and an 8-12 ounce cup of milk.
First a little history:
I actually found this board in search to see if other companies have been doing anything with Irvingia after reading LEF’s article. I found it rather interesting and hoped to help with my knowledge because Naturpathic health is my absolute passion as I’ve used it to stay healthy despite my excessive weight. I have NOT been one for diet supplements now for years with the exception of my recent purchase of Fucoxanthin I was taking. The thought of my white fat cells acting like brown adipose….that was intriguing! BUT as the bottle notes….it may take up to 6 weeks for that conversion so consistency is key! Afterall we didn’t gain this weight overnight! Unfortunately, with Life Extension’s research on Irvingia I’m sure we will see the market flooded soon as free market corporate greed comes into play. But with supplements who is peddling the BEST, SAFEST, MOST bioavailable form….that is where I put my trust in Life Extension. I think this is awesome that we are grouping together to “self” test it for ourselves and others.
I do realize that specific times of the month, my weekly weight loss can be masked by water weight gain. Which when it goes leaves me even weighing less if I stay on track with my nutrition regimen. I don’t think you can judge one week on the product as a success or failure. If you read the charts Irvingia seems to work opposite most dieting regimens in which you see fast immediate weight loss than slam into a plateau. The subjects lost LESS weight in the first 4 weeks averaging 2 lbs a week the next 4 weeks they lost an average of 2.5 lbs and the last two weeks on the Irvingia they lost 5 lbs a week.
I’m closing week two of Irvingia. I am taking it with Life Extension fucoxanthin I already had on hand. How do I explain my body composition? Well, I’m 5’3″ and definitely don’t look like I’m around 200 lbs. I tend to believe that’s because I’ve had a history of working out along with my yo yo dieting and have some good muscle base buried underneath it all. But most good friends have guessed my weight around 25 lbs less and I don’t think they are just “being nice”. Cuz when I look at myself I don’t see huge, but my pictures do annoy me because I’m way bigger than I would like to be! So I guess that is my view of body composition.
Here is my basic current regimen I’ve been doing since October 20th: I’ve been eating close to the Body for Life method. I find it is most painless for me in terms of ease and keeping my blood sugar up. I haven’t been a Grizzly bear or hungry so I feel this is keeping me from yo yoing, because I’ve stuck pretty close to it since Oct 20th. Every morning I start out with 2 eggs and either 2 pieces of toast with spray butter or fried potatoes cooked in Safflower oil. Then for lunch it is usually a turkey or chicken sandwich on whole white bread, then supper is a lean protein the size of my palm and a carb the size of my fist. In between, I do 3 Myoplex lite shakes per day. I haven’t exercised but a 3-4 times swimming during that entire duration. I do have a couple drinks on the weekend and if I wake up with low blood sugar, I pop a couple mini reeses cups and wash it down with a huge glass of milk. Yup, that’s my occasional middle of the night vice!
Right before Thanksgiving I was down from 212 to 196. I included my inch loss on one of the other threads here which is astounding for the minimal weight loss I think. I did feel preThanksgiving I had hit a bit of a plateau as my weight hadn’t moved much for just over a week. I went home to visit my parents with my family and there was just SO much good food and Holiday cheer for 4 days. The Monday morning after Thanksgiving I was back to 201. Yes, the self loathing kicked in, but I was determined to hop back on my nutriton regimen. Mind you some of this is just bloat from over eating. My Irvingia arrived that Monday and I took it faithfully, by Friday I was painlessly back down even lower to 195 eating as I described above. I do feel the Irvingia helped me recover from my Holiday binge. That is one thing Life Extension warns is NOT to over eat on it because excessive calorie intake is against healthy living anyway, but come on….we are only human so we are going to overeat occasionally….but what defines us is what we so MOST of the time in terms of taking care of our bodies.
Week two, I’m clocking in 3 lbs lighter at 192. Same eating habits with exception of more night reeses/milk partaking, same drinking habits and only 1 session of 20 minute interval training on the elliptical trainer.
I can’t say for sure, but I feel perhaps the Irvingia may have helped get me through the binge without huge consequence. But this week, getting through the 196-195 plateau may have been the fact I’ve been taking the fucoxanthin regularly now for just over 6 weeks.
I will check in the end of week three for my Irvingia report. Thanks and everyone keep up the good work!
Shelley
Self Appointed Guinea Pig from the currently frozen tundra of Minnesota:o)
DAY 7…My normal appetite is back! Haven’t noticed any weight loss yet, but it’s only day 7.
My first try resulted in no weight loss after six days. Now that a few people have reported positive results, I’ve decided to try again. This time I’m adding 3 grams of Cissus quadrangularis to 300 mg of Irvingia. I hope it works.
Don’t give up yet, Lou! Patience is a virtue! I know, I want instant results, but I think it works backwards slow at first and then faster as things get corrected….I’m pressing on. Let us know how the CQ works with it.
This information is so valuable but incredibly depressing to me. We are all in the same boat, wanting desperately to lose weight and willing to do almost anything that promises to help us. This isn’t helping me . Two+ weeks and no I’m not giving up but I sure wish I would read even one person who said week three was the magic week, or week 4. I sure would like to hear from William Faloon (sp?) with information on what we are ALL doing wrong.
Well? Bill?
Barb, sorry I’m just depressed and really fat.
BarbB,
As it showed no real results in studies until week 4 – and the stuff was only available since november (I think) – patience.
This is my 3rd week and I have lost SEVEN pounds this week!
Barb,
Please do not give up hope. You WILL lose weight…it just might not happen through Irvingia. If it REALLY worked the way they promised at LE, why would they only charge $70 for 28 pounds (without having to change any food intake or diet patterns?).
If what they claimed to be true were true, they could charge $1,000 per month and people would still be getting a BARGAIN!
That said, I am gambling my $70 before putting in the hard work of real dieting and exercise
You are NOT fat. You are just temporarily overweight. You will lose it, don’t worry!!!
Day one of 300 mg Irvingia plus 3 grams Cissus quadrangularis, and I’m up one pound from day zero. Unlike the Irvingia, I did notice effects from the CQ. I took it all at once yesterday and it laid me out on the sofa—from lowered blood sugar, possibly.
I did not take the irvingia yesterday. I was overwhelmed by dizzyness. I felt somewhat better yesterday, and not dizzy at all today. I guess I have one more slightly used bottle of magic weight loss pills to add to my collection. Looks like I will have to do this the old fashioned way or accept my body the way it is.
BarbB a pill is not going to get your weight down, I’m quite sure, I’m taking it because I’d like to lower my CRP number, my blood glucose and, if by some miracle, it speeds up my fat loss a tad that would be fine. You might want to check out Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle by Tom Venuto, it’s a three hundred some page e-book or digital book you can order online. What he did was to use body building principles and applied them to fat loss for non-body builders. The tools you receive when you follow the book are, how to determine how much of a calorie deficit you should be on for your own, individual body. How to track the results so that you know on a weekly basis if what you are doing is working for you. And how to gradually modify what you are doing when you seem to hit a plateau. There is no diet, per se. You may follow what ever eating plan you wish. He does not recommend huge calorie deficits, but only modest ones and he’ll explain why. It’s very rational. I’m working my way out of metabolic syndrome. I am also on thyroid meds so my fat loss is slow, especially now as I’ve gotten down to a more normal weight for my age (56). I’ve only lost about 20 pounds by the scale. But I’ve put on around 10 pounds of muscle and gone from a size 12-14 pants to a size 6 in two years. It’s hard work, I’m not going to lie. But it doesn’t really matter as I am now settled in to slower fat loss. Two pounds of fat evaporated a year is all I expect. If I get more that’s fine. I don’t know how much that is by the scale, usually around 4 to 6 pounds depending on if I have put on more muscle or no. Anyway, all my best to you and cheer up, you’ll find your way.
Ok – I was going to wait another day or two before adding my 2 cents in. Today I have been on Irvingia for 2 weeks. I have lost 1 or 2 pounds total during this second week (not too sure because I had to replace the battery in my scale). The good thing is, however, I have not gained any weight even though just looking at carbs adds weight on me instantly. I have noticed a few things though. I sometimes feel just a tiny bit lightheaded and my appetite is way less. So, the lightheaded feeling may be because I forgot to eat and wasn’t hungry but still got the lightheaded feeling (low blood sugar). The other thing I noticed is that I am sleeping like a rock during the night. Anyway, I think that the lightheaded feeling and tiredness may be the body adjusting to how it works. The next two weeks should be very interesting for those of us going into week four of the 10 weeks.
Thank’s for the support after my whiney post. Sorry about that. I have upcoming surgery so I’m just looking for miracles. Anyway, I’m feeling better and going to stop expecting anything and just go the 10 weeks and see what happens. I’ll also try to cut down on the Mike’s Mojitos! (they are so full of sugar)!
Best to you all,
Barb
It can be depressing trying to lose weight. I am 56 years old and have been a normal weight for most of my life. Since hitting 50, not only can I not lose weight, I gain weight very easily. My kids tease me that they never see me eat food anymore! I loved Dr. Atkins and have been low carb for at least 15 years. I put my then husband on the Atkins Diet (he is my ex now) at the same time as myself. I lost 10 lbs to his 30lbs! (And then he had a mid life crisis – motorcycle, 22 years younger girlfriend, mani/pedicures, shaved back hair – yes, when I said midlife crisis I meant it LOL!) I mention this because it started with the weight loss. So, I am hoping that if the Irvingia works, it works as well on both genders.
And if it works, I promise myself – no mid-life crisis!!! well, perhaps some new clothes….. (and I am definitely NOT telling my ex about Irvingia either.)
Hi all. I have been on the irvingia for about a week now and wanted to add to the mix. I have been on Low Carb for about a year, but since Thanksgiving have been eating whatever with a vow to get back to business after the holidays. I started the irvingia now so that maybe it would help stall any gain until I can start eating intentionally again. I have to say though, that I think I am also noticing a drop in appetite. In the past week I have lost three quarters of a pound without trying. Usually when I stop trying I will gain very quickly. I did notice a little dizzyness one day, but that was all. Then another day I forgot lunch and felt like my blood sugar went very low, because I had to eat like, immediately. Other than that, I have felt fine. Will keep you posted.
I have been on Irvingia for one week now. I have not lost any weight but the last few days I have noticed a significant decrease in my appetite. Today I my usual 3 pieces of bacon and a piece of toast for breakfast. Lunch was brocclli, 3/4 cup red rice, 3/4 cup of mixed bean salad, and one very small slice of pork loin. I am not hungry for dinner at all – will eat a tangerine before I go to bed.
JS-Thanks for the tip on Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. I’ll definately check it out and I’m definately not a body builder – Unless you count the kind of “muscle” chocolate chip cookies build. No really, I do have a sugar weakness but basically I eat a very healthy diet and I’m aware that low carb is better for me. Sometimes I don’t count veggie carbs but really watch white stuff. I’ll keep on keepin’ on and you all do the same!
XOB
SusanM,
You know, I noticed the sleeping like a rock thing too! And LCC’s ease with caffiene…I switched away totally with no side effects from caffeine withdrawal. And I definitely have to have at least 8-9 hours or I’m a mess now! I used to be able to get by if I didn’t get as much. For example last night I was up until 4:30 am working on my website and emailing clients. It was my last shot to get our kittens to homes before Christmas. This is what I do http://www.tcup-persians.com Anyway, I was a wreck getting my Daughter to school and my other Daughter is homeschooled and I could hardly drive her to band at 11 am! Thank goodness she’s does independent study through online homeschooling! I was like you, I scarcely ate to sustain myself and gained weight. My Hubby would give me such a hard time about not eating….and frankly I’m sick of feeling like the fat lady with the good looking younger Husband. All the women think they can steal him from me! My thyroid was to blame and that has been corrected so now I can feed my body a nutritious diet and the weight is slowly coming off. Like feeding the muscle and starving the fat. My hopes with Irvingia is lowering my CRP, raising my HDL…my total cholestrol is great, just have very low HDL, and slowly losing weight despite being human and making mistakes in my nutrition program. Hopefully it will work for me like the study and keep me from plateauing and have more weight loss the longer I’m on it. The lightheadedness I have two theories….low blood sugar and/or toxins being released from fat cells. We all know they are chock full of toxins. I’ve had intermittent “detox” feelings on it….I actually gained back my last weeks 3 lbs loss over Saturday night, but it is all back off today without starving. Normally that would not happen so I’m assuming it may be the Irvingia. Will check in the end of the week for my week 3 results. Wish me luck! Hope everyone is enjoying the season! And keep up the good work! Remember BarbB we didn’t gain it overnight….all good things are worth the wait, so I’m hanging in strong for my 10 weeks….good or bad!
Shelley H -
Funny you should mention thryoid. I had bloodwork done two weeks ago and my doctor’s appointment is in two weeks so perhaps it might be a contributor to my weight gain. I am going to my first appt with a Body Logic MD who specializes in hormones and anti-aging. I am finally taking care of myself! I did wonder in an earlier blog if the Irvingia would work on me (or anyone else) if the thryoid is off. Well, lot’s of questions for everyone as we continue along the Irvingia road. This is a very good test of the product because we’ve basically all started around the same time frame.
Day two of 300 mg Irvingia plus 3 grams Cissus quadrangularis. No change from day zero.
Its been 10 days and considering normal fluctuations I’ve lost anywhere between 0 to 2 pounds. I have a month’s supply and intend to stick with it. Like some others, I’ve also noticed a slight decrease in appetite and I seem to get very solid sleeps. I’ve been a LEF member for about 5 years and am generally pleased with their products. The claims for Irvingia seem way too good to be true but we’ll all find out for sure over the next few weeks. It seems like the contributors to this board are being very objective and honest. Even if Irvingia is totally worthless, I would have expected a lot of amazing 1 or 2 week weight loss claims simply due to normal fluctuations — but contributors to this board seem rather sophisticated and are well aware of all the crap normally associated with diet product claims. Best of luck everybody.
BarbB, you are most welcome. Take your time reading the e-book if you get it. There is ALOT of information to absorb. It took a while to adjust to eating like a BB. In my particular case I had to add 500 calories a day to my diet and it freaked me out. So I did it slowly by adding a hundred cals each week until I got up there. Then it freaked me out when I started dropping the weight. Totally counter intuitive. But anyway, take your time and best of luck on your coming sugery.
I guess I’m around the 10-12 day point now, I actually don’t remember exactly when I started taking the Irvingia. The first week I was down three pounds. Now I’m up three from where I started, but I’ve also been weight-training, so some of it could be muscle. I’m actually worried about this, because I know that the Irvingia is doing something.
The thirst I reported initially is still present but not as strong, and the weird taste is mostly gone.
What I have noticed is that cravings of all types have decreased tremendously. My appetite is way down. I’m eating mostly out of habit now, but I think I’ll be able to decrease my intake.
My sweets cravings have all but disappeared. I used to crave sweets everyday. And previously if I’d eat something sweet I would feel compelled to eat more sweets, but it isn’t happening now. Caffeine cravings have also diminished, but I’m still drinking coffee just out of habit.
And overall, my blood sugar seems more even, which I assume is a lot of the reason for what I describe above.
So I know Irvingia is doing good stuff for me, and I figure I’ll lose some weight at some point.
I meant to say, “I’m actually NOT worried about this.”
My craving for sweets, once major, is not only down, but when I sample sweets, they taste unpleasantly sugary. i think I started on a Thurs, so timorrow wil be 2 weeks. I”m down 1 lb, but who knows, maybe up tomorrow. This will take afew weeks to see if there is a definite downward trend. in my weight
Yesterday afternoon I was so busy that I couldn’t remember if I took my afternoon dose of Irvingia. I was reluctant to take what might have been a third dose so I sent an email to LEF to ask what the optimal dose schedule is when taking the Integra-Lean. I received a response this afternoon:
LEF Response: “We suggest that the two doses of Integra Lean be taken approximately 12 hours apart (before your morning and evening meals). This will ensure more even blood levels of the nutrient and therefore more effectiveness compared to taking two capsules at once.
The clinical trials were completed with two capsules per day. It is unknown at this time whether taking three would increase the effect. We suggest taking two per day for the first 10 weeks to mimic the clinical trial. If you want an additional assist after that, increase the dose to three per day.”
I thought some of you might be interested in the above info.
I am on day 8 of taking this supplement. The effects I see seem to be consistent with everyone else – experiencing a lack of appetite, thirsty, forgot to drink my coffee. I initially gained 3 pounds only to have them come off again with 1 additional pound – may be just normal fluctuation.
I had a heart attack last year (I am 51) and I was interested in this supplement because of its claim to make cholesterol numbers better. Also, an increase in Adiponectin reduces inflammation and atherosclerosis.
I am keeping my fingers crossed!
I’ve been taking Irvingia for only five days. Cravings definitely down. However, tonight, out of the blue, my mind on other things, I got hit with some major dizziness. Felt like I was going to pass out. Funny thing–I’d seen others post about dizziness and wondered if it was simply the power of suggestion–it’s not. Bad enough that I had to be driven home. Took my blood sugar, which was fine. Took my cholesterol (I have a machine from QVC) and it was also normal. After reading about the twelve hour separation period, I’m wonding if I took the tablets too close together. (Late morning, late afternoon.)
SusanM,
Let me know your thyroid results…I was symptomatic for YEARS complaining of fatigue, hair thinning in the front, itchy skin where it would keep me up, insomnia, terrible constipation that would hospitalize me, and bouts of hopelessness, along with NO weight loss no matter what I seemed to do, but my TSH would fluctuate out of the norm and come back in a couple hundreths and they’d say NORMAL IS NORMAL! I finally had to drive 6 hours to some of my families’ doctors where they finally treated me based on my symptoms and TSH levels which would fluctuate between 5.5 and 9. Well, TSH normal is like blood pressure and needs ot be reevaluated as to what is normal for each person and take their symptoms into consideration. Subclinical hypothyroidism needs treatment! My family is terribly symtpomatic in the 3 range of TSH….we need to be between 1 and 2. Anyway, I don’t respond to the synthetic hormones, only the natural Armour. Glad to hear you are making time to take care of yourself! Us women often forget our importance and put our health on the back burner…well, I want to be around to see Grandkids so I’m trying to take and keep control. BTW, I wouldn’t tell the EX either! When he notices and grows up….his LOSS anyway, right?! Thanks for your info from your phone call to LEF!
I have also noticed my urine is a bit darker yellow despite increased fluid intake.
From the posts I think what most of us are noticing from Irvingia so far is:
-mild aching and lightheadedness (could be low glucose or fat cell toxin release)
-decrease in sugar cravings
-decrease in caffeine cravings
-slow starting mild weight loss with fluctuations
-increased thirst
-solid deep sleep
Not a miracle, but definitely a start with some not-so-bad side effects. Keep up the good work , patience and keep checking in with our self appointed Guinea Pig testing! I think this sounding board has been great to keep me positive and I like the supportive atmosphere:o) It will be interesting what happens with us all through the Holiday eating environment!
Happy Holidays!
Day 9. Definitely light headed- quite often actually. Greatly reduced sweet cravings, but I drink lots of wine so I’m still getting plenty of sugar! No weight loss yet, but I’m sticking with it before forcing myself to cut back on baguettes.
Day 4 for me. I have not had light headedness, perhaps a slight decrease in appetitie, trouble getting to sleep, but deep sleep later. Better with the sweets, although still feeling hunger pangs. No change in weight, but don’t expect any at this point. I don’t notice thirstiness. But thanks everyone for sharing your stories, I will keep it up too.
Day three of 300 mg Irvingia plus 3 grams Cissus quadrangularis. No weight change from day zero. A Viagra-like side effect over the past two days.
I expect Irvingia sales to skyrocket after *that* side effect.
Cissus quadrangularis is an ingredient in some “male enhancement” formulations. I didn’t get any such effects from a six day trial of Irvingia alone.
Day 8 on the Irvingia without the CQ. No weight loss. Thirsty. A little less hungry. If i have no weight loss in the thirty days, I will likely give it up.
Sent to my email from a reader – LCC
Hi,
I started taking Irvingia 12/2 and it has been roughly over 2 weeks now. So far the weight loss is 0, however my appetite seems
to be a bit less. I’ve been dieting for 3 years on a sensible program. Sugar is out of my life pretty much as well as many carbs.
I lost 50 lbs., and slowly plateaued and re-gained about 15 lbs. Now I am continuing my good eating habits and starting Irvingia.
I’ve noticed several things: I am experiencing positional vertigo (dizziness when I’m lying down and turn my head a certain way).
This is a first. I have raging insomnia for the past 30 years, and when I do finally get to sleep now, I think my sleep is deeper.
I am 65 years old, 100 lbs. overweight and have had 4 joint replacements (2 knees and 2 hips). Exercise is obviously not going
to be my strong suit here and I hope that lack there-of does not hold me back from success. My other observation is that
my throat seems somewhat dry at times. I plan to try this for at least a month and maybe two. I will share any further
observations.
I think that this field report is an excellent idea, and I am so pleased to be able to read about other experiences with
the drug.
Thank you,
Judy
Day four of 300 mg Irvingia plus 3 grams Cissus quadrangularis. A gain of 1.5 pounds from day zero.
On Irvingia 2 weeks – down two pounds to 139. I really think this reduces appetite.
I think I’m on day 11 or 12 (I’ve lost track). Nothing different to report other than light headedness. The decreased appetite lasted for a day or two but is definitely back! I’m not surprised by the lack of success.
I’m finishing up on week three and I notice I initially had some sugar cravings but they are gone. Still sleeping deep and used to be quite an insomniac. Sometimes I’m crazy with thirst. Will report my weight Sunday.
Welcome aboard Judy! I am trying to hold steady to test the part of the study where in the last 2 weeks subjects started averaging 5lbs a week weight loss. I guess time will tell. Just had my annual wellness screening. Will report back if my HDL increased from last year after 2.5 weeks on it.
Day five of 300 mg Irvingia plus 3 grams Cissus quadrangularis. I’m up 2.5 pounds from day zero.
It’s getting so close to Christmas now, that I’ve decided to stop this second trial. After gaining weight each time, I’ve become very suspicious of the studies behind this product, which were conducted by Julius Oben.
Oben has been coming up with fantastic results with a variety of herbs over the past few years, and these are turning into products at an increasing rate. Flavoxine, for instance, which is Phellodendron amurense bark and Citrus sinensis peel, is supposed to decrease cholesterol levels as much as statins. Huge results with no adverse side effects, same thing he claimed for the LEF product. And excellent weight loss to boot! Has anyone verified his claims? Not that I can find. Same thing for Cylaris, which is mostly Cissus quadrangularis. Again, huge results and no side effects. But when I found comments about results with Cylaris, some were reporting nasty side effects with no loss.
So I’m wondering: How is that Oben never obtains any negative results, and his positive results get better with each trial, no matter what it is? This has all the earmarks of fraudulent research. I’m not saying it *is* fraudulent, by the way, but I think someone in the FDA needs to look at this very carefully.
From back in 2006: “Next Pharmaceuticals [the manufacturer of Flavoxine] is seeking to replicate the [Oben's] trial in the U.S., through a joint effort with an academic institution under a National Institutes of Health grant.” But did they? No mention of it on their website. And why did they go to Oben in the first place? Was it because he gets such good results?
From an email from ‘Jim’:
Have been taking the Life Extension product for 4 days. Seems I am urinating more volume at night but sleeping much better. I also have sleepy spells in the afternoon after lunch so something is going on with blood sugar. No appreciable weight loss but maintaining four lb. of a loss incurred from stomach virus two weeks ago.
Yesterday was my accounting day. My weight was up by 1.4 pounds. 1.2 pounds was fat and 0.2 pounds was LBM (lean muscle mass). I had some dicey eating at the top of the week so I am not ready to blame the herb. Today my weight was down but I won’t know what’s going on with my body composition until next week. It’s really too early to tell what is going on and if I can attribute it to the herb. I was hoping to raise HDL and lower CRP and blood glucose with it and didn’t really believe the weight loss portion of the study. But with the lightheadedness I think I’ll drop out for a while until I understand what is behind it.
PS. I should report that I too have noticed increased urination (have no clue what that is about) incredible sleep at night. If it weren’t for the lightheadedness I would continue to give this a try. I’d really like to lower CRP
Lou, I hate to admit it, because I so want this product to work, but you may be correct. I have been on Integra-Lean for 17 days and have lost 2 pounds. I have been cheating for the holidays and have not gained weight either but we have two more weeks of goodies coming… I am definitely sleeping like a rock which is nice, but misses the point. And you are correct in that over on the LEF Forum there is not much difference – no tales of great weight loss – for anyone. I am just very surprised at LEF for promoting this so heavily to their trusting members if it is not as promised. I am going to stay on this for the full 10 weeks because now that I have begun, I want to finish. I may, however, increase the morning dose to 2 pills and stay with 1 for the night and see what happens. I do see my doctor on the 29th and find out about my thyroid level and if that is off, maybe nothing will work until it is balanced. Well, gotta go snow blow the driveway now, we have a foot of snow. At least I’ll be getting some good exercise in – maybe I’ll weigh less this afternoon!!!
Did anyone measure their waist size before starting this? I am only down 2 pounds but yesterday I could wear a pair of slacks that have not fit for a couple of years! I have made no change to my diet and am, in fact, eating extras for the holidays. I am going to start measuring waist size along with the weight now.
I initially had the dizziness and attributed it to my blood pressure. After reading that many were experiencing it I looked into the toxin theory which I now believe is the answer for most of what I have been feeling. There is an article from the LA Times here that explains it in layman’s terms: http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/02/health/he-fatcellbox2
So – I am on day 12 and down one size for now. I will finish the 10 weeks. I am just curious to know if I should continue it after the 10 weeks if it delivers as promised.
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for the link – here’s another one on the same subject – with a bit more detail. It’s an oldie but a goodie:
http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2004/05/63425
Regards,
LCC
Hi Cheryl, oh yeah, I measure then use the Navy Formula to find out my fat %. Then I subtract that from my weight by the scale to find out how many pounds of fat I have and from there I know how much lean body mass I have. I track it weekly and keep a record.
I’ve written to the LEF to find out about the lightheadedness. I will look into my estrogen patch as well, as that can also cause lightheadedness and I was prone to it prior to taking the Irvingia. So some tracking down is necessary.
Hi all,
I started the Irvingia about two weeks ago. I haven’t notice any loss in weight. Weight fluctuates up and down normally. Didn’t I read that the studies used 3 grams, or 10X the amount of Irvingia that is recommended by LEF dosage. Maybe we ought to question that?
Anyway I’m happy to read this forum to see that others are obtaining the same results as I am.
I am following this dialogue about other’s exprience with Invingia. I’m curious about the side effects of Invingia as I’m extremely sensitive to medications and supplements. If I’ve read everything correctly, light-headedness and sometimes sleepy in the afternoon are the one’s some have notice. any others?
Hi LE,
My side effects were increased thirst, a decreased desire for coffee, which is very out of character, stomach upset the first few days, and an increase in the desire for sour foods.
We these directly attributable to Irvingia? Not sure. But they did seem to happen around the same time I started taking it.
Regards,
LCC
How about terrible gas and diarrhea? I tried it a few weeks ago with bad side effects. After supposedly being “de-toxed” to it by a NAET doctor, I’m trying it again. I don’t think I can handle it. For one thing I can’t get far from a bathroom. This is only day 2 and I feel terrible. Felt great this morning until I took the pill on an empty stomach. I may try it for one more day and take it with food.
I found this web site after googleing “side effects of Irvingia.
Hi Cheryl,
Considering there aren’t supposed to be bad side effects only good….I don’t see the harm in continuing after 10 weeks, but you may want to contact LEF to make sure. I’m going to continue after the 10 weeks if it works even half as good as the studies. For me sticking to something long term is only feasible if it is comfortable. I just can’t do the brain fog, hungry and irritable between kids and my business it is just too frustrating and throws me into a self loathing guilty screw-it-I’m-binging-cuz-I-can’t-take-it-anymore mode. Therefore, persoanlly I can’t do the starvation, or the low calorie, or the low carb, or the low fat thing anymore….just seems to contribute to my metabolic syndrome and I yo yo and end up progressively worse off than I was to start with. I really respect those of you with the willpower to do that and find what works for you! So I’m eating Body for Life (BFL) method and thankful LCC has welcomed me here to be a self appointed guinea pig in the Irvingia Field Research.
Week 1 results monday after Thanksgiving 201 end of week weight 195….now I was 196 before Thanksgiving so that Monday I started Irvingia was a lot of post binging weight most of which would have stayed. Went right back to BFL eating. Not sure if Irvingia helped keep the binge from being a serious consequence, but it was the only thing that I changed.
Week 2 results down 3 lbs from 195 to 192.
Week 3 results. I am down 1 lb from 192 to 191. Did indulge in a little too much Christmas cheer in the evening because trying to get kittens flights scheduled to work within my partner, clients and weather….whew! Minnesota has turned into a tundra! Had cupcakes and pizza over the weekend too. Also just had a depo shot on Thursday and that usually stalls my weight loss and makes me gain rapidly. Did not work out at all this week…rear planted on yoga ball in front of computer. So I’m ok with just a pound rather than a backslide.
Detox feelings are subsiding. Haven’t noticed any gastric upset. Still noticing more urine volume, a bit darker in color. Increased thirst, sometimes I have to run to the sink to drink a huge glass of water cuz it hits me so hard and fast. Which is fine with me, because in the past drinking my daily requirement of water often upset my stomach. Still sleeping like a rock with increased vivid dreaming this week.
On to week four…I’m not expecting much because I’m going home again and Dad is already planning big meals and though I’m not much of a sugar eater, my step Mom’s baking is to die for! Only hope/expectation from Irvingia this week is not to suffer the consequences of Holiday binging.
Happy Holidays!
JI – I put the following in an earlier blog (12/17). I did ask Life Extension about how to take the doses and if you can safely take more, this is what they replied:
LEF Response: “We suggest that the two doses of Integra Lean be taken approximately 12 hours apart (before your morning and evening meals). This will ensure more even blood levels of the nutrient and therefore more effectiveness compared to taking two capsules at once.
The clinical trials were completed with two capsules per day. It is unknown at this time whether taking three would increase the effect. We suggest taking two per day for the first 10 weeks to mimic the clinical trial. If you want an additional assist after that, increase the dose to three per day.”
It has been great reading about the experiences everyone has had with this product. Thanks to all! And although I have ordered it for my wife, I will now cancel that order. In fact, I am a little shocked that the proponents of this stuff were promoting it so strongly since everyone has had minimal results. I hope the LE crowd take this lesson to heart and cancel their subscription. LE is promoting Irvingia and telling us it is great when real world results are showing it is just causing our wallets to get thinner. Thanks again to all who posted.
Mike Goodwin
JI,
Also, my understanding is the Cameroon tests run by Oben are not the same as the ones by LEF. LEF obtained their results using the standardized formula of 150 mg of Irvingia 2 times a day. I guess I’m SO confused why everyone is always referencing what Oben did with his amount rather than what LEF did? Am I missing something?? All is see is Oben found something and ran initial testing (appears flawed as LCC pointed out the weight and cholestrol differences at the start) and LEF built on it using their scientific knowledge of supplements and testing. Seriously, if I am missing something fill me in! I can see LouD’s skepticism on Oben’s results after hearing he’s had many other test results that have worked out that way, but if LEF had similar results with 150 mg of Irvingina 2 times a day and tested many blood markers….that I trust more just knowing what I know of the being a member of LEF for several years. I think people are expecting INSTANT miracle weight loss in the first 1-2 weeks, complaining and throwing in the towel, BUT neither study showed that! LEF average 2 lbs a week the first 4 weeks, average 2.5 lbs a week the next 4 weeks, then 5 lbs a week the last two weeks. Not only that, we are doing this trial at probably the worst time of year where most people average 5-15 lbs of Holiday weight gain. I’m really trying to maintain a positive attitude on this because from a scientific standpoint we need to look at are we consistent on our intake, giving it time and accounting for excess food intake during the Holidays? If its any consolation, for me the detox feelings have gone away in the 3rd week. Could be our bodies adjusting to the lower CRP levels too, blood sugar and cholestrol. Those are big positive changes.
Help me out on what I seem to be missing between these studies? Cuz I’ve read the LEF one at least 4-5 times and skimmed Oben’s twice….where is the exact correlation I’m missing what Oben’s results mean for LEFs results? Cuz what I’m interpretting is LEF found the most active ingredient after reviewing other tests, tested it in a much more scientific fashion than Oben and released their studies and supplement based on such test results. Comparing Oben’s to LEF…apples to oranges??? I don’t know what I seem to be missing…please HELP?
Shelley, although Faloon words his article to suggest that more than one group was responsible for the studies, I’ve not been able to find anyone but Oben’s group behind the double blind studies of irvingia and weight loss. Look at the references in Faloon’s cover story in LEF magazine–you won’t find any others.
Lets do a comparison of the data from what I’m reading.
In Oben’s group:
To evaluate the effects of two formulations, Cissus quadrangularis-only and a Cissus quadrangularis/Irvingia gabonensis combination, on weight loss in overweight and obese human subjects.
The participants were randomly divided into three equal (n = 24) groups: placebo, Cissus quadrangularis-only, and Cissus quadrangularis/Irvingia gabonensis combination.
OKAY, so I’m commenting….Oben’s study has THREE groups. Reference LEF’s study…TWO groups. Then Oben’s goes on….
The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. The participants were randomly divided into three equal groups (n = 24): placebo; CQ-only extract, and CQ-IG combination. The placebo (250 mg) or active formulations (150 mg CQ and 250 mg CQ-IG) were administered twice daily before meals with 8–10 oz. of water.
What I get from Oben’s study is the group taking the Irvingia Gabonesis (IG) with the CQ was the one that lost significant weight over 10 weeks. Then what I get from Life Extension is they asserted from that study that Irvingia is the active ingredient resulting in the weight loss and tested the Irvingia alone and published their results in their magazine.
In LEF’s article it references many previous studies (prior to giving finding of their study) one of which must have been Oben’s (therefore needing to include that in their reference)…so my question is why would they have to “reference” their own study in an article reporting it? Also it ends stating:
Note: The issue of Life Extension Magazine that members will receive in early January 2009 will feature an in-depth scientific report on obesity and the role that adipocyte modulating agents like leptin and adiponectin play in regulating body fat storage.
So I’m being as patient as I can for the edition that comes out in early January!
So I have read and reread and I’m not seeing any wording from Faloon even close to referencing their research as Oben’s.
LEFs article:
The most significant Irvingia study
Based on consistent findings showing multiple beneficial effects of Irvingia, a LARGER STUDY WAS CONDUCTED on overweight and obese participants over a 10-week period. Participants were randomly divided in two groups, one that received Irvingia extract (150 mg twice daily), and the other was given a placebo, while maintaining the same diet and amount of physical exercise.
They then go on with charts of weight, bloodwork results etc that are different from Oben’s. For example:
LEF 10 week LDL -27%
Oben 10 week LDL -48.7%
LEF 10 week glucose -22%
Oben 10 week glucose -31.4%
LEF waist reduction at 10 weeks 16.2%
Oben’s waist reduction at 10 weeks 21%
LEF body weight lost at 10 weeks 13% (28 lbs divided by baseline start weight 215)
Oben’s body weight lost at 10 weeks 11.86 % per their charts
The LEF study doesn’t have the same intial factors for study participants or baselines nor does it say they included Cissus quadrangularis like the study Oben did. Also Oben used a different dose of Irvingia with the CQ (150 mg CQ and 250 mg CQ-IG) as referenced by CQ-IG for CQ and Irvingia Gabonesis.
Oben’s research had no reports of CRP, Adiponectin or Leptin levels like the LEF study does.
What I gather from this is LEF reviewed Oben’s study indicating the study participants got minimal results on CQ alone but got great results on the CG-IG combo so LEF concluded perhaps the Irvingia alone was responsible and tested a standardized extract of 150 mg of Irvingia in their study for their results. I highly doubt a company of their reputation would attempt to dupe us with fake results at the risk of their moral and ethical code of conduct and somehow wires are getting crossed and people are linking Oben’s study as their study.
As you can see, they do conduct their own research before releasing products:
http://www.lef.org/ClinicalResearch/research_nutraceuticals.htm
I recently signed my Hubby up for the Improving HDL Cholesterol Levels – Recruiting has been completed for this study. I was glad to find one because he has terrible cholestrol levels so it was fitting PLUS it wasn’t just Florida residents! He’s was accepted and received his supplement or placebo. I wish I would have caught the Irvingia one…but like I said many studies are limited to Florida residents I suppose for ease of reporting. I’m just trying to stay positive and objectionable that LEF wouldn’t risk their rep to throw a bogus product on the market at the ABSOLUTE worst time of year for clients to be “trying/testing” it.
If I’m wrong in my analysis, PLEASE kick in more info if I am….I’m always happy to pleasantly do a group analysis. So am I wrong in seeing apples and oranges here or I am seriously missing something huge?
Also Faloon says:
Last year I wrote an article titled “Why a 100% Effective Diet Pill Would Lead to a Health Catastrophe.”55 My article stated that most people restrict their calorie intake not for health reasons but to avoid becoming too fat. I warned that if a diet pill ever emerged that did not require food restriction, most people would overeat themselves into an early grave.
It is still too early to know for sure if Irvingia will prove to be a 100% effective diet pill.
Will it prove to be a 100% effective diet pill…OF COURSE NOT! There will be people who take it for a couple days and give up, there will be people who take it inconsistently, there may be people it won’t work on, there may be people taking it who don’t need to lose weight, does it work in conjunction with a low calorie or low fat or low carb diet? And in the study the average was 28 lbs in 10 weeks….some people lost less and some people lost more. We don’t have that breakdown.
My hope is it simply makes me healthier by reducing CRP, balancing my cholestrol with higher HDL, help keep me from becoming diabetic (which runs in my family) and attaining my weight loss goals without starving and suffering.
Mike – Most of us on this blog have committed to the full 10 weeks and are not giving up so easily. Perhaps the results are cumulative. Why would we cancel our subscription to LEF? I think LEF is great and probably one of the few that can help protect us from the FDA’s blatant incestuous relationship with the drug companies and in turn their push for ridiculous legislation. But I digress. I am going to finish the 10 weeks.
Shelly, I asked the LEF forum meister where I could find the results for the trial on Irvingia, and all he could come up with was the report that Oben presented in New Orleans in October, which hasn’t been published yet except in part by LEF. It may be that Oben was paid to do this study, in which case it would also be LEF’s study, done by him in Cameroon.
Oben has an interesting patent (USP 7,175,859) on CQ weight loss concoctions, filed back in 2000. In it he claims that the combination of CQ with chitosan reduced total cholesterol by 39%, in 7 days, and 48% in 15 days. It also reduced triglycerides by 66% in 15 days. Weight loss took longer. BMI dropped 35% in 90 days, with little result for the first three weeks. According to the patent, chitosan alone did little, but oddly, he doesn’t report the results for CQ alone.
My guess is that the chitosan isn’t needed, and he added that just to get the patent.
In any case, the results are fantastic. Almost too good to be believed. And the stuff is cheap! I bought half a kilo of CQ for $50, so it’s much cheaper than the LEF product. I’ll keep taking it just in case it does reduce cholesterol—I have a check-up next month.
To continue from my last post . . . Oben’s patent makes some fabulous claims, but can they be trusted? Let’s see: While chitosan in Oben’s patent wasn’t that effective for weight loss, he found that it cut total cholesterol levels almost in half. But other studies found almost no effect:
Wuolijoki et al. undertook a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the impact of chitosan on serum LDL-cholesterol levels in the absence of any changes in eating or lifestyle . . . No significant changes were noted in any outcome measure.
In a double-blind study in 88 subjects, Ho et al. assessed the impact of chitosan on both weight loss and cholesterol management . . . There were no significant changes from baseline in any outcome measures in either group.
So, fantastic results from Oben, but almost nothing from others. What’s Oben’s secret? A good imagination?
I am going to start on Irvingia soon. However, I only need to lose 10 pounds that I put on while taking steroids for allergies earlier this year.
I took the study that someone sent me to my doctor. When we looked at the numbers, she said I should only take ONE a day. My sugar is slightly elevated in the morning but normal the rest of the day. My BP is normal and my cholesterol ratio is 3.8 with high HDL at 70.
I would think that if one does not have all the complications with obesity, one would need to be a little more careful with the dosage because of the other effects.
Also, noting dizziness in many of the comments here, I might suggest a hypoglycemic diet of eating 5 small meals a day. There seems to be no definitive cause for the dizziness – BP vs blood sugar – and if I were some of the posters here, I might want to go back to LEF to ask why this is happening.
I eat a lot of organics and make a lot of my own bread. I also make organic oatmeal raisin cookies as well as bake all sweets with organic ingredients and usually brown sugar and/or molasses. If I don’t make/eat my own bread, I only eat whole wheat and usually one piece with lunch. Dinner is usually a salad with balsamic vinegrette, a protein, another veggie and a starch in small quantities.
I also don’t drink sweetened soda, but distill my own water (solar distiller) and then make my own club soda using a Soda Club machine. I would say that I probably average 1500 calories a day including chocolate at night. I am post menopausal at 57 and now weigh 140 lbs at 5’5″.
So while I am only hoping to get back to 130, I am also hoping that 1 dose of Irvingia a day will help with weight loss, but not lower my cholesterol or sugar too much.
Hi Lou,
Could you post the link for that forum administrator’s reference to Oben’s unpublished test results from New Orleans?
I agree with Susan….someone needs to stand up the the FDA and pharmaceuticals sordid relationship that is killing our health care system! LEF is nonprofit and where best to see my supplement dollars go than on the best product and research to extend my life along with a mentality and ethical code that is against the nasty FDA/Pharm union. Either way, I’m staying the duration. This is too important of a breakthrough from a prestigious company to jump on the negative bandwagon. Had this been released by any other company and I would not have even considered it….I’ve been sucked into the crazes of the past and over several years refused to waste my money on that crap anymore. Most of them had stimulating effects and made me irritable. Keep me posted if you find out anything else in terms of LEF’s studies. Thanks!
Thanks everyone for continuing to post, please keep it up, because it is about the only way we will get a handle on whether over the medium to longer term this stuff works or doesn’t. I posted a week ago when I got my batch. Starting weight 163, goal is to not go up over the holidays and to get below 155. One week on it, have not noticed ANY side effects (no dizziness, no thirstiness etc that others have reported). Perhaps a SLIGHT appetite reduction, but subtle at best. I still get hungry, still would love to have those Christmas cookies, and not just one. I am low to moderate carbing. This morning I am down to 161, a loss of two pounds, but within fluctuations that could be water, etc.. I have a glucose meter and check levels most days (diabetes in family), haven’t noticed any significant change. Good luck everyone!
“Had this been released by any other company and I would not have even considered it”
Shelley, I was the same way, as it sounded too good to be true. Search the following, and you’ll find all the forum moderator could come up with: “The use of Irvingia gabonensis extract (IGOB131) in the management of metabolic syndrome in Cameroon”
There isn’t any data, however, just PR stuff. He also said, “Clinical data was reviewed, evaluated, and validated by the scientific panel associated with the 5th International Conference on Functional Foods for Chronic Diseases, and Dr. Oben was then granted approval for scientific conference presentation on October 17th, 2008.”
Just another data point here.
1 week on Irvingia, 2 x day. I’ve gained a couple of pounds, which is within normal weight fluctuation for me, but odd because I feel like (1) I have been eating less, and (2) I have been getting a bit more exercise.
What I’ve noticed: extreme thirst, yes (but it’s pretty dry here at the moment, too); vivid dreams, yes; dizziness, no; appetite reduction… I’d say, yes. I have NOT been eating Christmas junk, and I eat low-carb pretty religiously… but perhaps too much food in general.
We’ll see what happens. I’ve been paying pretty careful attention to what I eat, so I’d kind of expected to lose, not gain, but… well, who knows? And this is the tough holiday week, though I’m not much of one for sweets anyway.
But I’m in it for the 10 weeks, so we’ll see.
I’ve been taking Integra-Lean Irvinga for 15 days hoping to loose only about 14 lbs. So far there has been no weight loss.
I purchased a 4 month supply. I plan to use product for 12 weeks. If I do not see a good bit of weight loss I plan to send back product for refund. (1 unused container & 3 empty containers)
2 weeks on Irvingia now. No weight changes. Weight fluctuations of 1-2 pounds as per usual. Some “miracle”!!
BG,
As my vet says when he comes to see my kitties, “Might I offer a word of encouragement….
I enjoy listening to his endless kindhearted wisdom.
I think that is fitting as you look at the study….8 lbs in a month is not a big deal. Doesn’t say what 2 weeks did. But the last 2 weeks?! 5 lbs a week average. Two weeks isn’t very long trial….you have the bottle already, don’t give up yet!! Remember we are testing this at the worst possible time ever! I’m trying to keep positive myself here….not always easy, but I’m hanging in there!
It seems like many of us have been on Irvingia for about two weeks now and the average weight loss is about zero pounds. Since the LEF Irvingia study group lost 8 pounds during the first four weeks, this means that we would have to lose four pounds during the next 7 days and four pounds the week after that in order to match the study group loss. Or, with the holidays in mind, we can consume an EXTRA 2000 calories a day for the next 14 days and NOT GAIN A POUND (2000 calories times 14 days = 28,000 calories or 8 pounds). When considering the long history of exaggerated claims in the weight loss business, the chances of this happening are probably about a million to one.
Bob.the.skeptic – not very promising, I agree. However, I have been cheating in the afternoons and have not gained any weight and that IS a miracle (at least for me). At first blush, it doesn’t seem like it is really working as reported in the study. But, like I’ve said before, I’ve tossed my hat in the ring and am going to stick with it.
Hail fellow experimenters!
I’m also going to try the 10 weeks. I’ve finished 2 weeks on the Irvingia.
The 1st week I lost 3 lbs. The 2nd week I gained 3 lbs. without changing my eating. This is a normal 3 lbs swing for me – but I’m at 0 lbs lost after 2 weeks, as are others. I’ve not seen an improvement in my blood sugars, which I was also hoping for. But I do think there is a bit of an appetite suppressing going on. I’ve not been so tempted by food during the holidays, and have barely cheated at all. 1 desert on one day is all.
I also started exercising regularly last week.
I bought 4 bottles last week gave 1 to my 77 year old father who is 5 5 and weighed 261 lbs after 1 week he went to drs weighed 252 stepped on scale 2 times he couldn’t believe it. Gave another bottle to my neighbor who is also on jenny craig she went for her weekly meeting and lost 9 lbs which normaly she should lose 2 to 3 lbs, also gave my 18 year old obese niece a bottle she has lost 3 pounds. Dad said he felt a lil strange and had dreams all nite.
Two weeks on Irvingia now. I am less hungry, more thirsty and sleeping very well. I may have lost a pound. I almost never stray off my carbohydrate addict diet, and my numbers [ldl, hdl, crp,fsting glucose, insulin, BP +++] all recently checked out fine. I guess two pounds a month for me would be extraordinary, but I had hoped for more.
Sue G,
Welcome aboard.
Kim,
Thanks for the good news! Keep the reports on you and friends coming.
Mandy,
Slow and steady = no sagging skin and long term results. Don’t lose sight of the pluses.
Happy Holidays!
I have an announcement! I officially hit the 180′s today clocking in at 189.6! 23 lbs down total….69 to go! I think that will provide me great strength through the next 4 days at my Dad’s house!
Merry Christmas to all and hope you have a Norman Rockwell type of Christmas!
Shelley
Congrats Shelly. That’s one heck of a Xmas gift to give yourself.
How much of that weight did you lose while on Irvingia?
Thanks LCC! I started Irvingia the Monday after Thanksgiving Dec 1st. My morning weight was 201. So about 10.5 lbs since I started Irvingia. I’ll be at the 4 week mark on Monday and let eveyone know. Its going to be a rough couple days at my Dad’s!
Hello All,
SusanM, – I am considering increasing my dosage to 3X a day in two weeks if I do not see any improvement before then.
Mike Goodwin – I total disagree. LEF is our advocate against the pharmaceutical companies and the FDA.
Shelley H – You appear to be having good results. And I believe Lou responded regarding the reports. I re-looked at the article. Unless I’m reading the material incorrectly, the charts you are referencing for LEF are attributed to Reference 5, which is another Oben study.
I’m in it for the 10 weeks, as I guess most everyone else is. I haven’t noticed any weight loss. I have noticed a slight decrease in my appetite, that’s not reflected in my weight just yet (frustration).
As ShelleyH said, this is a bad time of year to be testing this product, I literally have people throwing high caloric food and treats at me to eat. And while I don’t like to think of myself as a trained seal, I have found my mouth opened on more than one occasion.
I haven’t been on a scale in a few days so I don’t know my current status. I will tell everyone my results the next time I update. I appreciate reading everyone results. I have noticed some dizziness, but I can not attribute that to the Irvingia, more likely my BP meds.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Invingia primarily a fiber product?
Shelly
I just finished 14 days with no weight loss.
It would be helpful to know how you progressed in the first two weeks. Any loss during that time?
I think it would also be helpful to know whether people who experience success … also fit the profile for metabolic syndrome as the test subjects did …. These people suffer specific blood chemistry problems like high ldl, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein.
Does the irvingia work on people who have weight to lose but do not fit that profile?
I don’t believe anything will help lose weight if we don’t also eat right and exercise. Many people think, at least subconciously, that if they are taking a weight loss supplement then they can eat whatever they want.
I have been taking Fucoxanthin and doing just that. Sure, taking it allows me to eat more and gain less than I would if I weren’t taking it, but still I end up with a weight gain.
I do seem very weight loss resistant. I can eat right and exercise like crazy, and lose almost nothing. Then I get discouraged and go back to eating anything and everything. Of course this cycling has made me even more weight loss resistant.
I have now ordered the Irvingia to take along with my Fucoxanthin. It was shipped December 23rd, so I hope to start on it soon. I am going to eat really healthy and within a calorie range that will allow weight loss, while also exercising regularly. I don’t consider the stuff cheap, so I am going to do everything I can to lose as much weight as I can while I take it. Usually when I am doing everything right I lose .8 of a pound per week. With this stuff, and doing everything right I have high hopes of losing a couple of pounds a week. If I do not have success within the 10 weeks I will return any remaining product.
One thing to keep in mind is that it will take a little time to get the Leptin levels ‘in balance’ just as it took us some time to get things so out of balance. To avoid the low blood sugar issue I plan on eating a whole foods, low glycemic diet, and keeping some healthy snacks with me whenever I am away from the house. I already carry a water bottle with me everywhere I go. : )
I am looking forward to getting my various hunger hormones balanced, as well as lowering CRP, cholesterol, BP etc. I will be getting blood tests (through Life Extension) every few months to see how things are doing.
I have just renewed my subscription to LE for the 3rd year. I swear by their supplements, and have been able to get off of almost all of my medications, by using supplements to do what the medications were supposed to be doing – but were doing a a poor job of, and with serious side effects. I have a life threatening illness, and the supplements have been a huge help. Now, if I can get my weight lower it will make an even bigger change in my health.
(Sent in by a reader)
Subject: Irvingia (Third Week Finished)
Hi,
I stepped on the scale after three weeks of Irvingia and keeping my diet basically the same. It was exactly the same weight
it had been the other two times I weighed. I got off, gave it a swat and stepped back on. Nothing has changed. I had
friends weigh on the scale just to be sure that it wasn’t permanently stuck. They were their correct weight.
What can I say? It’s beginning to look very doubtful that I’ll even lose an ounce on this. Perhaps I got a bottle of duds!
I’ll try to go for another couple of weeks, but I am definitely less hopeful now. I really got my hopes up when I started
this, and now I’m beginning to think that I have been taken in by snake oil once again. My vertigo continues, however,
and my appetite has blossomed back to normal. But, I will continue this for another week or two. Hope springs eternal!
Judy
I’m on day 22 and most of the side effects I felt – a slight dizziness, extreme thirst, desire for sours – has passed. One poster mentioned dreams – and I have noticed an uptick in the number I remember, as well as their vividness…interesting.
As to the point of *why* I’m taking this stuff – zip. I’ve lost no weight. Even gained a tad.
For me, it appears to have had no impact on the scale at all.
LCC
I just finished my third week: no weight loss, but no weight gain. No side effects and my appetite has lessened considerably. I do sleep a lot deeper now and do not have food cravings. Next Wednesday is my one month marker. Also, I find out about my thyroid levels on Monday and add that info to the mix. Happy Holidays!!!
I should have stepped on the scale before my last post where i said I lost no weight.
This morning will be the start of day 15. I weigh 225.5 this morning. When I started I weighed 229.
Still in the range of daily fluctuations but considering yesterday was a Christmas feast at the in-laws house….
Down to 138.5 this morning form 141.5 – appetite definetely less – third week and this week due to Holidays I forgot two morning doses -
Hi Vince,
I attribute most of my first week weight loss to the gain I had from Thanksgiving. I was 196 before Thanksgiving…the Monday after I was 201 when my Irvingia arrived. By the end of the week (earlier) I was 195. I think Irvingia has prevented huge consequences to over eating through the Holidays. I have over eaten despite trying not to since yesterday. We’ll see. Glad to hear you lost some. I agree…worst time of year to test this product, but if all it does is save me from gaining the average 5-15 lbs for now….I’m happy! After the 1st, I can offer it a true test by eating more “normally”.
(posted under one of the other Irvingia posts…LLC)
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
17 days ago 229 lbs. This morning 223.8 lbs. Down 5 lbs.
I attribute all of it to the laxative effect of the Irvingia.
Any further progress I will attribute to real weight loss.
Vince – I’ve been on the Irvingia for 3 weeks – no laxative effect at all.
Anyone else experience this??
I’ve had a laxative effect, but I’ve also had other things going on that might explain it, so I’m not going to claim a strong cause and effect thing going on here.
Replying to Susan M;
2 weeks for me, no laxative effect. No diziness or other side effects either. Blood glucose about same as prior. Slight appetite reduction, but could be placebo effect.
Down 2 pounds from 163 to 161. A pound a week is healthy weight loss for me. But it may be fewer calories, not sure.
Three weeks and no weight loss nor reduction in waist inches. No changes in my eating or exercise routine. Will go all 4 weeks, then will return the second bottle I purchased for a refund. At least I went into this with eyes wide open! Good luck to the rest of you.
Hmmm … I am taking the Slim Signals.
And also I am NOTon a Low Carb diet. Maybe that makes a difference. The effect seems to vary according to the daily menu I consume.
The Lipidworld.com posted studies even say Irvingia seeds are a fiber laxative. Blocking sugar absorption and taking bile out along with it. This reason given for improved sugar and Cholesterol levels.
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 have not experienced the laxative effect either. My plumbing is constantly slow so I use super cleanse by nature’s secret in conjunction otherwise I am constipated. I have used this intermittently for a couple years so I know this is not attributing to my weight loss.
Somewhere I read it says not to take this with any fiber products….
just ordered 30 day supply.will do blood work next week. am diabetic heart trouble , had cancer,take lipitor
and blood pressure med. itake aload of herbs and vit.
Ahhh…. Right on the Directions .. just above the WARNING:
Do not take with fiber supplements.
I’ve been on Irvingia since December 9 and really don’t obsess with the scale the way some here do so I can’t give a day-by-day account but on 12/9 I was 158 and on 12/28 I’m at 155. Not a miracle but if I can keep it off and it’s not just normal fluctuation it’s pretty good. I’ll keep my normal routine and weigh myself every week or two and let you know if it changes.
Vince,
Isn’t this odd….I checked my Integra Lean and it does NOT have that fiber warning. I checked my Fucxanthin-Slim and it does NOT have the fiber warning either, BUT the Slim Signals DOES?? I wonder if the fiber makes it not as effective by absorbing it in the gut. I HAVE to take my Super Cleanse or the plumbing gets so backed up I get sick!
Shelley,
Ever since I started the Zymessence systemic enzymes, I am no longer backed up. For 24 years, I’ve had to take a cleansing herb at night in order to have a BM the next day. But the Zymessence works great for this AND it attacks inflammation. Great stuff.
LD
I have been reading up on it….how long have you been on it? I’ve had 3 c-sections so I find the “heat” interesting it claims as it results from it destroying scar tissue. Are you regular if you go off of it? Any notice on spider veins? I’ve got a few tiny ones poking through in a quarter size area on my ankle and I used to have this achy spot in my leg with some light ones (seasource detox lotion by Arbonne got rid of the aching which was there for about 6 years now…it was like a godsend when that area got bumped I winced in expectation of pain and there was NONE!). I think I may have to give this a try and see how it works. The Super Cleanse eventually makes you dependent, but honestly I will end up in the hospital if I don’t take something!
Thanks LD!
After 2 weeks on, I’ve lost about 2 lbs… nothing to get really excited about, but of course, it’s Christmas season, and I haven’t been exercising regularly, and I had a few days of eating what could kindly be called a hell of a lot of cheese.
I have to say, though, that most days I take only one. I started taking 2, but I am hopeless at remembering to take a second dose of anything. So mostly I haven’t, and I’ve noticed little (if any) difference in the second week (with one) versus the first week (with two). Very thirsty. Some laxative effect, which I see as a plus. Vivid dreams and deep sleep, which is mostly ok. And I would say that my appetite has been… well, more sensible rather than “less.”
So we’ll see what happens this week, when I hope to be back to more of my normal routine.
Hi again – just checking in here.
Since the end of October I have been off my low carb diet and have been eating whatever I want. Will go back on the diet on Jan. 4th after returning home from my last holiday trip. When I first went off the diet I started gaining back weight. After starting the supplements, I gained a few more pounds for a total of 11 since not dieting. I am still not dieting. Eating the last of the Christmas cookies and dessert after every evening meal. Normally this would spell a couple of pounds gained a day. I have actually started losing now and have lost 2 1/2 of the 11 with NO change in eating or activity (read that as NO activity). I am very encouraged with this. I will keep taking the Irvingia until I can actually start to eat responsibly and exercise again and see what will happen then. Will let you know. It is NOT a normal fluctuation for me to lose 2 1/2 pounds without trying VERY hard.
Vince,
I called LEF’s Health Advisor line. They said the reason not to take fiber with the SlimSignals is it will absorb the Pomegranate oil in it and make it less effective. The gentleman helping me said he’s been on it for 6 weeks with no digestion change and said if I must take the fiber daily for now to take it two hours apart. I have not noted a laxative effect, but that isn’t to say others aren’t experiencing it. So basically, if you are taking any oils like Omega’s or fish oil for health, don’t take a fiber supplement as they will bind in the gut making the oil less available. Sadly, I gained 4 lbs back over Christmas…I do have a feeling it is because my plumbing is very sluggish along with terrilbe overeating. Hopefully it will be like after Thanksgiving and by the end of the week after being back on normal eating that extra Holiday gain will be gone! Thanks for your checking in Nina and JP. He also said it is the Fucoxanthin that makes you thirsty.
Happy New Year!
3-1/2 weeks – no weight loss or gain even though I really overdid it last week on sweets and starches. I went to the doctor today and my thyroid is off and I start on Armour thyroid tomorrow. Also my adrenals are tired and she may or may not put me on cortisol. I am still going to continue with the Integra-Lean and begin my improved diet tomorrow. (Apparently, I was eating so little and at the wrong times I was screwing up my blood sugar levels.) So, now that I am on the right track with the above, I will see if I can move the numbers on the scale down a bit. Will keep you guys posted.
Hi SusanM!
Glad to hear they are treating you for your thyroid. Make sure they keep up with it until you are between 1-2 TSH. Armour works best for me….I initially go down on the cytomel/synthroid combo, then rise right back up higher! That and undereating can really mess things up cuz I have been there! Now I feed myself and I believe the Intregra Lean is helping too. Like you said, you gain just looking at food it seems! It is really embarrassing because I feel like people look at me like I’m a closet overeater and see my young good looking Hubby and think they can steal him from the fat wife! Well NOT a chance! Sounds like the New Year is going to be the real test….
(sent in by a reader – LCC)
First of all, I have been a member of the Life Extension Foundation for 6-7 years and continue to do so to keep up with the research they publish. They are 3-5 years ahead, typically, of the medical community in recognizing and reporting publicly, research germane to attaining and keeping optimal health.
Secondly, all of their supplements are guaranteed purity and potency, confirmed by assay on every batch shipped to them. That is worth its weight in gold in the supplement world, as many so-called reputable supplement manufacturers put out supplements which simply do not measure up, not to mention that they source many of their ingredients from China with the resultant lack of oversight, heavy metals content and so forth. Life Extension Foundation sources their ingredients from reputable, pharmaceutical quality manufacturers, usually from the top manufacturer of the components—I could give examples but won’t for brevity. These supplements are not really expensive, either, as you claim, especially for member pricing.
Now for the Irvingia. Both my wife and I have been stuck, at a weight about 20 pounds above our natural weight for a couple of years. No matter what we do, we simply cannot get the weight off, despite eating a very healthy diet which is suitable for each of our different metabolic types. Adding more exercise helps but it takes so much exercise to have an effect, we would need to be in the gym for about 4 hours a day. Nocando!
So, in desperation and trusting in the LEF’s reporting, we tried Irvingia, which WAS expensive. After 10 days, my wife has lost nothing and I have gained 4 pounds. Now this may not be fair as this was done over Christmas, but we have had a very responsible Christmas with little drinking and eating small portions/not overeating. So, what is going on? We don’t know, but will report back when we finish the 8 weeks worth of pills we bought. Frankly, though, it isn’t looking good and this LEF member may well be demanding a complete refund if this stuff does not perform as advertised.
Sometimes, something advertised as too good to be true is exactly that. We’ll see.
Roy
(Comment from another post – LCC)
I started irvingia on December 2. I have not changed my eating nor do I exercise other then work. I have lost 2 pounds in about 3 weeks. I wanted to see if it would do anything on its own. Sort of disappointed. My appetite has been curbed a little. The only real thing that I have noticed is that when I am eating I quit alot sooner than I did before. Its like an off button in my head…..pretty neat and definitely not normal for me. I am going to get my cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL tested after being on the pills for 1 month and then again after 10 weeks. I bought Irvingia from LEF because I believe in them. For the next 10 weeks I am going to eat when I want but only if its low glycemic, and try to walk 5 hours a week. I was hoping for more then 2 pounds a month. Maybe it has to build up in your system. I purchased 7 bottles.
Update…the 4 lbs I gained over Christmas is now only 2, but still very constipated. Back to eating regular BFL style with the exception of 3 beers last night. Will keep board posted on this weeks results.
I am on my third week, down from 163 to 160. Still no side effects, perhaps slight appetite suppression. I am still on the fence about this one; on the one hand, I’m happy with the results, and I think I have at least a minor amount of appetite suppression. On the other hand, since taking it I have been really quite good at sticking with low carb and have probably knocked off a few hundred calories a day, so it could just be willpower/placebo effect.
Reading peoples posts suggests to me that even if it is real, it doesn’t work for everyone. If so, it would be useful to know why. I can’t see any particular thing that distinguishes the people it works for from those it does not; anyone else seeing something?
Best wishes everyone for the new year!
I have been on Irvingia for 3 1/2 weeks in an attempt to lower fasting glucose. Interestingly, I’ve lost 8 lbs, 169 to 161, and all lipid measures are significantly improved, altho I also added 10mg of lovastatin. Hunger is way down, and craving is minimal, so it has been easy to resist tempting food. But no change in fasting glucose. I would say it is a great success for me, except for not achieving my main goal.
(sent to me via email)
Hi everyone:
I just completed my 4th week on Irvingia, and much to my surprise I gained 2 lbs. this week!
I have been so careful this Christmas season – only eating the foods that I am allowed on my
regular program with the exception of a thin slice of pumpkin pie on Christmas Day. I’m beginning
to see the writing on the wall with this product. I’ve still got 3 bottles of the stuff and I’m not sure
what I’m going to do.
The one positive with the product for me is that I sleep deeper than I did before taking it. I have
rampant insomnia and still don’t sleep much, but the quality of my sleep is definitely better. I still
have positional vertigo when I turn my head in certain positions and I never had that before.
My weight stayed exactly the same for 3 weeks and then I gained two. I will try for another week
or two and then reconsider the whole thing. So far I am disappointed, but I will try a bit longer.
I wonder what the LE people are thinking about this? I don’t see too many positive reports so far.
Perhaps they should market it as a sleep aid!
Best wishes for a Happy New Year to All,
Judy
I’ve been taking irvingia for one hour, and NO RESULTS. I mean, if you divide 28 pounds by 60 days, that means I should be losing .47 pounds a day, and if you divide that by 24 hours, I should have lost .02 pounds by now. This is bunk.
…or IS it?????
All these 3-day reports seem kinda useless to me. How about just reporting in at one month and two months?
You point is valid, Eric.
I do think that earlier reporting is helpful for those interested in side effects, but no one should be hung up on any weight change before a month is completed.
I *do* like the sarcasm, though – game me a smile.
21 days on Slim Signals. Scale says down 2 lbs from start. Have been down as much as 5 lbs in this period.
I think the real measure as to whether this works is in the Blood tests. If you had high Triglycerides, Leptin and CRP … and after using this … those numbers correct to normal levels … then Irvingia is doing what it is supposed to do.
Theory:
IMHO … Irvingia will not take weight off by itself. My understanding is that by correcting the lipid and glucose levels in the blood … Appetite will function as its supposed to … allowing or causing us to eat fewer calories than we normally would.
Only eating fewer calories than what is required by our metabolism to maintain weight will cause weight loss.
Advertising:
I think the ads and LEF article on irvingia can cause many of us to believe this supplement works by magic. But a close reading of the article and the studies published online … tell the theory of how it works.
Although they say the subjects were not on a diet … it also says it works by reducing appetite. Therefore those people had to be **eating less** ! I think the advertising can lead people to take the pills and disregard their diet … maybe even eat that cheesecake or pizza they would have normally avoided.
I think people read the ads and see “lose weight, no diet and no excercise”. But when you read about how it works …. it shows it was tested on Obese people with metabolic syndrome… NOT people with only 5 or 10 lbs to lose with NORMAL blood sugar and lipids.
If your blood chemisrty is normal … you don’t have a leptin problem to correct…. So how could this possibly work?
Blood Chemistry vs Weight loss:
Most of us have not been on this long enough to make a judgement. What I see from the study data is that it takes about a month for blood chemistry to change … and afterward weight loss begins … once again on those subjects with metabolic syndrome.
The 2 lbs I am down … thats just normal fluctuation … I don’t make much of it. But after 3 weeks I should be getting to the point where Blood chemistry is mostly corrected and the benefits of that should begin.
Started Irvingia today. I have been monitoring this site for 1 month. What interests me is the CRP level and the deep sleep. I have a problem with both. If I loose weight, that will be icing on the cake! I started my sister and my niece on it today as well. I will check in when I notice any changes. Good luck to all of us.
I wrote the LEF about the lightheadedness/dizziness and have heard not one word back. I may call after the holidays. I did stop taking it and adjusted my hormones down and the side effect went away. Don’t know which change affected it. But I dropped the weight instantly after stopping the Irvingia. It’s a fiber and I think that is what caused the increased weight, it’s not fat per se. I am most interested in a change in CRP and blood glucose so awaiting blood reports.
I stopped taking LEF irvingia 2 weeks ago, got a miserable virus and cough, and was very light headed so thought I would start the supplement when I’m better. I took an infrared sauna today-got a series as a Christmas present from my husband, and now do feel healthier, sooo will go back on the Integralean New Years day. Happy New year and all the best weight wise and otherwise in 2009. Keep the posts coming, I find them helpful.
Hi Vince!
I was studying the charts on the bloodwork in the LEF study in the magazine. Looks like the Leptin goes way down by 4 weeks then bottoms out at 8-10 weeks, the CRP bottoms out at the 8 week marker along with the Adiponectin. The rest seem to go down from 4 to 8 to 10 weeks in similar increments. Let us know how your results are. I had my bloodwork done at 2.5 weeks for my Hubby’s annual company exam, but I don’t think they do CRP, Leptin or Adiponectin. I agree I think there is a saturation point where it corrects things so the weight loss can occur faster. Did you read my post on the fiber? I called their Health advisor line 1-800-226-2370 I can still take my colon cleanse if it is 2 hours from taking the Fucoxanthin which is in the SlimSignals too. I WISH it had the laxative effect on me! Wanna trade colons? hehe Although I do like the falling asleep fast and the vivid dreaming after being an insomniac for what seems like forever. And I love my own little dream world escape!
Eric B,
Too funny! I hear you man, I hear you! I think it is slow starting and needs to have time. The Fuco alone takes 6 weeks to start, so the Intregra Lean seems like a fast starter compared to that! You have made a wonderful note on patience and hope to hear your check in results!
Judy D,
Welcome aboard and please keep us posted! Happy New Year and good luck to you, your Sister and Niece too!
JS,
Call their Health Advisor line if you want a quick answer. I imagine over the Holidays their work force is less and the emails on Irvingia is overwhelming. I like the CRP factor too because lowering that would lower many risk factors for disease and debiliation as we age. Take care and best wishes!
CH,
Glad you are feeling better! We have a far infrared sauna. I don’t use it enough that is for sure, but we love it! If you are looking for a good company if you chose to buy after your series is up, we love ours from Sunlight. Back in the 70′s we didn’t know the foibles of playing with mercury! Grandma had a big vat of it we all used to play with for hours! Could that be the cause of some of my health issues from thyroid to fatigue, bursitis, aches and pains? Well if so, the sauna certainly has helped! Next on my list is a hot tub and to use mineral salts rather than chlorine. I went to hotel with that in the pool and hot tub and all I can say is WOW! To have soft skin and hair after using a pool was amazing opposed to itchy dry skin and scalp. Keep us posted when you start again! Okay enough blabbing! Its New Year’s Eve and time to PARTY like a Rock Star!
I’m in the midst of week 5…quick update my 4 lb Christmas gain it is now painlessly down to only 1 lb gain now that my colon cleanse is kicking back in after terrible Holiday constipation (travel always makes it worse….I know, TMI! TMI! But really we need to publish all when it comes to our scientific self appointed guinea pigedness right?) and salt bloat is dissipating!
Happy New Year to everyone and best wishes for a healthy year to come!
ShellyH – Off subject, but I was reading your comments to CH above. Have you considered a glutathione intravenous drip to clean your body of toxins? Suzanne Sommers swears by them and it is the only way to get the glutathione levels up high enough to clean everything out. She does one after performaning in smoke filled venues. I do not know how expensive it would be, but it might be worth it for you or at the very least investigating. Her newest book is very informative on that and also the whole digestive process. Anyway, I read the above and remembered what I read on glutathione.
Thanks for the info SusanM! I will have to look into that and how to even go about getting a dr to order it! It is fun sharing info…I have never heard of that, but I know Sommers is a very intelligent health nut who knows what she’s talking about!
(Sent via email – LCC)
Thanks for posting info on Irvingia. I have been on it for about four week now. When I started it, I decided not to be tied to the scale, so I would judge the effectiveness by cloths size. I now think that this was a mistake, and will start to weigh myself as of today.
In any event, I do feel that my cloths are slightly looser. Not a size or anything like that, but noticeable. I feel like I have been on low carb (stomach while not much smaller, is flatter and firmer). I have had the thirst thing. In the first week or so it was extreme, but while still there, it has faded.
I did not connect the increase in sleep to Irvingia, until I read reports on your site, but I now sleep very soundly, and about an hour or so longer. I don’t feel rested, however, in fact I feel quite exhausted. I did not see other reports of that, so perhaps the exhaustion is not due to Irvingia.
I also noticed larger stools. I don’t like talking about it, but the difference has been notable, and has continued. I can only speculate that Irvingia is blocking some carb absorption, and that is the cause.
When I start weighing myself, I will have a better idea if I am actually loosing weight. I will also have some blood tests in about four weeks, so I will see if my high CRP has come down any. I plan to stay with Irvingia at least until then.
Thanks again for your web posts.
I’ve now tried irvingia, irvingia +CQ, and CQ alone. I lost weight on none of them. I even added chitosan to the CQ, which Oben claims lowers total cholesterol by about 50% in 15 days. I stopped this final trial after I noticed a troubling hair loss, probably due to the CQ. Fortunately, this side effect disappeared as soon as I discontinued it. As for the chitosan, I’ll use up what I have even though other studies have found no significant effect on cholesterol levels. Discouraging how none of Oben’s claims pan out. I’m about ready to nominate him for an Ig Nobel, just for the sheer number of irreproducible effects he’s discovered.
Lou – I think you have really tried so hard on this to get it to work! Much more than I am willing to do. I am really sorry and disappointed it hasn’t worked for you. I haven’t thrown in the towel yet, but I must say it doesn’t look promising. However, I am going to stick with it and then do my blood work to see if it helps in the other areas. Thanks for letting us know everything you’ve tried! I certainly hope that Bill Faloon hasn’t been hoodwinked but it looks as though he may have been on this one…..
Unless you have a calorie deficit, you will not lose fat. I cannot see how a fiber pill can cause a calorie deficit unless it decreases appetite so that you eat less. If the people on the Irvingia studies lost fat it is because they ate less. If the pill helps one get control of appetite and therefore makes you eat less, then fine. But I am very interested in the blood glucose and CRP improvements. Since adjusting my hormones I have lost the lightheadedness. I’ll take one pill a day in the morning to see if I can tolerate it. If I can, I’ll stick with it until April 2nd, then I’ll take a blood test and see what the numbers say.
Hi JS,
First, I think the notion of a ‘calorie deficit’ is not as cut and dry as some think. See my post:
http://lowcarbconfidential.com/2008/07/17/the-great-calorie-debate-and-the-search-for-the-metabolic-advantage/
for my feelings on this.
You – however, are free to believe what you believe – you don’t have to agree with me to post here
I also question whether Irvingia, as LEF sells it, has any fiber in it enough to effect a change. My impression was that it was an extract of whatever active ingredient LEF thought was the active agent – if it was only fiber that was the agent, we’d all be better off just to buy some Metamucil…
Checking in. Completed day 4 of irvingia. Slept thru the night, 9 hours. I cannot remember the last time I did that. If nothing else, I would use this as a sleep aid. Definate reduction in appetite today. I did not eat any less. However, the point is that I did not want to eat any more. Interesting. I am not willing to attribute this to the irvingia yet. Jury is still out.
Hi Judy d,
You know, I’ve noticed that I am remembering an enormous amount of dreams since taking the stuff – very unusual. Sleep is good as well, though that’s one area, thank God, I’ve never had too much of an issue with.
LCC
(sent via email)
I and my wife have tried irvingia for about 4 wks now with little loss weight.There appears to be some appetite suppression.I looked at the test results of the 4 week 28pound weight loss study and unless i am mistaken it appears the participants took three 350 mg pills three times daily for a total of 3.15 mg. Therefore I dont see
how we can expect he same results with two 150mg pills daily.
Rich
Hi Rich,
I think the research is confusing as hell. I think that what LEF is selling is supposed to be an extract of what they believe to be the active agent in the stuff. This is why people seem to be confused about this stuff being high fiber. Maybe the stuff is high fiber in it’s natural state, but those tiny capsules can’t possibly have enough fiber in them to be significant.
Regards,
LCC
I have been on the Integra-Lean now for just about one month and have lost four pounds. It doesn’t sound like much, but I have not be able to get below 160 lbs in over a year and I am 158 as of this morning. (I started at 162). However, there were days when I took 3 doses instead of the 2 more recently. I also started Amour thyroid medication last Monday and my doctor has me eating small meals of protein and complex carbs every 2-3 hours to keep my blood sugar level.
Oh, and I ate lots of goody’s and drank champagne over the holiday and did not gain an ounce. So, I think it is helping – I am just not sure how much yet. Will report back in another week.
Also, my company has a “fat pants” competition every January to help people jump start their diet & exercise programs. I’ve never participated because I just can’t lose but I think this year I just might! It is based on percentages and if you reach your goal rather than by just pounds. It actually gets people into the gym and eating healthy.
LC – when I started work at my company 13 years ago, I was the only one there that ate Low Carb. They called me crazy and did their low fat thing. I never in a million years ever thought it would change but it has. It still surprises me when someone checks to see how many carbs are in an item….
I have been on LEF Irvingia for one month now. I lost 4.5 pounds (187.5 down from 192). I never changed anything in my eating (ate a lot more sweets during holidays) and I am not exercising. I did not change anything because I wanted to see if the pills would do anything on their own. I can honestly say that I Irvingia does help. I was discouraged for the past month because my weight was not changing. It just started to drop. Things that I have noticed: Slight decrease in appetite, Desire for more water, deeper sleep, coffee intake is about the same and when I am eating something clicks and I dont feel like eating anymore. I am having my cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL checked within the next couple of days. Will have them checked again in 10 weeks. I enjoy reading these posts. I will post again with my beginning blood test results. Maybe this stuff kicks in the more you take it. I have been checking my weight daily for a long time. I know that I would have probably gained at least a couple of pounds in the past month. 4.5 pounds lost…no calorie counting…eating what I want…..and no exercising. I have 6 more months left of Irvingia and I will continue to take it till its gone. I am going to start walking and eat low glycemic from now on. I want to post my blood test results because if it really does lower total cholesterol by that much in ten weeks then maybe it would be dangerous for some to double and triple dose. If my total cholesterol goes down as much as it says it does then it would be 125. Heard that that’s not good.
Susan Noble, Thanks for your post. Please do let us know about your lab results. I have lost 3 pounds in 30 days and did not gain over Christmas. I sleep so good now and my appetite is down.
Susan Noble – My weight just started to drop recently as well and I too was getting discouraged. It will be interesting to see if we continue losing from this point forward.
My sister and I have been taking Ivingia for a few weeks and we have not noticed any weight loss. Both my sister and I have noticed leg pain in both legs … It feels almost like there is no circulation. Has anybody else noticed leg pain? Mine lasted for almost 36 hours
Question for the group/anyone with access to LEF materials:
Didn’t the original Faloon article state at the end that details about the studies on irvingia etc would be published in the January 2009 Life Extension magazine? There is something online now called the January magazine, but at least on line there is nothing there about irvingia. Is the print edition different? When do members get theirs, and does someone have it? Thanks in advance for any responses!
Shelley,
I didn’t see your question about the zymessence until now.
I had to go off it for three days prior to minor surgery. I did not get backed up at all. Mind you, I was on the Irvingia which is slightly laxative so that may have helped.
One thing I do know is that the Zymessence certainly is a blood thinner as my surgeon said I bled more than normal. Probably should have stopped it a week before surgery. I did start it up again two days after surgery and my inflammation is drastically reduced!
Never used it for spider veins. Basically, the principle of systemic enzymes is that they reduce and eliminate inflammation throughout the body. It can take as long as 16 months for people with serious problems but if you stay on them, they DO work. Zymessence has pancreatin in it so if you’re a vegan, it’s not for you. But honestly, that pancreatin is what sets it apart from other systemic enzymes. If you are a vegan, try Vitalzyme. The only problem is that you have to take about 20-25 of those a day compared to only THREE of Zymessence to get the same or better results.
If you have scar tissue, there’s nothing better than systemic enzymes to gradually erase it. Incredible stuff, in fact. I had a deep scar on my face from an old injury (nearly 40 years ago!) and it is beginning to disappear after only 5 months on the Zymessence. If you have patience and take the stuff every day (3 caps is all), you will see changes in your body. My body is literally reshaping itself VERY slowly on the enzymes. It blocks excess estrogen which is a HUGE reason why men and women are gaining weight in their belly and hips. Estrogen is everywhere these days in foods and chemicals. Soy is the worst. Stay away from soy if you want to keep your thyroid healthy and your weight down. The reason I started the Irvingia is to tackle the weight from the leptin point of view. My question is that after 10 weeks, what happens then? Do you stabilize in weight? Does the Irvingia stop working or is there a plateau? I’m not sure I want to be taking it forever.
Ideas?
LD
Forgot to mention, I’m up one pound to 141.6.
I have not been able to exercise for 5 days due to minor surgery. I’ve had a bit more sweets over the holidays so that may account for that.
I’m hoping to see a more accelerated weight loss curve as I head into week 4 on the supplement. I’m willing to give it time but I’m also getting a little worried reading some of the posts on this blog on what others are not experiencing on the herb.
LD
JackieB – No leg pain here. I’ve been taking it for one month.
mpr – The article said that it would feature an in-depth scientific report on obesity and that the role that adipocyte modulating agents like leptin and adiponectin play in regulating body fat storage. It said we would receive it in early January 2009 and there was nothing in the January issue. Perhaps it will be in the February issue. But I am not sure that it would be on Irvingia as stated above….
Susan M: Thanks for replying about the magazine. It only adds to the questionmarks when there is a delay or little follow through, but we’ll see. I’m a bit discouraged (up a pound over the last week despite good exercise and diet) but will keep going for the full 10 weeks.
Fourth week update – I am down 4 pounds and my daughter is down 5 pounds.
I understand why some may have given up around the third week. I gained 3 pounds last week out of nowhere and I was ready to throw in the towel. My daughter convinced me to keep going and a couple of days ago I started to lose.
JackieB – do you take a statin (ie.Lipitor, Crestor)? That can be the cause of leg pain. Also, dehydration or a lack of potassium, sodium, calcium, or magnesium can be the culprit. You should have it checked out.
On to week 5!
Cheryl…
I do not take any statins… and really, the only thing my sister and I have done that is the same is the Irvingia and we did not even know about eachothers symptoms until we had a conversation last night. So strange. I am glad that nobody else seems to be experiencing this. I will check with Life Extension. Also, Susan… I have not received my hard copy of Life Extension yet this month.
LCC thanks for not kicking me off because I believe a calorie deficit is king in fat loss. I get most of my info from Dr. John Berardi, Lyle McDonald and Tom Venuto… Even the LEF has at the top of it’s list energy expenditure as the chief cause of obesity. I didn’t mean to imply that it is a simple thing. While the physics of fat loss, taking in less energy than you expend, is cut and dried, doing it is most certainly not and involves a whole host of physiological, sociological and psychological challenges.
I’m on a lower dose of one pill a day and am experiencing no lightheadedness. Taking mainly for CRP and blood glucose. Looking forward to blood test results from others.
LD,
I’m not sure what happens after 10 weeks….seems the last 2 weeks in the study participants lost an average of 5 lbs a week, but I imagine as your weight gets within more normal ranges depending on lifestyle habits it will begin to taper off maybe? I’m not really sure. I guess we’ll see when we get there! I just finished week 5. I also ordered Zymessence, but it has yet to arrive. Hopefully it will help a lot with my constipation issues along with making sure my magnesium levels are up. Thanks for the additional info! Also don’t worry about 1 lb gain…depending on what type of surgery it can cause fluid retention. I swelled like a balloon after my second c-section and even had water on my lungs…they did nothing for it, just sent me home and said I’d be fine! Thank goodness I was but it felt like I was drowning when I laid horizontal and had bubbling in my throat. Glad your surgery went fine save for the extra bleeding.
Susan Noble,
Please keep us posted on further results and bloodwork! Glad to hear you saw results despite the Holidays!
judy d,
Keep checking in…I really like the good sleep side effect myself along with the vivid dreams.
Rich,
Could you let us know what you mean by “little weight loss” in the month? I find it interesting many of us are saying we overindulged through the Holidays and either had no weight gain or some weight loss. To me, that is enough to make me satisfied:o)
SusanM,
Goodluck on your fat pants contest! I have to cash in my fat pants to GoodWill because the only thing holding them up anymore are my hands and it looks like I have a load in the back they are SO loose! I even fit nicely in a pair of smaller jeans that I used to not be able to pull hardly past my knees! I’m thinking the same thing with the article coming up because we get our magazine SO much earlier than the month it is published for.
HelenM,
Thanks for checking in with your progress…hopefully now with the Hoidays behind us things will improve more.
JackieB,
Is it like they are “sleeping”, aching or fatigued? Maybe consult LEFs health advisor line or your dr in the meantime. I haven’t read any reports here or at LEF’s forum with that concern.
mpr,
Members get their mags way ahead of time so I don’t think it was referencing the Jan edition. Perhaps the February. It should be posted on their website when the magazine comes out….but I could be wrong! We’ll let you know when we get it!
Cheryl,
Thanks for your encouraging words. Yes, I think Irvingia needs time and have to admit to being impatient at times myself, but I am NOT giving up! I am happy with my results so far. Keep us posted!
Anyway, I wrote them to to get clarification if Oben did their studies or if they were simply referencing him as they referenced “previous” studies on Irvingia in their article. I am having results which I’m okay with….you know 9 lbs lost in a month doesn’t seem like a miracle, but alot of people lost or remained the same weight through the Holidays when admitting to overeating. Lets hope it works like the article study where in 8-10 weeks you start losing faster.
RESULTS after 5 weeks loss of 9 lbs total.
I started Monday Dec 1st after Thanksgiving in which I gained 5 lbs back and I had an amazingly painless recovery!
Start weight 201lbs Monday Dec 1st
After Week one 195
After Week two 192
After Week three 191 a couple days later hit 189.6 (first time in 180′s for a long time!)
After Week four 194 (gained a little over 4 lbs back low weight of 189.6 from overeating heavily through Christmas)
After Week five 192 (yup, partied over New Year’s….had a week of dress rehearsals for Alice in Wonderland play along with cast party and going out 4 times through the week plus overindulging in a Turkey dinner New Year’s eve)
All in all down 9 lbs. Definitley had fluctucation through the Holidays along with gain I suspect from high sodium, constipation, overeating and imbibing. I think we can give Irvingia the true test now that the Holidays are behind us and life is returning to a more normal regimen. I would state myself as happy with the results thus far despite not so good habits through the Holidays that normally would have resulted in a huge weight gain. Also for the first time ever my HDL is above 40! I clocked in at 42.7 with bloodwork that was taken 2.5 weeks into my Irvingia! I’m always low 30′s for HDL and being told I need to raise it.
Good luck and best wishes to everyone who’s checking in and keeping up with the regimen.
Shelley
Oh, eating habits are still Body for Life along with all the Holiday cheating (Alice in Wonderland week was very sketchy eating), absolutely NO exercise since my one 20 minutes elliptical like 2 weeks ago.
New Year’s Resolutions starting today now that life is stablizing after the Holidays and play….earlier bedtime, daily Body for Life workouts, sticking to Body for Life eating regimen which is much like SusanM’s dr prescribed 6 meals a day 2-3 hours apart consisting of complex carb (size of fist) and protein (size of palm)….I do the Myoplex shakes as 3 of my meals. I do not do low fat, low carb or starvation by any means. So there are my habits.
I am finishing up my first bottle of slim-signals – started at 142 and today I weighed in at 138. I am going to continue as I have cooked and entrtained 13 grandchildrn over the holidays – if I never see another cookie or turkey again I will be grateful. Usually I gain five pounds over the holidays. Now that everything is over I will be watching what I eat in addition to taking the irvingia. No side effects except that my appetite is definetely down and I also have noticed that I sleep like a log. Over the past year I usually wake up at 3:30 and have trouble going back to sleep. This is not happening now. Even if I don’t lose more weight I am grateful for the good nights sleep.
Today is day 19 for me on irvingia, 300mg daily.
Weight: I’ve gained 2.5 lbs (at the most) since starting irvingia, but that’s actually not bad considering how much I ate and drank over the holidays.
Side effects: slight laxative effect, as well as three episodes of nighttime reflux, which I’ve never had before. All day today I had an acid-y throat. I don’t like it. Zantac helps but it’s scaring me. The reflux has only been occurring in the last seven days.
Bonus: I didn’t have any headaches for a 13-day stretch, which is quite amazing. But this week I’ve had three and had to bust out the Imitrex.
The only thing that will keep me from continuing the irvingia is if this reflux keeps up. I have a new & true sympathy for people who cope with this all the time.
Finished my 1st bottle (4th week). I have gained one pound since starting on Irvingia. I didn’t change my eating habits over the holidays, so I can’t blame overeating. I’ll take the second bottle since I can return empty bottles for a refund if they don’t work as advertised. Disappointed by the results, but not surprised.
I just started Irvingia 2 hours ago and have noticed no side effects or weight loss! Sarcasm is good right? I did just start Irvingia 2 hours ago truthfully. What I see as an overriding theme on this site is that all of these people were over eating over the holidays and have a wide range of health problems that cause weight loss to be difficult. No pill is going to allow you to over eat and lose weight. No pill is going to overcome health issues like thyroid problems etc… No pill is going to overcome lack of exercise. What I am looking for with Irvingia is something to cut my cravings for sweets and hopefully something that will decrease my appetite so I will eat less. That’s it. If Irvingia can do that then it is a huge success. Since this is not a controlled study I am suspecting that all or most of you are eating and doing things in your life that would cause a failure no matter what the weight loss drug. You have to have a lifestyle change in order to lose weight and Irvingia is only one tool to accomplish that. I will report after I have been on Irvingia for a month, then 2 months. I would ask that all the people on this list stop reporting on 2, 5, 8 etc… day intervals. It just doesn’t make any sense. Herbs and vitamins are not drugs and don’t work quickly to achieve results.
CJM – sarcasm is *fine*…I’d personally have almost nothing to talk about with other people is it wasn’t for sarcasm.
As to the frequent reporting, there *is* a benefit to it: if anyone is having a side effect, that’s useful info. If anyone had a 10 pound weight loss in the first 2 weeks, that as well would be worth reporting.
Agreed to weight reporting every other day being somewhat worthless, however – no promises were made that there would be any appreciable difference in weight until at least after the first month, so that is more a sign of impatience than anything else.
Regards,
LCC
CJM – In my experience and, if you’ll read here, irvingia reduces appetite initially and then this effect dissapates. If you are taking it for these reasons it wil only last for a little while.
I for one like to read the postings here. They remind me not to expect too much too soon and give me the heads up on what others are experiencing. I am glad LCC owns and controls the postings or we would miss out! Thank you LCC for making this available. I think its a great idea.
The February issue of LEF has an article called Turn off your Fat switch which is about irvingia. I haven’t read it yet but it looks interesting.
I’ve been taking it for a month now. I don’t think I’ve lost any weight, but I haven’t weighed in a couple of weeks. I don’t *feel* as if I’ve lost any weight though, and I definitely haven’t lost any waist size.
However, unlike what Cheryl reports as the supposed general consensus on this board, I continue to have reduced appetite, maybe even more so. I have almost no desire to eat sweets anymore, whereas before it was a constant drumbeat, especially when I’d enter a bakery or something. And then if I did eat something sweet I’d want to eat more and more.
On Irvingia however, I don’t feel that way. In addition, when I’m eating, I can just stop when or before I feel full. That is really rare for me. I’m an over-eater from way back. And as I reported before, I don’t feel tired after I eat much anymore, like I sometimes would, so I assume the Irvingia is reducing my blood sugar.
Other effects:
——————
* Lightheadedness has gone away except for every so often
* The thirsty feeling/dry throat went away initially but has returned
* My sleep seems deeper and more dream-filled, as others have reported
* Over the last 10 days I’ve developed acid reflux
* I also have a bit of nausea almost consistently, but I’m not sure if it’s related
* My skin, especially on my legs, feels really dry and itchy. Not sure if this is attributable to the Irvingia or not.
I’m committed to at least finishing my second bottle. It seems like I’m bound to lose some weight just from appetite supression.
CJM – I think people are sharing more than is normal because this is a brand new product with limited data so no one knows what to expect. It is the same on the LEF forum as well. We are the first group so every nuance is being reported. Your expectations are different than others. And to be realistic, how do you know that this pill will not work on people whose thyroids are off? There is no data pro or con. Also, people have seen a change in their sleeping quality in just a few days of taking the Integra-Lean and this interesting information to some people. So please do not try to dictate to people about what they should be reporting or not. I for one am very interested in all of the data….
(sent via email)
I started taking LEF Irvingia using their protocol (2 150mg tabs/day) in mid Nov. Thru Thanksgiving holidays and Christmas feasts and so far I’ve lost 5 lbs. Down from 237lb to 232lb.
-Bruce
Cheryl – Did you already receive your February issue?
Cheryl,
Did you get your February issue of LEF already?!
CJM,
We have discovered many things reporting early….many of us are sleeping like logs with vivid dreaming, reduced caffeine craving, increased urination and thirst, detox feelings in the first couple weeks. Honestly I beg to differ on the reduced calorie thing in my experience with Irvingia….but eating healthy certainly does not hurt! Also SusanM started adding carbs on the recommendation of her Dr along with treating her thyroid and that seemed to help. I wonder if it works as well on low carb the way it affects blood sugar?
I too am thankful for this board Cheryl. I like that LCC allows us all to post despite all our differencing viewpoints on diet. So CJM, we welcome your thoughts and opinions and would still like to hear your check ins! I do agree there will be weekly fluctuations and everyone needs to report their habits and weight so we can all trouble shoot things along with patience because it takes time for it to kick in and can be discouraging in the first couple weeks because it acts the opposite of most diet supplements with more weight loss the longer you are on it according to the study. That must eventually even itself out.
My notice is it helps recover when you have an off week and gain from overeating. So rather than going into a slump of self loathing and gaining back more, the recoveries I noted have been painless. I overate, didn’t exercise and gained back minimally through the Holidays and to my surprise I just posted yesterday my week 1-5 results AND….OMG :GASP: :SHOCK: I woke up this morning to go to an appointment with my Son and was SO dog tired from last week’s play rehearsals, the shows, New Year’s and cast partying that I came home and after eating my 2 eggs over easy, two pieces of toast and big glass of orange juice taking my irvingia and fuco, I took a 4 hour nap. My weight was once again at its lowest 189.4 upon waking! Breaking into the 180′s again is like magic to me! Especially since yesterday I ate two out of the 4 little micro pizzas that one of my kids made, a bowl of stuffing with gravy and two reese’s cups with a big glass of whole milk along with my Body for Life regimen! I’m certainly not promoting you try this at home! I certainly thought I had done more harm only to eat, nap and wake up at my lowest weight!
I agreed it may not be able to overcome thyroid issues, but it will correct many reasons that restrict weight loss and mechanisms that help fat cells get bigger. I also think many obese/overweight people suffer health issues that go hand in hand with the extra weight. I don’t think there is any getting around that. Good fats (MUFA’s) also have similar effects as Irvingia on CRP, raising adiponectin, reducing cortisol and lowering glucose (just read this in First) I have also been cooking in Safflower oil, eating avacodoes occasionally and switched to whole milk products (recently shown that the fat with CLA in them is better than the sugars and carbs they replace the fat with in the skim and low percent milks). Sounds like a fat sentence, but I think it is helping!
I’m going to get my CRP, adrenals, homocysteine and a full physical soon. My TSH is finally below 2…just barely, but its there! Will keep everyone posted….:o)
PeterC,
I used to crave sweets too and wake up in the middle of the night to eat them with a big glass of milk….I still did it about two weeks into the Irvingia and sometimes even more than before (I suppose getting used to it controlling my glucose?), but ya, you are right….same here! I think my only recent sweet binge was two reese’s cups….and funeral bars over Christmas. They are literally to die for!
Like SusanM says we can’t know for sure about the thyroid….I’m sure it doesn’t help and maybe it can’t overcome it, because when mine was off I gained eating not even enough to sustain myself. We have no idea if any of the test subjects had thyroid issues so the verdict is still out on that one!
Hello CJM-
I don’t overeat, I’ve never been on a diet, never gone low-carb, don’t eat any processed foods, haven’t been into a fast food restaurant in 20 years, have no health problems, take no meds or any other supplements, and swim one mile (at a quick pace) 3-4 times a week. If Irvingia doesn’t work for me then who is it meant for? My extra 10 pounds is age related. After one month on this stuff and gain of one pound, I understand what I knew to be true from the get-go…that I need to eat less (even if I wasn’t overeating to begin with) and exercise 5-7 days per week.
I should have elaborated more. In the first few weeks my appetite was gone – I actually forgot to eat sometimes. This effect dissipated and my appetite came back. However when it did I no longer craved foods between meals and I become satiated much more quickly after a meal. I can bypass the goodies now. I don’t care to partake. My daughter said she would have paid for this effect by itself.
BG- LCC has a great link to a lecture from Gary Taubs at the University of Berkley on his Library page. If you have the time you should listen – it has convinced me to alter my diet.
Shelly and Susan – I received it yesterday. The article does not really tell us anything more and cites the study that we have all read.
BG – I am losing slowly – I have been on the Integra-Lean for a little over one month and have lost 5 pounds – but not really until last week. So, I did not start losing any weight until the end of the 1st month, beginning of the 2nd month so I am beginning to think that this is cumulative and everyone reacts a little differently. Five pounds is HUGE for me, but perhaps not for others. Before I began the Integra I was not eating any breakfast (I was not hungry), I usually ate a salad with grilled chicken and/or hard boiled egg for lunch, a fruit for a mid-afternoon snack and a small bowel of cereal for dinner – or a half of a peanut butter sandwich and I still gained weight like you could not believe! My TSH level was in the “normal” range according to mainstream medicine, but not according to my complementary doctor. Actually, I was starving myself forcing my body to burn next to nothing and I was waking up in the middle of the night because of low blood sugar – and losing NOTHING. So, I recommend if anyone over 50 is trying to lose weight by eating right and exercising and not getting anywhere they should have their hormone levels checked – not just thyroid. It is also an issue of quality of life as we age.
Cheryl and Shelly – Arrrgh!!! I was hoping that there would be new information in the article….
Interesting posts. Okay, now that the lightheadedness seems to be gone since adjusting hormones, I’m taking the recommended dose for the slimsignals. The intense sleep and dreaming are back…sure hope this stuff doesn’t have anything weird in it.
I also do not over eat. I’m eating body builder style and know what I am eating with very little off-foods. I also track body composition and not weight. I exercise five days a week. I like the postings primarily to compare any symptomatic stuff.
BG,
Others who have a small amount of weight to lose don’t seem to be getting any results either at the one month mark. I’m not sure if you have to take it longer since your body chemistry is more normal or if it will even work if you are not overweight/obese? All the participants in the study were significantly overweight. How long are you going to stay on it? Keep us posted!
It’s too soon to know if I get any body comp changes because I dropped out of taking it after the first week and lightheadedness was not ignorable. I adjusted my hormones and waited a good week or two to get back on. So right now, I plan to take until two bottles are consumed. I’ll decide then if I want to continue. I’ll be taking a blood test at the end of March. I am not looking so much for weight change as I am for blood glucose improvements, HDL improvements and lower CRP. If all goes well I will keep taking it through my blood test. Yes, the body fights losing fat the leaner you get.
So in today’s mail I got a letter dated January 2, 2009 from Mr. Faloon addressed to “Dear Irvingia Customer”. Did anyone else posting here receive it?
I imagine many or most of you will, and I think it is worth looking at carefully, and I’d be interested in comments about it.
Basically, LEF tries to address in the letter some of the concerns and negative feedback about Integra-Lean. And in my opinion, it is a step in the right direction, and certainly much more than I would expect from a typical supplement firm. There are some plausible explanations for the variety of experiences that are presented on this board, for example, although of course much remains as theory and supposition.
My main disappointment with the letter is that it does not discuss the concerns raised about the integrity of the work done by Mr. Oben, nor does it establish a set of data on Irvingia in humans which does not involve Oben.
The letter does make the point that irvingia will not ‘work’ if calories are significantly increased, such as may have occured with many people over the holiday period. People are notoriously bad at accurately reporting calorie consumption, but there’s not much to be done about it. Anyway, the holidays are now behind us, so that reason will fade over the next few months.
Faloon also says that weight loss accelerated after 4 weeks, since leptin sensitivity is restored quite gradually.
The letter then argues that the Cameroon study participants had a diet that tended to have a lot of complex carbs and fiber in it, and that therefore the best results for us will be for those of us who have a diet rich in complex carbs and fiber. The theory is in part based on the role that carbs have in leptin regulation (or conversely, that low-carb diets can lead to disregulation of leptin). I’m not an expert in this area; anyone out there care to weigh in on this point? (Note that the letter contains a one-pager from Steven Joyal, MD on the topic, which concludes that “diets high in complex carbohydrates and rich in fiber but low in saturated fat would appear to allow for optimal results with Irvingia gabonensis extract.”)
Then Mr. Faloon’s letter describes his own individual experience using Irvingia. He says he used it for two months (and continues) and went from a 34 inch waist to a 30 inch waist, lost 17 pounds and had “a rather sharp reduction in appetite.” He says that reduced calorie ingestion is a health benefit regardless of weight management, and thus he expects to continue taking Irvingia indefinitely.
The letter urges customers like us to continue for the full 10 weeks before making a final decision, and says they will refund money to dissatisfied customers.
I am inclined to take that advice. I have experienced what I would say is moderate appetite reduction and that alone has been worthwhile for me, since I have not experienced negative side effects. I have lost a little weight, which could be through some of the theorized pathways of Irvingia action, or simply through reduced calorie consumption which goes with the reduced appetite. I also believe the reduced appetite could be “placebo” effect, since appetite has a mental, as well as a physical, component. But it is worth it to keep going as long as it ‘works’, right?
For what it is worth, the letter states that 87% of the Irvingia participants in Cameroon reported reduced appetite, while 15% of the placebo did. If these are ‘real’ numbers, perhaps it is not far off of what people are experiencing here; perhaps for 4 out of 5 people there will be some noticeable appetite effect. That’s pretty darn good, don’t you think?
Sorry for rambling, looking forward to other comments and discussion.
Mark
I got the letter.
Tomorrow will be the end of 4 weeks for me. I am down 4 lbs. 229 to 225 and have been as low as 223 this past 4 weeks.
A lot of us seem to be moving into the second month now – should be interesting.
Thanks, for the info on the letter. Maybe everyone should also be taking their waist circumference. That would tell more about what is happening than scale weight. If it reduces appetite that would be fine. I have a very high complex carbohydrate diet so Faloons letter, if accurate is good news for me. I definitely note an appetite reduction, but only time will tell I guess. Thanks again for your post about the letter.
I just got the letter. Thank you. I am down four pounds and have really noticed a decrease in my appetite but more importantly to me is that I am sleeping like a log – having vivid dreams but they are not the same kind I had when on Chantrix that were so disturbing I quit the medication – they were scary and I remembered them all day the next day – I would kep taking this just for being able to sleep all night -
(Sent via email)
Hi again:
I have just finished my 5th week of Irvingia and I am back to my starting weight. I weighed the same three
weeks in a row and last week put on 2 lbs. and this week took off 2 lbs. Maybe the way to look at this
is that I got through Christmas without weight gain!
But I did have higher hopes than that. I spoke with someone at Irvingia who recommended that I have complex
carbs. vs. low carb. in my diet. And that perhaps my real weight loss will occur around the 10th week. It all
seems rather vague to me. I doubt that I’ll be losing 28 lbs. in the last week!!
Now that Christmas food is behind me, I will try to eat somewhat less and see if this stuff really can work.
I’m committed for the next 2 weeks anyway.
My sleep, when I do sleep, is deeper than before Irvingia and I still have a dizziness when lying on my
back at times.
Judy
1/8/08
took the Irvingia 3 days pulse up from 60 to 80.
blood pressure up . caps go in the trash.
no more for me. ca
I just finished 4 weeks on this stuff and too got the letter from LEF. I was doing low carb (Atkins for 1 week) and lost nothing. LEF letter says that’s a mistake!
Also been taking fliuxocanthin, CLA and Green Tea.
I’ve been working out for 6 months and in this 6 months my weight has gone from 286 to 283 (I’m 62 and 5’10″) My stomach is much smaller, I’m much stroger and my eating is much better! But 3 lbs in 6 months is disappointing. I’m doing power training with a trainer who thinks this is great! I’ve definitely increased muscle mass and was always very thickly muscled. My goals were 240-250!
Did get a blood test (Mid Dec) and have free testosterone of 9.3. according to the LEF letter (7 Pillars) this needs to be normal- What is normal??? The book TESTOTERONE FOR LIFE by Doctor Morgentaler says (on Page 72) that number needs to be Great than 15. I’m going to see my doctor and try the hormone cream LEF REcommended to get that up? Other places I read say that 9.3 is within normal. My total T is 403. Am I below average here and could this be the problem???
Has anyone tried this to help you lose weight? Is 15 free T a good goal?
Can anyone who got the LEF letter scan it and send it to me at lcc@lowcarbconfidential.com? I’ll post it on the site for everyone.
LCC
Hi everyone. I appreciate all the information and have had some similar experiences with irvingia. First appetite suppression and lost interest in coffee and sleeping better. Five weeks in, appetite is back and I maintained loss of 5 lbs despite a lot of holiday eating. I am near ideal weight and was happy to settle for not gaining and feeling good and hoping for even better test results than I already had before irvingia. I heard about the letter from LEF from a friend and although I have been rather low carb for years, I did add a significant amount or whole grain cereal and bananas and sweet potato to yesterday and the day before and started losing again. This morning’s breakfast is lasting me a lot longer than usual and it did have complex carbs. Usually, carbs set me off to eating all day long and craving sweets. Not today. Most interesting. Maybe we have been doing well for ourselves with low-carbing, but now we can add the good ones back in moderation and still have the good results with irvingia. Good luck to all!
LD,
Off topic but how do you think LEF’s Super Digestive Enzymes stack up to Zymessence? There are some differences…no bromelain or serrapeptidase in the LEF one, but it is higher in other stuff and has 8x pancreatin which is lower too but one could take more and is a fraction of the price if you do the math for the same amount. Let me know what you think? I will also test the difference….I have the LEF stuff, but haven’t used it much and my Zymessense arrived today.
Thanks!
I have been on Irvingia for about 4 weeks. Not seeing any difference that I recognize as being related to Irvingia. I am really enjoying following everyone here.
Vic T, My husband and I see a good Dr that has him on testosterone at age 55. When we first came to this Dr. my husband just finished a course of Interferon for Hep C. He was overweight, and the GI Dr said that he was now diabetic. The regular internist put him on Metformin, blood pressure meds, and Tricor. We went to see this new anti-aging dr who said he had metabolic syndrome and said the first thing to do is get his free testosterone (currently 7.9) up to a normal 20 year olds levels of about 24. My husband lost 35 pounds, his blood sugar came into line, his lipid profile turned completely around. all in about 4 mo. Plus his muscles came back and so did his energy.
of course he walked on the beach almost everyday for about an hour, ate lots of grapes and other fruit and drank whey protein shakes for breakfast. He still takes Metformin and high concentrate fish oil by Metagenics containing about 1500mg of DHA. I hope that helps.
Been on this stuff for 6 weeks. The placebo effect is incredible and I now know why it has to be tested in that manner. The first week I wasn’t hungry at all and was excited about the loss of apetite. I realize that I thought my apetite was lessened but 6 weeks later find no difference any longer. Haven’ tlost a pound either. We all got taken here folks. I have always known and preached that there is no magic bullet for weight loss, especially from a pill. Won’t happen, unless it’s speed or methamphetamine, then the pounds will pour off.
I’m not overweight to begin with and was attracted to the Irvingia for the cholesterol lowering claims. I am one of those people that have had high cholesterol my entire life. Diet and excercise make no difference for me. So I thought I’d give it a shot.
Did I mention I haven’t lost ONE pound? We’ll see how the blood work comes back, but I’m disappointed with LEF. I’ve used their products for years and this one looks to be a sham.
Hi All,
Please read my latest post for a full update on my experiment with Irvingia – including the letter sent to customers by LEF.
http://lowcarbconfidential.com/2009/01/09/the-letter-on-integra-lean-irvingia-from-lef-and-what-it-means-to-me/
Regards,
LCC
JIm, are you going to continue taking it to see if it helps with your blood-lipid profile?
Jim – ok you are not overweight to begin with so why are you disappointed in not losing weight? Why would you expect to lose any at all? This is about increasing leptin receptors and if your’s are already working then you probably can’t improve it any further. If you read the letter from Faloon you willl see that he stopped losing weight when he got down to a specific level so I don’t see your point. I would be interested in the bloodwork though – after 10 weeks.
If the blood tests come back with the advertised improvements … then there is no doubt this works. If not …. Then it doesn’t work.
I will get blood tests soon but my values are already good thanks to the TRiCOR and WelChol I am taking. Need input from somebody not on cholesterol meds.
28 days on Slim Signals yesterday. This morning 224 … down from 229 (have been 223 during this period).
Still very noticeable Appetite suppression noted… and Thirst.
The 5 lbs could be from a water pill type effect because I can’t seem to keep enough water in me.
Usually I just walk about 45 minutes a day. Felt like running this morning. Feeling good. Feeling less bloated these past few weeks than I usually do after meals.
The articles and studies seem to make sense. New article in February Life Extension Magazine … not yet published on the Web. Included information from the 2008 study of more than 100 subjects.
Jim,
The product was tested on overweight/obese people so to call it a sham when you are not overweight I feel is unfair. All the reports from people not overweight with “subjective” weight to lose aren’t seeing results even after one month. It seems once you’ve reached an ideal weight the effects bottom out as in the letter from Faloon. He’s down to a 30 waist which he feels is too big stil (I think that is tiny for a guy!), but Irvingia after taking off several lbs and inches around his waist he states is no longer doing anything more. Also if you just bought it for the cholesterol purposes, make sure you check in with your results! I had my cholestrol taken 2.5 weeks into taking Irvingia and for the first time ever my HDL wasn’t in the low 30′s it was actually over 40 at 42.7 and I’ve been getting good results as I am definitely overweight. Like SusanM said (her post came up as I was typing mine so sorry if anything is redundant), it is about your leptin receptors and sensitivity. Also low carb will stunt the effects because it causes leptin dysregulation which is a major way Irvingia works is by restoring leptin sensitivity. Which made sense why it wasn’t working well for those on low carbs too which I was suspect of before so I’m glad a letter confirmed it. That just my two cents and be glad they will give you your money back if you aren’t satisfied! I just find it funny all these thin people are trying it and getting so upset over it not instantly taking off lbs. Nothing in the article even eludes to it working on people in a normal weight range without significant abdominal fat. Once again even when I do reach my goals, I love the sleep, dreams, ease of recovery after messing up my nutrition plan and the lowering of the CRP.
Vince,
I noticed I get full easier and stop eating sooner and forget to eat past my scheduled meals. It says to be careful using Irvingia with cholesterol meds so your cholesterol doesn’t go too low. I had bloodwork done 2.5 weeks into it and as I said for the first time I wasn’t in the low 30′s for HDL and actually in the normal range above 40 at 42.7. YAY!
I’m riding out the full 10 weeks and then hopefully another 10-15 weeks until I reach my goals. Also depending on my upcoming bloodwork I may stay on it indefinitley for the sleep, calorie reduction, lower CRP and to keep me at my goal weight.
Shelley H, you mentioned your HDL but not your CRP. Was it high before you took the Irvingia? If so, how much did it go down? What about your LDL? and triglicerides? Did you notice any improvement?
You don’t have to be specific, just a list of how many points up or down would be great if you don’t mind.
Thanks
P.S. I think there really needs to be another independent peer reviewed study of this product.
JS,
I have to go back on my lipid profile to get my past numbers….my current lipids 2.5 weeks into Irvingia are LDL – 86 HDL – 42.7 TGL – 78 and Cholesterol 144. That falls under extremely low Cholesterol, but I can’t seem to find LEF’s article on what is too low. Nevermind….found it! YIKES!
Right from the original Irvingia LEF article:
“Optimal cholesterol levels range from 180 to 200 mg/dL. Cholesterol over 200 increases heart attack risk, whereas 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.”
Dang, I eat eggs every day! Now what? ANYONE taking Cholesterol lowering prescriptions better be careful taking Irvingia as the article warns! I’m not even on them and look how low my Cholesterol is….but I wonder if it has always been that low….I only remember my HDL being low. Thank goodness I’m just a little below! I don’t want to have someone spoonfeeding me my eggs from a stroke…unless of course it is a maybe a naked male dancer!
I didn’t have CRP done here….the drs would refuse to order it here, trust me and insist I’m crazy! Welcome to the Dark Ages of medicine! Ya, my old Dr still sees my Hubby and he refused to treat my thyroid despite my symptoms and jumping just in the top of the normal range by 2 hundreths….at the Hubby’s last appt he sat and said yup, those are symptoms of your thyroid and glad to hear you are being treated! I’m going to my dr 6 hours away and getting all that done soon, but I have no baseline to run on other than for my lipids. I will try to find my last test prior. I just remember always getting HDLs in the low 30′s and being ragged on to get them up.
ATTN: this contains TMI and not for those who are past the anal stages of their psychological development!
I also have another point of concern:
I am questioning coupling the Irvingia with the Fuco. No matter how much liquid I drink in a day, I still feel extremely thirsty lately! Which as of the last 3 days actually shows on my forehead where my skin dents in….(my 7 year old Daughter brought it to my attention) and LAST NIGHT my Hubby noted it on my head while massaging it last night so I did the pinch test on my knuckles and the skin stays up! So far I have downed a 20 ounce bottle of gatorade G2, countless glasses of water, and 3 large diet pepsi’s Applebee’s size (not a fan of aspartame, but needed flavor) and I’m still thirsty and my knuckle pinch test is still staying up! I’m going to monitor this closely, but is anyone else using SlimSignals experiencing this? For full disclosure….It may be coupled with the fact I have to use my Super Cleanse in the middle of the night at 3 pills plus a 16 ounce glass of water to work cuz I can’t split the dose up or the fiber will absorb the oils in the Fuco I take 3 times a day. I also just started taking Zymessence yesterday and making sure my magnesium is high enough through dietary supplements. I’m having looser BM’s but I don’t think enough to account for that much liquid loss? Anyone else experiencing this? I’m in week 6 of Irvingia Integra Lean and was taking the Fuco consistently for a couple weeks before….both I’m taking at the recommended dose. I also noted I’m more headachey which is something I’m not prone to in the last couple days! I don’t think there has been any research on Irvingia/Fuco combo and now I’m a bit worried with the dehydration and low cholesterol. I’m calling LEF!
Here’s the bottom line — the “scientist” who concluded that Irvingia leads to weight loss is employed by the company that stands to profit most from the product. In addition, if you notice, LEF suggests a diet to follow while on Irvingia. The diet is a low calorie diet and anyone following it will lose lots of weight over a 2 months period. Save your money and just eat low cal and exercise. It’s simple: to lose weight, consume less calories and exercise more. LEF is a sleek money-making machine.
shelly h.,
I am on slim signals. It is my 10th day. I do not notice that much increase in thirst. However, I have been a big water drinker my entire life. Still loving the deep sleep. No appetite, amazing for me.
What company is the scientist employed by? LEF is a non-profit, I did not receive any diet information with my supplements.
All we have to do is get our blood tests to see if the supplements work as advertised.
If it does, the cholesterol and triglyceride reduction alone would produce a lot of sales. A month worth of WelChol and TriCor cost several times as much as Irvingia.
If the advertised reductions in CRP and Leptin are also validated …
According to several medical articles I have looked at … it seems well established that CRP levels and Leptin resistance are associated with Obesity.
If blood tests show these factors are corrected … then the Irvingia will have been shown objectively to do what it is advertised to do.
“What company is the scientist employed by?”–Vince
Julius Oben is the Chief Scientific Officer at Gateway Health Alliances Inc. in Syracuse, New York, which is a wholesaler of botanicals. LEF hasn’t said where they’re getting their product, but I’ll bet it’s from them.
Small world.
Oben has many times found natural products that reduce cholesterol in spectacular fashion. Ten years ago he discovered that chitosan reduces total blood cholesterol by 54%. Wow! Goodbye statins, hello chitosan! Unfortunately, independent studies found there was no effect at all, or such a small effect that it wasn’t medically useful.
Well, anyone can make a mistake.
And it seemed that Oben redeemed himself, for just last year he found that ProAlgaZyme (a brand of algae water manufactured by Health Enhancement) lowered total cholesterol by 65 points in Syndrome X patients. Another wow! Health Enhancement got so excited that they tried to validate his study in the US. Alas, they failed to get positive results and halted the trial. The CEO resigned a week later and the company has been moribund ever since. Even so, they still haven’t repudiated Oben’s results (or tried another trial of their own).
But that isn’t the end of it. Oben made similar cholesterol claims about Cissus quadragularis, a weight loss botanical his company is selling. No one else has tried to reproduce those results, to my knowledge, or his results with Irvingia. So maybe one of those actually works for a change. Since LEF is backing Irvingia with its reputation, surely William Falloon will tell us what happened to his own cholesterol numbers.
Well, my month trial of irvingia is up. I do think it decreased my appetite, but I did not lose an ounce. So no more of that! FYI, I am 63 and only ten or 15 lbs overweight. I will continue the low carb lifesyle (carbohydrate addict diet) for ever, I guess. I am going to try whole body vibration next. I know someday I will lose some weight!
This stuff doesn’t really kick in until the 2nd month so a one month trial is not realistic. The study said 10 weeks and 4 weeks out of 10 is not realistic in my opinion. I am on week five and lost 5 pounds total during week 4 and 5. It has to affect your leptin receptors and everyone is different. I would suggest everyone read Faloon’s letter to get a better understanding of how it works. Also, I am not sure it will work on those people who have only a few pounds to lose…. And you know what they say about the last ten!!!
Susan, as Falloon says about his own weight loss in his letter: “I…will continue to strive to reduce my daily calorie intake to below 1500.” Well sure, if you have enough willpower to do it. But the promise of this pill is that it will reduce your hunger, and therefore enable you to lose weight even without willpower. For with enough willpower one could lose weight with anything at all.
Lou,
Falloon has been striving to reduce caloric intake for years. Not really to do with weight loss. The fewer calories people consume (within reason) the longer they live. He wants to live forever.
Vince,
You make a real important point here: at the core of the Life Extension Foundation is – indeed – the goal to extend life *indefinitely*.
Me – I wouldn’t want to live forever – as one person said on their deathbed: “It’s OK that I’m dying – I’ve had quite enough of myself!”
I just want to live out my alloted years lean, healthy, active, and clearheaded, then get out of the way for the next generation.
Besides: imagine if LEF achieved their goal and we had 300-year-old Florida drivers plowing through farmers’ markets?
The thought staggers the mind.
LCC
Lou,
Faloon was on below 1500 before he started the Irvingia and couldn’t lose weight. He lost several lbs and 4 inches off his waist and that was all he could do.
Mandy,
It won’t work on a low carb diet and those last subjective pounds either once you are in your healthy weight range it seems.
Update: I was dehydrated yesterday despite drinking copious amounts of water and calorie free G2. I didn’t take the Fuco and Irvingia yesterday because of it. 2.5 weeks into it my cholesterol is lower than LEF recommends and I am not on any cholestrerol lowering prescriptions and never have been. I will try to find an older lipid panel Monday from my Dr. I stoped taking the combo and am ready to quit the Fuco and just stick with the Irvingia because LEF said the Fuco is what makes you so thirsty. The nurse said it doesn’t make sense the I drink so much and I’m displaying signs of dehydration and wanted me to go in immediately. I couldn’t however as I had a dance recital to attend for my girls. I figured today now that my fluids are replenished since my knuckle skin is bouncing back but the skin on the back of my hands still is sticking a bit, that I would have gained back a lot in just fluid weight. I haven’t. However I was dog tired from being so low on fluids. I remember someone saying they were craving salty stuff so I wonder if it is depleting sodium from my system. I don’t use alot anyway, but I’m going to increase my intake and see if that helps. Today I’m going to try to continue with both the Fuco and Integra Lean cuz I’m loving the results and see if adding salt helps. If not, I’m going to go off the Fuco since LEF said that is the one that makes you thirsty the first time I called them. Keep me posted if you have anything like this happen.
judyd,
It wasn’t like that til recently in my 6th week. So let me know as you go if this happens. I don’t think there has been any testing on the combo in SlimSignals because both products are deemed safe and affect different areas, but together they may have made me dehydrated??
1500 calories a day for a man is starvation. What man would want to live forever on 1500cals a day? That’s my diet calorie range and I’m a 5′ 1″ woman. Sheesh! I’d rather live a shorter life and eat.
Lou, you are 100% right. You can lose fat on any diet that gives you a slight calorie deficit. They all work.
Lou – Well, the problem with living with reduced caloric intake is that you are always hungry. I don’t call that quality of life. Faloon is a firm believer in that however, and also in consuming a lot of fiber. I disagree with that theory as well. The reason that I am taking the Irvingia is to see if it does in fact help with the leptin receptors in addition to my balancing all my other hormones. Personally, I believe everything needs to be balanced (and everyone’s balance is different) and then you can lose the bad weight and stay healthy. I have tried eating very few calories and exercised to no avail so I am eating small meals throughout the day and making sure that they are protein and complex carbs. I must admit that the Integra-Lean not only reduces my appetite, but protects me against “carb coma” if I do eat any and that dreaded 3pm crash in the afternoons at work. I have been able to ignore the candy drawer close to my desk since I started. I absolutely LOVE chocolate and if I have only one piece, that’s it for me I am grazing all afternoon on it.
But on the subject of studies….hmmm…if you are truly interested in how some very ridiculous studies or even lack of studies – or just media lies from supposed “medical authorities” – can influence and entire generation and population, try reading Gary Taubes’ book Good Calories, Bad Calories…. I warn you it is very dry reading, but if you really want to know how we are exposed to mis-information without ever knowing about it, please do read it. I think it is right up your alley from what I’ve seen of your posts. Gary is a scientific writer and did an exhaustive investigation on diet, weight control and disease. He tells us of lab research done in the 1950′s of a strain of obese rats that grow obese even if they eat no more than the others that remain lean. It is because of one gene. The chapter on fiber is riveting. Between 1994 and 2000, there were two studies of forty-seven thousand male health professionals and the eighty-nine thousand women of the Nurses Health Study, both run out of the Harvard School of Public Health – and a half-dozen randomized control trials concluded that fiber consumption is unrelated to the risk of colon cancer, as is, apparently the consumption of fruits and vegetables, nor did it prevent heart disease or breast cancer or induce weight loss. However, the American Cancer Society continues to suggest that high fiber diets might reduce the risk of colon cancer… It does admit to helping constipation though. So, for all you lovers of studies and actual facts, this is an interesting read.
LC – Sorry, I also thought about you and this Low Carb website. You would especially enjoy the book I mentioned above because the prologue starts with the first low carb diet in 1862 of William Banting who in 1863 wrote a sixteen-page pamphlet – Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public. It created the first popular diet craze, called the Banting System. Within a year, “Banting” had entered the English language as a verb meaning “to diet.” So it was quite a craze. Of course the British Medical Association attacked both the diet and William Banting (much like Robert Atkins). Anyway, it is a great read and this whole issue of low carbs has been around quite a long time.
Hi SusanM,
Oh, yes – I’ve read Taubs’ book – I think it’s become the ‘bible’ of low carb in a way. It is a great book that is marred by the fact that he isn’t a very engaging writer – at least in this book. It was an article of his that started the low carb craze early in the decade – and look for my post ‘Exercise makes you fat’ that links to a very interesting article he wrote on exercise cut from the same cloth.
All this stuff is drier than it needs to be, unfortunately. I wish he had the ability to write as engaging as Michael Pollan (‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma’). There, a guy writes about organic farming and makes it *riveting*.
I heard a rumor somewhere that they were going to come out with a ‘simplified’ edition – God, I hope so. The book details how much events that have little to do with science dictate science sometimes – and fashion trumps truth and becomes dogma.
I want to read it again – I’m sure I didn’t get all that it offers on my first read through it.
Regards,
LCC
Ok, I wasn’t being clear on how the Integra-Lean is affecting me on a daily basis. When I take it, I do not experience any hunger. I could go almost all day without eating but I realize that this is not the way to lose weight or be healthy. So it ENABLES me to eat small portions of healthy food and not have a craving for those bad foods or the quick sugar pick me up. In the clearest terms, it is enabling me to follow a sensible diet with complete ease. This makes me very happy. Can I repeat – NO CRAVING. No craving at night while watching TV. This is big for me. Plus the sound sleep. It is sort of a set of “training wheels’ for eating well.
LCC
I don’t really have any dog in the fight as far as LEF. They have been a credible source of information. Anyone can be duped or just be wrong. I get all my other supplements from another manufacturer.
But they are fairly strongly standing behind this supplement. I am giving it its full shot. I bought 8 bottles of Slim Signals.
The proof will be the blood tests.
Retail:
WelChol $425/mo
Tricor $125/mo
Total $550/mo
or
IntegraLean $33/mo
The published correction of LDL and Triglycerides by Irvingia is about the same magnatude as that of the prescription meds above…. but at less than 1/16th the cost.
Lou brings up valid concerns about the track record of the researcher involved. I certainly hope Oben got it right this time because I will be saving a fortune. Looking to get blood tested during February after 10 weeks on Slim Signals.
I am thrilled to have found this discussion! I have not purchased any Irvingia yet – I was hoping to find some reviews first & stumbled upon this site. LCC, this was a brilliant idea. I wish someone would do this for every new product that comes out.
SusanM – I have especially enjoyed your posts. I am wondering if you would please post how much weight you are trying to lose? I like the fact that you have commited yourself to the full 10 weeks. I’ve noticed a few people have mentioned that they do not actually have weight to lose. I am trying to zone in the posters who actually have a sizeable amount to lose. The Feb 09 LE article mentioned that those of us who are overweight likely have leptin resistance, and that is specifically what the Irvingia is supposed to reverse.
You also mention that it has curbed your chocolate cravings. Can you go into more detail on this? Did this start right away and has this changed over the weeks? I have terrible cravings & I would take it just to control that.
I plan on purchasing soon, but am thinking I might continue to watch your progress first. I’ve been battling this weight for years, so waiting a few more weeks is not a problem…
thanks much!
I do NOT agree calorie restriction and exercise work when things are off in your body. Been there with tons of hard work and willpower and lost nothing. Very discouraging. Also ate not nearly enough to sustain a child and gained weight. Now that my thyroid is in balance and I’ve been on Fuco/Irvingia I’m seeing results easily. And this is coming from someone who used to be able to eat anything, anytime and stay small! I took the combo again today and added more salt….I’m getting excessively thirsty again. Will keep posted on that…getting headachey again too despite copious amounts of liquid.
Bethkay,
I have a substantial amount to lose. 70 more lbs. 5’3″ and 189. Lost 9 lbs the first month on Intregra Lean and Fuco. Been dehydrated though despite ingested unbelievable amounts of liquid. Quit for day, regained fluid, but didn’t gain weight.
LCC-
I am a veggie. I follow a diet high in complex carbs and very low in saturated fat. I’ve gained one pound on Irvingia after 4 weeks- so what Faloon suggests works for most isn’t working for me. I haven’t had my blood pressure checked recently, but will now do so immediately. I will continue for 8 weeks (not 10, since 2 bottles is 8 weeks and I would be very frightened by any pill that had me lose 28 pounds in two weeks) and continue to post results here.
Terribly dehydrated again and feeling really sick. Skin on back of hand sticking together and staying stuck despite drinking more liquid than usual and taking in higher amounts of sodium. I think the combination of Fuco and Irvingia should have been tested before putting it out on the market as dehydration is very serious and can cause system wide organ failure. I am seriously contemplating going into the ER. I believe the combination is having a severe diuretic effect causing whatever fluid I take in to not stay. I have taken no other supplements today. I’m going to go stop both so hopefully I don’t suffer renal failure.
http://www.nephrologychannel.com/arf/prerenal/index.shtml
I may go back on Irvingia to see if stopping the Fuco corrects it, but right now I’m terribly frightened of the dehydration. Going in to ER….Husband is insisting….
Home…all bloodwork came back good, ekg fine. Felt like I had blown up several balloons dizzy and faint, vomitted on way out door after MORE drinking water, have chest pain, severe thirst and dehydrated…..chest xrays confirm I have pneumonia. I’m quitting for a couple days then seeing if the Fuco and Irvingia make me feel like this again or if it was just the pneumonia. Seems to have a diuretic effect the Fuco/Irvingia combo, but not sure if it was just because of my lungs. Really had me worried though, so hopefully everything will be fine once I go back because I really want this to be my answer to my weight issue along with eating healthy and exercise of course. I do good on the eating healthy, just haven’t had the time for the exercise trying to catch up on the house after the Holidays and week of play rehearsal and shows.
Rest up, Shelly H – here’s hoping you feel better soon.
Shelley H – I hope you feel better. Please take care of yourself – it sounds like you’ve been trying to fit too much into each day and are stressing out your body. Pneumonia is nothing to fool around with so please rest and get better.
I do drink a lot more water with the Integra-Lean and therefore “go” a lot, but I definitely have not experienced any dehydration.
I’m on day 25 taking irvingia Integra-Lean twice a day.
I typically eat a high-carb, high-fiber diet, without much meat. My weight is down from 167.2 (last week) to 164.8. This could be water fluctuation, of course, but it’s still great to see a lower number.
The negative side effects I’ve noticed are reflux and bad breath. The reflux has improved slightly in the past 3-4 days, and I’ve been able to back off the Zantac a little.
The positive side effects I’ve noticed are better mental stamina and focus throughout the day, a reduction in the frequency and severity of my migraine headaches, and a reduction in my cravings for sugar and caffeine.
I feel that irvingia is working to stabilize my blood sugar levels, and still believe there will be weight loss in the coming weeks. I plan to continue taking it for the next 9 weeks (I bought 3 bottles initially) as long as the reflux doesn’t get any worse.
Shelley H — I join SusanM in wishing you rest and recovery.
bethkay – I am 5’3″ and 56 years old. My highest weight this year was 170 pounds and I began the Integra-Lean at 164 pounds. I would like to get down to 130 pounds or 125 (aprox 35lbs) if possible because I keep picturing myself actually carrying around a 35 pound weight. This has to be so hard on my heart, spine, legs, etc… I really want to diminish the extra physical stress so I can feel better. I do take bio-identical hormones and just had them balanced by a doctor including my thyroid that was off. So, that hand in hand with the Integra-Lean, I am hopeful I can finally make some progress.
The chocolate cravings disappeared within the 1st week. At work, we have a candy drawer stocked with Dove chocolate, M&M’s and assorted bars. It happens to be located just a few feet away from my desk and I can tell you that drawer gets a workout every afternoon from 2:00 on. People just need that sugar to get them through the afternoon. Anywasy, since I started the Integra-Lean I have only gone to the drawer once during the first week! What I usually do now is get a large salad with grilled chicken for lunch – eat 1/2 of it and then around 4-5 o’clock I eat the other half. If I need something inbetween I’ll have an apple. That’s how the Integra-Lean has enabled me to cut down on the bad stuff and increase the good stuff. I used to eat the entire salad, feel like I ate too much but then would have Dove chocolates from 3′oclock on…. No more!
LCC – I just picked up the book again last night after posting.
In chapter 13 Taube discusses the semi-starvation benefits and it comes down to insulin and ICF. Calorie restriction didn’t cause the genetically obese rats to be skinny, it allowed longevity to occur but they still had more than twice the body fat of the lean mice. Then, if I am interpreting this correctly, a very low carb diet (pages 222, 223) would have the same effect as calorie restriction on insulin and ICF and also lengthen the lifespan in humans. If you do read it, let me know what you think. Also, how the heck to you fit all the nuturients you need into a low calorie diet? You’d have to take handfuls of LEF supplements!!!
And, LCC please note that researcher Cynthia Kenyon had the same results that you did when she restricted her carbs on page 223. Time to get the book back out – I did miss a lot of stuff – but geeze is it dry reading..
Additionally, I would think that the Integra-Lean WOULD help low-carb dieters as well because of the Leptin sensitivity enhancement. I do not agree with Steven Joyal’s assessment in his letter that came along with Faloon’s, that “A typical American diet rich in saturated fat but relatively poor in complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber is not an ideal diet.” I think he is wrong but also most typical American’s still eat high carb low fat diets.
Again, time will tell. Tomorrow is the weigh in for the Fat Pant’s contest at my job. I gotta put on shorts and a T-shirt…GROAN… chubby whte pale legs in shorts…maybe I’ll put on black socks and sandals just to complete the picture…
LCC – I meant “IGF” Insulin-like Growth Factor not “ICF” – sorry. Hope you aren’t scratching your head.
Shelley H. So glad your husband insisted you go to the ER! Take good care of yourself and rest, rest, rest.
I follow Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle style of eating. I’m an omnivore and eat pretty much everything. Eat five times a day anywhere between 1400 and 1800 calories. My calorie deficit is modest , 20% lower than my maintenance level. I exercise one hour five days a week and rest two days a week. I am a 56 year old woman 5′ 1″ with hypothyroidism. I weigh 134 pounds and am 23% body fat. I’d like to get down to 20% bf. I lose constantly and slowly. I’m back to taking slimsignals only once daily. I am mostly interested in blood lipid improvements.
I have also noticed the absence of the usual “carb coma” after lunch, and how much easier it has been lately to avoid the candy drawer and the “cake walk” each afternoon (all the cupcakes, cookies, etc. that end up in our teacher’s lounge). I think this is because my blood sugar levels are more stable throughout the day.
Jen S – YES! I am glad you noticed it too.
Regarding blood pressure and Irvingia. I’ve been taking the Integra-Lean since December 3rd, and tonight my BP: 1st reading: 129/69; second one after relaxing: 119/64. Anybody else want to do their’s and post?
Shelley,
Haven’t been back on the blog since my last post.
I haven’t taken the LEF super digestive enzyme supplement. If it’s a digestive enzyme, it’s not the same as a systemic proteolytic enzyme such as Zymessence. Digestive enzymes are just used to increase acid in the stomach to break up protein. Systemic enzymes function on a cell level and work very gradually over time to reduce inflammation, increase circulation and break down fibrin (fibrosis) throughout the body. The later is the most vital part of systemic enzymes. Fibrin can be created from so many factors but scar tissue is a big one. We can have scar tissue everywhere: in our hearts, our uterus, our organs etc. and as we age, that fibrin creates a kind of netting over our organs that hastens the aging of that organ and does not allow proper blood flow and circulation to that organ. Systemic enzymes eat away at the fibrin but leave all the good stuff, allowing for the nutrients to finally be able to be absorbed in the organs without having to fight the myriad of fibrosis. If you’ve had children and had C-sections, you have a lot of fibrin build up in your gut. Systemic enzymes such as Zymessence work VERY gradually to break it down and literally re-shape your body. There are other systemic enzymes I’ve tried: Wobenzym and Vitalzym. Of those two, Vitalzym was the more effective but you have to take 20 a day to get any benefit. When I discovered Zymessence and found out about the pancreatin and that you only had to take 3 a day, I was happy to give it a try. Thankfully, it worked beautifully.
By the way, systemic enzymes are used regularly in Europe for alternative cancer protocols. My friend went to Germany 8 years ago with end stage cancer and was immediately put on high doses of systemic enzymes, along with many other alternative remedies (stuff we can’t get here.) She’s alive today and considered “a miracle.” She still takes systemic enzymes every day and credits them with being one reason she’s still alive.
I am on a low Glycemic Diet. I eat 6 times per day. It is the only diet that keeps my hunger at bay and allows me to manage cravings. I gained my weight when I quit smoking 7 years ago. It was a steady gain for 5 years until I tried the Low GI Diet. I have not been able to loose that much, but the gain has stopped. The weight I have lost, I have kept off for 2 years. Since quitting smoking, I crave suger at the same times and life situations that I use to habitually smoke. The cravings are constant. I still need to loose a significant amount of weight. However, I am more interested in Irvingia for the affect it has on CRP and Cholesterol.
Thank you everyone for your kind words. I can’t believe how incredibly terrible I’m feeling! I didn’t take the Fuco/Irvingia combo today and my hydration is back and so was my appetite! Finally, at 11pm I took one Integra Lean to try to stop my insatiable hunger and it isn’t bothering me at all. I think I will stick with the straight up Integra Lean for now. I mean with those studies why muddy it with the Fuco right?! I only have one more month left then all I have is SlimSignals so I’m ordering more tomorrow to catch it at Super Sale price. I slept until 5:30 pm and bascially laid around all day and am ready for bed here after only being awake 8 hours. Hopefully the Zithromax will be working and I’ll feel better tomorrow. Thank goodness the Integra Lean stopped my insane binging! I didn’t eat anything bad though….chili, orange juice, whole milk, an avocado, and organic dark chocolate, but I was HUNGRY!
LD,
That makes sense how the fibrin does that throughout your body. Afterall we depend on it for healing things, but once it scars over and hardens it has to impede everything systemically. Call me crazy, but I’m a big parasite conspiracy theorist. Every other country’s citizens go to the pharmacy and pick up Mebendazole over the counter. It is safe, inexpensive and pretty much no nasty side effects I know of. We treat every animal around us (livestock to household pets) that carries them and they are contagious to humans, but Americans think we are impervious to parasites. How would they test for liver flukes, pancreas flukes, thread worms causing our body to heal the areas they feed and live in and if you see footage of them in our bowels they live in the skin of the colon not the feces, yet I imagine fecal tests would show them in the intestinal tract. Funny thing, Mebendazole ALSO kills hard to treat cancers…do a google search for mebendazole and carcinoma. You’ll be shocked! I’m going to stay on the Zymessence and get my cousin on who’s having fertility issues. That and Maca. Maca balances all types of hormones and returns a gal’s amorous feelings we seem to lose as we age. I’m going to start Maca myself too.
http://search.lef.org/cgi-src-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=0&page_id=2657&query=maca&hiword=MACAS%20maca%20
JS,
Thanks! I was a bit reluctant to go in, but glad I didn’t wait til Monday! I think I’m just going to stay on the Integra Lean because the combo with the Fuco makes me SO thirsty yet display signs of dehydration. Have you noticed anything like that? It didn’t start until my 6th week.
SusanM,
Thanks for the visual of the faux pas fashion statement of black socks, sandals, shorts and white legs! Made me giggle…it only hurts when I laugh! Definitely burned the candle at both ends for too long. I think the Fuco with the Integra Lean is causing the dehydration symptoms and oober extreme thirst. Since I took one Integra Lean tonight to curb my appetite I haven’t gotten that feeling.
LCC,
Thanks and great idea to have everyone post their eating habits! The exercise will have to wait until my lungs are happy again!
Thanks again everyone and I hope going off for 2 days won’t skew my 6th week results!
geesh I’m wordy!
I am kinda in a rush this morning, but I wanted to share. In the February issue of LEF in the article about Irvingia, it links elevated CRP levels withLeptin resistance. I quote, “Bt the real breakthrough came when investigators discovered that human CRP binds leptin and, in doing so, may prevent leptin from signaling satiety.” So, the appetite reduction that you feel while on Ingetra-Lean is a sign that the CRP levels are coming down. Interesting read.
My CRP levels at the end of October were at the high end of normal. My next bloodwork isn’t until April, but that should be plenty of time to see results.
Chris Thank you so much for sharing your husband’s expreience with Free-T and weight loss!
i’m going to give it a try-
I have at least 50lbs I want to lose. Got good news this morning got on the scale at 280.2 lbs- down almost 3 lbs in the last 3 days. After being stuck on 283.1 for a month. I will continue Irv/Flux combo u\at least for another 3 months (Only been 5 weeks now). My stomach is smaller for sure! Lost 4″ so far. No side effects I can tell. Thrist normal!
At 62 I have been getting LEF Male Panels for over 3 years every 6 months. Take at least 90 vitamin/herbs per day- many from LEF. Got last blood test in Dec. to check to see where I start (blood wise) when I got on Irv/Flux. In mid- Feb: I will test again to see if I got changes. I shall- Report them here!
Plan on adding T-Cream to may diet/weight loss program too. Not sure when! I kind of what to see if these diet pills really do something! I have faith in LEF so I will give it the full 4 week try!
Also doing high complex carbs now like the LEF Letter suggested. Could this count for those 3 lbs I lost the last 3 days?
Week 6 check in, I posted all my other weeks too again for reference!
Start weight 201lbs Monday Dec 1st
After Week one 195
After Week two 192
After Week three 191 a couple days later hit 189.6 (first time in 180’s for a long time!)
After Week four 194 (gained a little over 4 lbs back low weight of 189.6 from overeating heavily through Christmas)
After Week five 192 (yup, partied over New Year’s….had a week of dress rehearsals for Alice in Wonderland play along with cast party and going out 4 times through the week plus overindulging in a Turkey dinner New Year’s eve)
After week 6 189. Was off Irvingia/Fuco for 2 days due to excessive thirsty, symptoms of dehydration and pneumonia.
Week 6 check in down 12 lbs. I’m going back on just the Integra Lean today. Finally got my sick rear out of bed! Wow, this pneumonia crap is kicking me in the (_|_) pretty hard! Best of wishes and on to week 7!
Shelley,
I’ve been taking Maca for years in my morning smoothie.
It is DOSE dependent. Forget the capsules. Buy it in bulk and use ONLY the gelatinized kind because it’s easier to digest. You also have to take much less to get an effect. LIke 1 heaping TBS versus three TBS of non-gelatinized. The only one I use is from a Canadian supplier http://www.therootofthematter.ca I buy three kilos at a time and he has a superb flat shipping rate of $8.00 no matter how much you buy. Quality is great. Take my word for it, I’ve tried lots of maca and this guy gets the best. It’s Lepidium peruvianum CHACON. If you don’t buy from this guy, at least make sure you’re getting the CHACON kind because it is harvested at the perfect elevation for optimal medicinal punch.
Another question, I’m just finishing my first bottle of Irvingia. No change in my weight but my gut seems less thick. I could easily drop 20 pounds and feel just great. But here’s what’s been happening the last two days and it’s really bugging me: I’ve had this headache right above my left eyebrow. It comes and goes but when it comes, it’s intense. AND I NEVER get headaches. Did anyone else get this effect after one bottle of Irvingia??
Irvingia is still an amazing appetite suppressant. I tend toward low blood sugar and the headache kinda feels like a blood sugar headache so I was wondering if there could be a connection.
LD
Hi All,
I guess I’m on Irvingia for about 6 weeks now. I lost 5 lbs, not great, could be a nominal fluctuation, time will tell. I weight myself every two weeks, so I’ll know for sure in two weeks. Slight appetite suppression as others have reported. The weight loss has been in the last two weeks, not before. May confirm what Faloon stated in his Irvingia letter.
JI
I posted about 2 weeks ago and my results have gotten even better than before. After about 5 weeks on Irvingia 150 twice a day, my weight loss is at least 10 lbs 169 to 158.5, my chol down from 221 to 175, LDL from 121 to 83, triglycerides 145 to 75, HDL slightly down from 70 to 68, but fasting glucose now down from 132 to 94. It wasn’t the only change, but almost certainly was the most significant. Major impact was craving reduction for “junk” food. After a previous hefty craving for Snickers and Fritos, I stopped them cold with no sense of loss.
Calorie intake must be down, but again because I am less hungry and can easily skip food in quantity. This was true even with holiday treats all around. No side effects noted, except minor dry mouth and less thirst. Other additions were increase in lovastatin from 10 to 20mg (but I have been that high before without these results), and recent addition of fenugreek and alpha-lipoic acid (sometimes recommended for glucose intolerance). Exercise is 4 or 5 times a week. Diet is probably fairly “healthy” but unchanged except for dropping now uncraved junk food, and probable calorie reduction due to diminisihed hunger.
I eat high density carbs, whole wheat, oatmeal, soy milk, olive oil, eggs with 1 out of 2 yolks omitted, tuna, fruit, some low fat string cheese, other fish, some chicken, occaisional meat, salads, veggies, also take fish oil, but that is not new. Dessert has been low fat yogurt with blueberries and cinnamon. I am surprised and delighted with Irvingia results, altho I was initially very skeptical. It seems there is quite a range of responses to this stuff. I hope oithers will get these results.
Just finished 5 weeks on the Irvingia.
Results: I weigh exactly the same as when I started. I think I’m going to add in the fucoxanthin. I also started on a low dose Armor Thyroid last week. I feel way better because of it, but still no weight loss. My thyroid numbers all showed normal, even by BodyLogicMD’s stricter standards – but I had all the symptoms of low thyroid – so we gave it a try.
I guess the good news from the Ivrvingia front is I stopped gaining weight, but it is discouraging that I haven’t lost anything. I’m not super low carb on the diet, more low GI because of the diabetes – so I was hoping (in spite of the letter from LEF) that it still might work for me. I’ll finish out the 10 weeks, and then look for something else.
LD,
Yay, I can have the Maca in my Myoplex! Does it really restore sexual desire? I think this whole depo shot is ruining that, but better than surgery for now! The surgeon here is known to mess up….know a gal he left her ovaries and took the other gal’s who had surgery that day! SO my friend had to be operated on TWICE and the other gal has to have hormone therapy for the rest of her life….something she didn’t bargain on! I had to laugh at your Maca dealer description….sounds like that stuff isn’t “off the brick”. New terminology I recently learned….kids! That’s all I can say! You never know what you’ll learn from them!
Are you taking the SlimSignals with Fuco? I stopped the Fuco and feel SO much better. I was having symptoms of dehydration (skin pinch test stuck skin on back of hand would stay up, sutures in head sunken in, and headachey). I’m not prone to headaches either so can’t use that excuse! I did the skin pinch today and my skin snaps back, no headache and head not sunken in. The combo made me terribly thirsty, to the point I couldn’t get satisfied no matter how much liquid I drank. Seemed to go right through me without hanging out for any amount of time. I figured maybe it was depleting my sodium so I increased that to no avail. Thank goodness I felt SO yucky Hubby insisted I go to ER where they found the pneumonia. I just took the Integra Lean today and didn’t have any of those side effects. I think the pneumonia is doing better too. Still under the weather, but starting to feel better! Thanks for the Maca link! Hopefully I will get great results with the Intregra Lean alone. I’ve got to order more though.
LarryM,
Thanks for the good news! Good luck in your endeavors and keep us posted!
SueG,
Good to hear someone listened to your symptoms. I think subclinical hypothyroidism is finally getting the attention it deserves. I would go up to almost 9, self treat (cuz the drs would do nothing) and get my numbers in by 2 hundreths into the top normal range and complain about the symptoms which I didn’t even know were symptoms until I read it in Arem’s book. Wow! Good luck!
I just started irvingia myself, need to lose, doctors have recommended the lap band, I have a problem with that, one I am NOT an over-eater as they seem to think, I have the kind of genic make-up where I look at food I pack on 5lbs. and the drastic stomach surgery even worse, as I am type 2 diabetic. So what have I got to loose ? I am hoping that irvingia will work with monitoring of food intake, short walks with the dog, and my usall daily chores, as the medications I take prevent weight loss, no way around it, so I am hoping irvingia will at least trick my system into loosing weight, but, if I gain, Life exstention will hear about it and so will the fda and my lawyer, as folks like us are desperate for help, phyiscally, and to take our money when most really can’t afford it, is wrong…and these people need to be STOP !!! However if it WORKS…I’m saying goodbye to all my doctors..they take more of your money the 4 bottles of irvingia. Will follow up in 8 wks.
Hi Okey,
Considering the splendid job our government and lawyers have done to get us in the present global financial depression, how about let’s *not* ask for their help?
There are people who die because treatments aren’t available in the US – there are also people who die because treatments ARE available in the US – so the government will only add to this will be to make prices higher and our taxes higher.
What I do personally, and it seems a lot of people here do as well, is try to learn all they can. They trudge through medical textbooks and try to understand, they check out sites like this one – and others as well, do comparisons, try to track down information, and pretty much hold themselves responsible for bettering their health.
I myself went on a low carb diet 5 years ago against the recommendation of my doctor, then amazed him when I came to his office a year later, 60 lbs lighter with improved bloodwork.
Imagine if low carb dieting was outlawed?
And if I drop dead tomorrow – my arteries as clogged as the LA freeway at rush hour, it’s nobody’s fault but mine. I read all the stuff that said it was bad for you – but I also saw people achieve some pretty staggering results. So, even though I was scared, I tried it, under my reluctant doctor’s supervision, and after 5 years I’m still down 50 lbs and I’m not dead yet.
I think the secret for me, Okey, had a lot to do with my thinking: it’s all my fault – it’s all my personal responsibility. I was dealt a hand of cards – the family tendency toward fat and diabetes cards, the emotional eating card, etc. Yeah, it sucks, but you have to try your best to win the hand with the cards you got.
The way I think: the second you blame other people for your problems, you become powerless to change things. When you take full responsibility, then you have the power to change.
Your lawyer or the FDA will never help you lose a pound, but you – and maybe the help of all the folks here and on a thousand other blogs and websites like this WILL.
I understand the absolute total frustration and despair you probably feel about your weight – I live it every day as I constantly struggle with my own weight – I’m no superman – but my advice is to channel your energies by plugging in to the vast network of people on the Internet going through the exact same thing.
It helped me.
Best of luck – and certainly – if you have any questions of where to even begin, if you post them here, you will find people willing to share their own experiences – and maybe some of them will be right for you.
Regards,
LCC
Okey, I hear your frustration, however, if you are taking medication that prevents weight loss, then you can’t hold LEF or anyone else responsible for not losing weight. The FDA is a broken, corrupt agency and you won’t get anywhere except broke for hiring a lawyer. I only have 35-40 pounds to lose (compared to some other people) but it has become just as impossible for me as perhaps you. I too look at food and it attaches itself to me, but I keep looking for answers because everyone is different and so what may help me may not help you. I too eat very little and still gained weight. That’s why this blog is so great – everyone is sharing for the good of all! Good luck to you on Irvingia, I hope it helps you not only to lose weight but to get off or lessen the doses of the medications you are on.
Did you by any chance have bloodwork done recently that you can compare it to after 6 weeks?
Okey,
Irvingia is giving many people results, but isn’t working for everyone. Especially if you are on medication that is making you gain, we do not know if it can overcome that. I agree with LCC, some of us have been dealt crappy hands with genetics, thyroid issues, etc and we have to work with those cards. I do hope it works for you, but going after Life Extension will only cost MORE money. They are a very reputable company and it has definitely improved my lipid profile and raised my HDL which I’ve never been able to do. I’d say this….if you don’t see results and are not satisfied, they will at least give you your money back unlike most all diet supplement companies out there who don’t back their product. Many say they do, but have catches like you must return the bottle and it must be unopened. Anyway, with a guarantee like that, attorneys or FDA are powerless to do anything because if it doesn’t work you aren’t out anything and holding a vendetta and going on a bashing spree may prevent others from trying it that it may actually work for! I’m personally down 12lbs from Dec 1st with next to no effort and it helped me recover from Holiday overeating not that it is a ticket ot overeat you need to follow its signaling….many of us are experiencing fullness with less food and forget to eat when we are supposed to per our individual diets. Good luck and hope it works for you!
Shelley,
Is Depo the estrogen birth control shot? If so, Maca can even out progesterone levels, reduce the “bad” cancer-causing estrogens and increase fertility. However, if you’re taking any kind of synthetic birth control, Maca won’t get you pregnant. But it may even out the hormonal feelings you’re having while on the Depo. If Depo is the estrogen shot, yes, it kills the sex drive because estrogen does that. When I found out I was peri-menopausal five years ago, I had a blood test and my estrogen was off the chart. They called me “estrogen dominant.” That’s when my weight gain started. I had tests every year and by 2005, I’d gained 32 pounds….all estrogen weight, as they called it. So, yes, too much estrogen is a bad thing. It puts weight on around the belly and hips and it kills your sex drive. It also makes you emotional, irritable, unpredictable, depressed, forgetful, and tired. I had ALL those symptoms. It has taken me nearly 4 years to get my hormones regulated and lose 12 pounds. And that was a hard fought 12 pounds.
I’m on the Integra Lean. No Fuco. I did the Fuco a year ago and it did nothing. Wasn’t going to spend the extra $$ on it this time. I think I’m dehydrated too. The headaches got worse last night so I’m going to drink more water today and see if that helps. I just don’t get headaches so it’s concerning me.
One thing I learned about the Zymessence enzymes is that OVER TIME, it eats up excess estrogen which is why it starts to re-shape the body. My husband is on it (Yes, men can have high estrogen levels in this polluted world) and it’s slowly reducing his Love Handles and he’s not an exercise guy in the winter.
As for maca and sex drive. I’ve never had a low sex drive but peri-menopause sure does regulate it in a bad way. I still have a libido but it’s nothing like it used to be which makes me very sad because when I can connect with my husband on an intimate level, I feel more safe and secure in this world and as a couple, we function so much better. Macs has helped a lot of my friends who I turned onto it. There’s even some guy friends I told about it and they were ever so grateful because it gave them back their drive (not just sex drive but drive at work). So, Maca is great. But remember you have to take it in the gelatinzied form or you’ll get bloating and gas in large amounts. No capsules either. For the doses you need, you need to go in bulk.
LD
What’s “off the brick” mean??
Shelly & SusanM, you both appear to be having results. I would be perfectly happy to go at the pace you have been losing. Do you both think the Irvingia is the main reason? In your opinion should I go for it or keep waiting?
Also, I had to comment on the maca conversation: I think the best thing I could possibly do to improve both my & my hubbys desire is lose some weight – lol!
Bethkay,
LOL! Agree but balancing hormones is important to losing weight. Maca can help do that. When my hormones went wonky, no amount of exercise or dieting made me lose weight. In fact, I GAINED weight. It was frustrating as hell. I went one month with NO sugar and still gained weight. My husband kept saying it was “muscle” but I don’t THINK so. It was fat around my gut that I could not get rid of and finally I found a doctor who understood hormones and got my estrogen balanced out. That’s when I gradually lost weight. But 12 pounds lost in over two years is a sloooow way to go.
LD
LD, I just want to make sure you know I was just kidding! I would love to try the maca too, but I’m watching my money carefully these days. Normally I would jump right in and buy the Irvingia, but I’m trying to be more patient. (hard for me to do
Bethkay,
No worries!
LD
Shelley,
I had two depo shots years ago. Had to get off of it. I was having suicidal thoughts all the time and extremely depressed. This is not me. One thing though is that I could eat alot and not gain weight. Only weighed around 125 pounds then. My friend was hospitalized because of depo and depression. Relating my story to her years later to find out same happened to her. Hope that you are fine with it. Some women are.
LD,
Depo is a progesterone shot. I’m not going for fertility…the roads are closed there anyway! Seems traffic has been “tied up”. LOL! Wow, high estrogen is like having hypothryoidism. I have no sex drive whatsoever! Not that I make excuses, just don’t initiate anything and can take it or leave it.
If you think you are dehydrated, do a pinch test on your knuckles or the back of your hand. Does your skin bounce right back or does it stay stuck together? I have “pita” skin so it is very thick and most arm pinch tests won’t show anything….nice thing is I don’t show my age. But if someone went to pinch my cheek they couldn’t get a thin pinch of skin rather an inch plus pinch! Ya, the Fuco is super slow….takes 6 weeks to start working so it must be taken consistently. Plastics contribute to high levels of estrogen too. Yes, having a drive makes me feel more secure too….my Hubby is younger and very good looking so it gets sickening when women literally throw themselves at him in front of me! Went on for the whole week of the Alice in Wonderland rehearsals and play so it was way more stressful than it was fun!
So now that my thyroid is in the target range, I’m going to try the Maca to balance my endocrine system. Losing weight always makes my Hubby more responsive even though he claims he “can’t tell”. Must be a hormone scent thing.
Bethkay,
I’d say go for it. It is slow starting and because we women fluctuate more than men, some weeks you may not see the loss (so you have to really be strong at those points…take today, I appear to be up 2 lbs but didn’t sleep much last night and ate salty chips and hummus….I weigh myself too much!) but after 8 weeks was when the study participants were seeing an average of 5 lbs a week lost. This is week 7 for me and I’m getting excited! If you start now you’ll be in the height of weight loss in March. Worst comes to worst, you get no results LEF will refund your money!
LD,
I said the same thing…..what’s that mean? Not “off the brick” new term I learned when my Son’s friend got in trouble for supposedly selling a small quantity of the green “good” maca!
Susan Noble,
Thanks for the info. For me it was weight gain IMMEDIATELY. Without changing my habits I packed on 30 lbs in 2-3 months after my first depo shot and I’m definitely way more sensitive and tired all the time. But it was either that or surgery. Maybe I will do surgery now that our cafeteria plan is renewed for the new year.
One month check-in here; I went back and saw my first post above was December 12, 2008.
My weight then was 163 with a goal of losing 10 pounds.
My weight this morning was 157.
I am happy that I was able to lose 6 pounds through the holidays. Also, this is the “last” ten pounds, which is stubborn. I am not obese or overweight, I just want to lose the ‘handles’ at my waist and fit in my clothes better. I have always exercised regularly, haven’t changed those habits in the last month.
So, can I credit Integra Lean with the weight loss?
It is still a “maybe” from my perspective. I have no idea whether it has altered fat metabolism, CRP, adiponectin, etc; I’m on a health insurance plan with a huge deductible and have not been able to afford blood tests on my own to do before and after testing. I do not have side effects from the irvingia; no dizziness, no change in bowels, no change in sleep patterns.
I have been on a low to moderate carb diet for a couple of years now. This apparently is not “best” for irvingia users, but I am not going to alter my diet just to see if this supplement works differently. I have found that lower carb avoids some of the energy and mood swings that higher carb diets do for me, and the cravings get less the more consistently I can avoid the junk or processed foods.
So speaking of cravings, I think this is an area where irvingia has helped. It has somewhat suppressed my appetite; I seem to be able to get full a little sooner and get hungry a little slower. There is nothing really dramatic, but it is there. It is possible that it is the placebo effect, but certainly there are a lot of posters here who have commented on the appetite lowering effects.
I’m therefore not sure if weight loss for me has been merely through appetite suppression or if it has also been through the other mechanisms claimed by LEF. As someone of more normal weight to start with, I’m not a great candidate for seeing those other effects anyway.
However, even if in my case the appetite suppression is the only mechanism of action, I think it would be worth the $35 or so. I can’t think of any other appetite suppressant that is effective and does not have other unwanted side effects.
So I’m on to my second bottle of Integra Lean, hoping to knock out those last 4 pounds this month!
I wish everyone else well, and I appreciate your sharing of experiences.
I will be particularly curious to learn of more who have had blood work done, to see whether there are tangible changes there as well.
End of week 5 on both Fluc/Intra-lean and after no weight loss for 4 weeks-
I lost 4 pounds this week!
Very happy! Got 2.5 bottles ot go and no side effects.
Hello All- Been reading these posts for a week and have decided to try Irvingia. I am also starting Weight Watchers this week as well. I am 28 years old and 5’6. My current weight is 177 and I am hoping to lose inches and get down to 150-155lbs. I will be sure to post my progress on here as well!
Hi All, I also have been reading these posts and decided to share my experience with Irvingia, I just finished my 1st bottle and I lost 2lbs, which for me is great considering it was around the holidays. I don’t really have any side effects except I do tend to get more thirsty than before, I love that I dont want to eat all the time like before and my cravings for anything sweet are almost non-existantl. My goal is to loose 10 lbs and with my 2nd bottle of Irvingia, I hope to accomplish that. Will keep you posted. Good luck to all!
I have been taking the Irvingia for about three weeks now (trying to do it twice a day, 15 minutes before breakfast and 15 before dinner..I have forgotten a couple of times). Here is what I noticed: I forget to eat lunch, I have lost at least 2 dress sizes and I feel much more energetic. Honestly, I have not weighed myself. Most of my clothes are just nearly falling off me or they are very loose. I will keep you posted.
End of week five on Irvingia. I have been exercising every day for the past 2 weeks (and was exercising 3x per week before that). I have gained 2 pounds. I have not lost any waist inches.
Per LCC’s request- here is my “diet”:
I follow a diet high in complex carbs and low in saturated fat, no processed foods, no meat, minimal sweets. I do not drink sodas or alcohol. I have not changed any of my eating habits since starting on Irvingia. (By way of background, I am female, 6 feet tall, 165 pounds, size 8-10. Ideally, I would like to maintain at 150.)
I have a friend at work who just began Integra-Lean last night and this morning she woke up with hives. Has anyone else had this happen? If so, please let me know.
Thanks.
BG Keep it up- I got pretty discussed with it too- for a while and then in the last week (week 5 on the stuff plus fluc) I lost 4+ lbs- This morning if my scale is correct I lost another 3/4 lb. 1st 4 weeks nothing.
I work out 3 times per week and got a good 70 lbs to loss! I’m encouraged- I did change from low carb to high complex carbs- etc. last week.
BG, you likely improved your body composition with the exercise by adding muscle. You can use the Navy formula http://www.bblex.de/en/calc/navy.php
to determine what kind of weight you gained. The site will tell you where to measure your waist (different for males) then you need, hip, height and neck measurements. Take them once a week and you’ll get a better idea if you are gaining fat or muscle. I suspect that it’s a good weight gain and not a bad weight gain.
BG,
Hope it starts for you. Many who don’t have much to lose didn’t experience any weight loss, but a couple have after sticking with it. 6 feet tall and size 8 is pretty thin! Could you send some inches of height my way?! Keep us up to date and JS is right, check out your comp and see if its muscle gained.
Jeff, Nels, Stephanie and Vic….keep us posted and thanks for checking in! I’m in week 7, but also been sick with pneumonia sleeping alot and eating more than usual though I don’t know why. Well maybe its just that I feel more full faster? I’m not sure, we’ll see what the scale says Monday morning!
Tomorrow I finish my first bottle.
I’m happy to report that the reflux has all but disappeared and I’ve stopped taking daily Zantac.
I’m going to wait and report my weight until after what I hope will be “magic week” (week 5).
My headaches remain greatly improved (but not gone).
OK. I just started my second bottle. I’d lost 2 pounds and now I’m back up 2 pounds so zero weight loss after one bottle. I have 15-18 pounds to lose to get back to my ideal weight.
I started back on the exercise ball a few days ago and doing 3 pound weights. I did notice after just two days of this that my belly (where I hold my weight) feels leaner and less bloated. I might have lost a half inch around my waist but I can’t be certain. My jeans fit a little looser around my butt.
I work out at least 30 minutes on the eliptical or rowing machine 5 days a week with a minimum of 20 minutes of weights and the exercise ball.
My diet is meat protein, vegetables, hardly any pasta, potatoes or rice and very little sugar. I drink one cup of coffee in the morning and one glass of red wine at night with dinner. I buy organic as much as possible and stay completely away from fast food and processed foods. No frozen foods. I cook from scratch. Any baked goods I bake are gluten-free and I use agave syrup instead of sugar. My weight is mostly hormone weight due to peri-menopause but I know leptin can be an issue with this time of life and that’s why Irvingia intrigues me.
LD
(sent via email)
I’m back with my 6th week report. It is not good unfortunately. I’ve been going up and down 1 or 2 lbs. since I have
been taking it putting me at my starting weight last week. This week I gained a pound. I’ve been on the same program
for 3 years which is limited carbs (2 a day), protein 2-3 servings , vegetables- several a day , fruit (2 to 3 a day) and
some dairy. Sugar is gone and my carbs are multi grained whatever. I initially lost 50 lbs. 3 years ago, and have slowly
put back 20 lbs.
My exercise is limited (I’ll admit). I’ve had 2 knee replacements and 2 hip replacements. Three of those surgeries were
within the last 4 years, so there has been much lack of mobility during that time. I have had physical therapy, but a leg
difference of 1 and 1/2 inches since my last hip replacement has basically ruined my attempts at exercise.
Still, I did expect more from Irvingia. It seems that I am eating less than before. I’m not craving anything per se.
I guess I’ll try a bit longer, but my concern is that after failing at one of these attempts to lose weight, it takes me a
long time to re-commit to any program. Call me skeptical, but there it is. It’s hard to shake it.
Judy
LD
Life Extension Letter points out low carb diets not the best with this pill. Since I changed from Low Carb (0 Pounds off) to Complex Carbs & Oatmeal, etc- I’ve begun serious weight lost (almost 6 lbs). Lost another pound this morning.
At 62-I have lots to loss (70+) and am getting very happy now after being disapointed for the 1st 4+ weeks of Intra-Lean. Seems mid-week 5 was the magic button for me! Hope this continues???
1st 4 weeks- Could be I was re-building muscles- as I used to be a Body Builder in my 30-40s (20+ years ago). The gym says my weight should be 225!
Generally I feel better and my stomach is surely smaller- My adult son saw we nude the other day and commented on my improved look!
Really encouraged at this moment!
I am just finishing week 5 and have only lost 5 pounds total – however, I usually eat very low carb and find it difficult to do complex carbs now! Even though the scale is not moving down very fast, I have noticed that my clothes are looser and my stomach is going down. My pants that were kind of tight are very loose and the pleats are flat. So, I continue on and am going to try to add oatmeal to the mix.
LD – Can you tell us what you are eating as far as complex carbs now? Low carb way of life is so ingrained in my head now may not be able to do this!!!
Judy,
If you are eating less and craving less … The Irvingia is doing what it is suppose to do.
It doesn’t take weight off. It lets you eat less….
Hopefully we will lose weight if we eat less. Thats what we have always been told.
I am definitely eating less….
In reply to SusanM’s question about complex carbs, I’d suggest not a dramatic diet change but just a gradual experimental approach. There are a range of carbs in veggies, for example; adding in more carrots and onions and beets and peas would increase carbs but without the real starches like potatoes, rice and wheat. I also have been eating a lot of berries lately (I get them frozen and mix them in with some plain yogurt); berries have carbs but thy also have fiber and antioxidants. Have you looked at the blog on “marksdailyapple.com”? He has some great advice, I find, and writes engagingly.
Good luck!
mpr – Thank you! I can’t even remember when I’ve had a piece of bread or mashed potatoes and will continue to steer away from them, but I do like veggies and love to drizzle a little olive oil on them. I will check out “marksdailyapple.com” tonight.
Shelly H-
Size 8 is at the chain stores (Gap, Banana Republic, etc.). They usually run large just to make our egos feel better. If you go into a vintage clothing store and pick up a size 10 dress from 1950, it’s about a size 4-6 today. So, I take the size 8 with a grain of salt…I’ve got the love handles to prove it! But no, I am not chubby by any stretch of the imagination.
SusanM,
I would just die without my carbs. I get grumpy and irritable…LOL! I respect that you can do it as a lifestyle, because I just don’t have the willpower because of how it makes me feel personally. I agree with mpr to just add a little bit slowly to see how it does with the Irvingia. Since I’ve been dieting my morning staple is 2 eggs over easy and a serving of fried potatoes all cooked in safflower oil. I’ve been really bad this week with the pneumonia. Tons of sleep and lots of eating minimal housecleaning and cooking are my only activities. Mostly healthy foods though (craving hummus and guacamole used to dip salty tostitos in) until my Hubby brought home donuts! Hmmph! The scale isn’t moving up….but rather sticking in place. Since I quit the Fuco, I’ve been craving the middle of the night reese’s and milk I somehow drag my rear out of bed to indulge in despite being dog tired! Next week I’m hoping to be back to 100% and try to get my nutrition program back on track and start working out. My new bowflex is collecting dust and has become an expensive clothing rack! Hopefully I can make that change soon!
BG,
LOL…ya women from the 50′s were very short too! They are duping us into thinking we are smaller than before! I look back on pics of me in my size 8′s and thought I looked pretty small (of course at the time I didn’t think so!). Now I’m pathetic because I’m happy to be back in 14′s which are getting loose now too cuz my 16′s are falling off…only thing holding them up anymore are my hands! My Hubby woke up one morning and decided he’d had enough and lost his love handles….men and their metabolisms! Now his pants all hang on him! 35lbs without exercising, just quitting his cereal habit! Hopefully the Irvingia will be your answer.
Going on week seven and let the drum roll begin…
I have GAINED 7 pounds. No change in diet, no nothing. My daughter who is 20 years younger than myself and eats the exact same diet has lost 6 pounds.
This leads me to believe that hormones are playing havoc. I am post-menopausal. Just 6 months after menopause I had a heart attack, my blood pressure shot up, and I began this battle with my weight. Through a combination of diet and exercise I had managed to stabalize my weight but plateaued – which is why I thought the integra-lean could help.
Now I wonder what the composition of the test group was. I know they had both men and women – but how old? Oben forgot the other hormones that play a big part in weight gain – testosterone, estrogen and progesterone. A little more research and a LEF article popped up on the subject – http://www.lef.org/protocols/metabolic_health/obesity_01.htm
At this point I am not sure if I should continue. I can not afford to have my blood pressure or my weight go any higher.
Cheryl, I believe that you are correct in the hormone assumption. I am 56 years old and began using bio-identical hormones when I was 48 years old. I just found a doctor who had the knowledge and did the testing required to balance all of the major hormones including thyroid. Unfortunately, when we age our hormone levels drop and this affects our quality of life as we really need all of these hormones in a balance. Diet and exercise alone will not do it. But it is a very personal issue and no two people are alike. My sister decided to tough it out and go through menopause. She is on medication for high blood pressure, taks statins and whatever else for achy muscles and bone loss. Her face is very wrinkled. On the other hand, people have been really surprised that my children are in their 20′s even though I had them in my early 30′s. I have low blood pressure and have just a little high cholesterol which my doctor attributed to my thyroid being out of wack. I am divorced and have a stressful job and life but I feel very strong mentally and physically. My balance is excellent (testosterone). I decided on this path because I do not want to get stuck in the pharmaceutical cycle and I do not want to burden my kids with my care when I grow older. That being said, it is not an easy task. It is not a one-size-fits-all answer. You have to pay attention to your body (not a bad thing) and you have to take the time to learn about this subject and it can be very confusing and overwhelming. Aside from weight loss, the Integra-Lean is supposed to have other benefits as well, one of which it is supposed to dramatically lower the CRP levels and I am very interested in this aspect.
This week I heard that Oprah discovered bio-identical hormones not too long ago and she has been feeling so much better since she started them a few months ago. So much so that she has decided to bring this very important subject to light. She did a special show this past Thursday (I work so I didn’t get to see it) on this and I think it highlighted Dr. Phil’s wife’s journey and decision to do bio-identicals. I think there will be additional shows. You can check her website; http://www.oprah.com.
In the letter that William Faloon sent out to the people who bought Integra-lean, there was an enclosure entitled, The Seven Pillars of Successful Weight Loss. In this article, Pillar Number 2 is: Restore Youthful Hormone Balance. The article mentions thyroid and “estrogen dominance” issues as being hurdles to overcome in weight loss for women.
You can call an advisor at LEF and ask them about the hormone balance and the Integra-Lean and that may help you make a deicision. However, 7 pounds is quite a hefty weight gain on this stuff – especially 7 weeks into this! I indulged during the holidays and while I did not lose, I did not gain. If that happened to me I would probably stop, but maybe take some bloodwork as well to see if it had any effect on the other areas. Gosh, it is sure hard to lose weight!
Vic T.
I eat complex carbs in the form of asparagus, artichokes, some fruits, etc. I steer clear of potatoes and bread, only because they have a tendency to bloat me. However, i agree that multi-grain bread, quinoa and whole wheat pasta in moderation might be a good idea for the fiber content. I used to eat a bowl of oatmeal every morning and didn’t notice any weight loss on it. Now that I’m doing the Irvingia, maybe I will. You’ve given me something to think about. Maybe I’m just not fueling my body with enough good grains. I absolutely stay away from white flour and white sugar as they have a terrible effect on my weight.
I’ve tried the cortisol route, the green tea/yerba mate approach (increasing metabolism), the thyroid balancing….they all help but they don’t create the fat melting I need. Obviously, my age (47) is working against me as one’s metabolism slows down then. My thyroid was seriously low and I did every known natural vitamin and nutrient around to try and bring it up. I didn’t start seeing success in that department until I found DETOXIFIED IODINE. This is not the same thing as regular iodine. The only place I found that makes it according to spec is http://www.iodinesource.com. Using their suggested protocol, I have been on it for nearly 18 months and it really does make a difference in a VERY gradual way. I also had to get a prescription for bio-identical T3 because my T3 on my blood test was ridiculously low. Once you get the right nutrients for your thyroid, it will create positive effects but they are SLOW and you have to have patience. I use dulse flakes in all my cooking now as a salt substitute but also because it’s just a little more natural iodine and every little bit helps with a sluggish thyroid.
One thing that is clear over the last few days is that through just increasing my strength training this week, I have not lost anymore weight BUT my jeans are fitting a bit looser.
For me, Irvingia is somewhat of an appetite suppressant. But mostly it is affecting the way fat is distributed and reduced in my belly. Leptin, as I understand it, has a natural affinity for the belly and so it makes sense that that is where you’d see the fat reduction. That’s one of the reasons I tried the cortisol approach with Corti-Response and various herbs like Holy Basil to reduce excess cortisol which can lead to a big gut. However, I learned that if you reduce cortisol too much, you get placid. You need a healthy shot of cortisol in the morning to get you up and out of bed and in the mood to get through your day with purpose but you need just a small amount at night so that you can sleep. My cortisol test showed that I was low in the morning and high at night, which was causing untold problems with sleep. I’m not sure if Irvingia has any connection with cortisol but I’m going to look into it since it does affect the belly area.
Cheryl:
Hormones absolutely play a major role!!! I’m peri-menopausal but I’ve been dealing with rapid weight gain for 6 years, at one point gaining 32 pounds in the space of one year!! I am on a natural progesterone cream. I use it Day 12 through Day 26. VERY low dose because my natural doc told me you don’t want to push the body but rather, lean it in the right direction. I have gone three months without a period and then I’m back on track for a year and then two months and nothing. But I still keep up with the progesterone cream just as if I was having a period. If you are fully into menopause (no period for 12 cycles), you really should look into progesterone cream. Progesterone cream blocks excess estrogen which leads to such terrible weight gain. (I’ve started calling it Estro-Weight!) Understand that I’ve been dealing with this for 6 years and really intensely for 4 years and I’ve addressed the thyroid, cortisol, adrenal balancing, hormones and they ALL play a role in weight reduction. The two most important are balancing hormones and balancing the thyroid. Without that, you cannot change your life. Have you read Suzanne Sommers’ book “Breakthrough?” My husband bought it for me and it’s very good. She does a lot of stuff (HGH shots, progesterone cream, etc.) but she’s a testament to what this can do for you overtime. AND she cured her own cancer using natural medicine (she still gives herself Iscador shots daily. My friend went to Germany for cancer treatment and they use Iscador all the time for all types of cancers.) Anyway, it’s a multi-pronged approach.
LD
Cheryl and LD – I agree with what LD said. I have Suzanne Sommer’s book and found it very informative. After reading it is when I decided to find a doctor that does hormone testing. My two OB/GYN’s did bio-identical hormone replacement (both men) but did not think that blood and saliva testing were necessary – they opted to go by symptoms. When I finally got my tests done by my hormone doctor (previously an OB/GYN) she found that my estrogen level was extremely high, my progesterone, testosterone and cortisol levels were fine and my thyroid was off. So I think it is very important to get your tests done!
Also, I have been taking L-theanine twice a day for a year for stress because my son was very sick. Apparently L-Theanine is used in some applications to help heal the adrenals. Maybe that is why my cortisol levels survived the year. My doctor was surprised because she thought the tests would absolutely show adrenal fatigue. L-theanine also helps you concentrate and boy did I need help during that time. I take two in the morning and then two in the evening.
Susan M.
I, too, started L-theanine around three years ago. Stress has been hell for almost 4 years due to ailing health of both parents. I take one or two 200 mg. capsules at night before bedtime and it really helps me relax and sleep. Did not know about healing the adrenals. Thanks! My adrenals are toast after all this stress and I do whatever I can naturally to repair the damage. THAT can take years to do, by the way and adrenal stress can lead to weight gain as well! So many avenues to putting on weight.
My regular doc only tested my thyroid using blood. Also, his lab’s “ranges” were so vast that you could be in the middle and still be out of whack. When I went to a natural doc, she did both blood and saliva and her lab’s ranges were quite narrow. When they compared the T3, T4, free T3 and Reverse T3 along with morning, noon, afternoon and night cortisol AND my estrogen vs. progesterone levels, it was a mess. It’s taken nearly 18 months for everything to get balanced out. My Vitamin D3 test also came out badly so I supplement now with 10,000 IU D3 daily and get re-tested every three months. So far, I’m still just under the “high” level. Also, I got my IGF-1 levels tested (aging levels) and I’m tanking in that department too. Suzanne Sommers writes about HGH and IGF-1 and how critical that is to living a long a “awake” life. Now I also have introduced IGF-1 sublingual spray into my routine. It makes a real difference when I take it just prior to working out.
LD
LD – Look into and read about Cortef – natural cortisol. That is what my doctor was going to put me on if my adrenal tests showed them fatigued. Or try 200mg L-Theanine in the morning and it may help.
I am now going into week six on the Integra-Lean and am creeping down veeerrry slowly – about a 1/2 pound a week so it seems like it is helping me but it may take a lot longer than the 10 weeks. It does completely curb my appetite but then again, my doctor told me I need to eat frequent small meals a day.
Susan M.
I checked Cortef out but some of the user comments on one site were not positive. I will opt for the L-Theanine in the morning and see if that helps.
I’m also investigating Transmax from Biotivia (www.biotivia.com) It is a trans-resveartrol product that is very powerful. Just one capsule in the morning is usually all that is needed to provide 6-8 hours of energy. In researching it, it works also for calorie restriction as resveratrol has that benefit. Along with the amazing anti-aging benefits, I’m definitely intrigued by this supplement. A good friend of mine said her natural doc purchases up to 50 bottles of Transmax a month and can’t keep it in stock. In high doses, it’s been used for cancer, including pancreatic. I’m interested in it for the energy producing effects.
LD
Ld – The Transmax sounds very interesting. I am going to check it out. Thanks for mentioning it!
Susan
This isn’t working to post a comment!
Since I quit the Fuco, my carb cravings have been wild! I told the Hubby NO MORE DONUTS IN THE HOUSE! I think being holed up in this cold weather and stuck in the house with pneumonia I definitely boredom ate but was hungry all the time. Yet, I have experienced NO weight gain! I may even have a loss to report after my 7th week. I restarted the Fuco today also in hopes it will help quelch my recent carb cravings!
SusanM,
I’m going to my dr who is 6 hours away in the next month or so. What do you recommend getting tested for on a hormonal level. I want her to check everything. I’m going on the gelatinized Maca to try to restore my desire, but it is also supposed to normalize many hormonal imbalances which I’m interested in too. Hopefully being on that for a while before my appt, my results will come back good. Do you have you ND’s narrower limits for things? I’m not too much for the regular dr’s normal limits after the hell I went through trying to get my thyroid regulated! Can they test HGH levels? Thanks!
If your comment isn’t posting, try shortening it up. I was trying to post since yesterday and had to cut it down to get it to finally work.
LD,
Thanks for the trans resveratrol info I will have to look into that and get me some….my Mother and her side are all gone from pancreatic, liver and lung cancers! I take L-theanine in LEF’s Natural Stress Relief formula at night. That and Melatonin if I can’t sleep and I’m out like a light! I didn’t know it helps with adrenal fatigue, because as I say many people have “one of those days”, maybe even “one of those weeks”….I’ve become complacent that I’m having “one of those LIVES!” I also did further research on the Zymessence and the powerful stuff in it is the serrapeptase. I found some higher dose Doctor’s Best and it is getting rave reviews at iherb.com That is really the only ingredient missing in LEF’s Super Digestive Enzymes and it too is enteric coated. Just a suggestion if it will save ya some money! I’m taking the Zymessence twice a day is that a good dose? I’m also taking it with Nattokinase.
Hi all,
My weigh in is next week. 5 lb loss so far. I read on my Omega 3 that it ought not be taken with fiber. Since Irvingia is a fiber product I don’t know if I ruin the effectiveness of the product. my first 6 weeks had been taken with my Omega 3 supplements. So the last week I started staggering my supplements not to take Irvingia and Omega 3 at the same time.
JI,
I don’t believe there is fiber in the Irvingia extract, because they are mixing it with Fucoxanthin and pomegranate oil in SlimSignals which says specifically on the bottle not to take with fiber because fiber will absorb the Fuco and pom oils. I take Omega 3 with the Irvingia and Fuco too. It is supposed to up the Fuco’s performance.
Shelly H – I was tested for Thyroid (bloodwork) and Saliva Testing for: Cortisol, DHEA, Testosterone, Progesteroe, Estrogen and HGH. My doctor is with BodyLogicMD and they treat men as well as women.
Shelly,
When they test HGH it’s really testing IGF-1 levels. So, the test to ask for is the IGF-1 test. Have your Vitamin D3 levels checked too. Go on http://www.mercola.com and he has all the perameters for what to ask for in a Vitamin D3 test. YOU HAVE to be specific.
With the Zymessence, it’s not just the Seraptese, it’s also the Pancreatin amounts that make it work better. I take three a day, two at night and one in the morning, usually 1 hour or more away from food. I find it works best that way. You should notice better bowel regulation within days. If not, add one more capsule a day.
The gelatininzed maca takes awhile to kick in for long term benefit but you should feel the energy from it within days. The hormones are going to take at least 100 days to balance. I’ve been working with my natural doc for over four years and I know how long it’s taken me to work things out. I’m still not perfectly balanced (who is???) but I’m SOOO much better than I was even one year ago. When I think about the horrible estrogen emotional highs I was having last year at this time, I can’t believe how things have improved.
I’ve ordered two bottles of Transmax for myself and my husband. It just sounds too good to pass up. The forums I’ve followed that talk about it really impress me. I talked to a lady who works at Biotivia on Friday and she was so helpful and informative about their product. My husband had thyroid cancer in 2002 and it seems that Transmax is as close a clear prevention supplement as well as a treatment supplement in large doses. And resveratrol really does sound like the 21st Century supplement with how it can slow down aging. At 47, I’m interested in that kind of stuff.
LD
LD
Just noticed when re-reading the Transmax info that it is also an estrogen blocker for excess estrogen. Fantastic for hormonal weight loss!!
LD
LD,
I’m interested in the anti-aging too! I love LEF’s Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer! Do some research on Carnosine….very interesting! Along with Pyridoxamine…they prevent AGES (advanced glycation end products). I do resveratrol too. LEF’s and I have a bottle of Vitacosts stabilized liquicap Longeverol. I’m pretty consistent on those along with super ubiquinol (the highly absorbable CoQ10). And at night Melatonin and Natural Stress Relief. I get most of my regular vitamins from my Myoplex shakes, but I’ve been terrible on my nutrition program this week! The LEF Enzymes have Pancreatin too at 8X….I think after researching serrapeptase, I’m going to up my dosage of it! That is what really eats the internal scar tissue, fibroids and results in excellent pain relief and increased range of motion. It is great sharing info on this stuff! I have really been bad this week and thank goodnes the scale isn’t moving up! I really have to get back on track tomorrow…wish me luck!
I was just about to mention VitaCost for supplements that are comparable and sometimes better than LEF, although at a lower cost, but Shelley beat me to it. I also use Swanson Vitamins for high quality supplements that are oftentimes less expensive than VitaCost (Although, don’t buy the cheaper and less potent herbal powders – bark scrapings – from Swanson–Make sure it’s a higher potency extracts and then compare prices).
That being said, it seems that LEF is the only one selling Irvingia as of yet, and the price is actually cheap when one considers its potential and that only LEF is carrying it. I will purchase the Irvingia with Fucoxanthin soon and join the rest of you.
Also, for those with high-cortisol adrenal problems, “Adrenal Health” made by Gaia Herbs has been very helpful for me. I’ve tried other similar supplements with the same ingredients or the ingredients separately, and “Adrenal Health” has been the most effective. I take one capsule in the morning on weekdays and don’t take any on Saturdays and Sundays (continual use of Rhodiola rosea causes its effectiveness as an adaptogen to lower, so that’s why I skip the typically less stressful weekends; however, I’ve read before, if I remember correctly, that going six weeks on and two weeks off is a more typical supplementation cycle). I place my orders for “Adrenal Health” with the least expensive supplier based on a Google Product (Froogle) search. Last time, I ordered it from the Amazon.com merchant “Organics Wholesale.”
I am into week six now. Now down only 6 pounds. I seem to be losing but losing very slowly as compared with the study group. I go down a few ounces a day and I have to say I am satisfied with that. I have also been changing my diet a bit from low carb to include some fiber and complex carbs and it seems to work a little better than completely low carb (in my case very low carb). Almost like the Mediterean Diet. While taking the Integra-Lean I really have NO APPETITE at all and kind of have to force myself to eat. So, when I do, I try to make sure it is quality. I know I am repeating myself here, but it makes a HUGE difference at work especially in the late afternoons when everyone craves sweets – I don’t anymore.
LCC – I LOVE the crock pot chicken! Made a big batch again yesterday and it goes a long way. Great to put on salad and I put bowls aside in the fridge with a little of the broth on it to heat up during the week when I get home from work. (I did change the salad dressing to Newman’s Organic Italian but I figured I’m on the Integra-Lean so the extra carbs won’t matter much but it tastes better!)
Hi All,
Haven’t posted for several weeks. This site is full of wonderful information but there is so much besides the irvingia info that I’m sort of lost on how many people are having any success at all. I for one am in week 6 and I gained my usual 5 or 6 pounds over the holidays. Haven’t lost it tho I got back to reasonable eating around the 3rd of Jan. I don’t do low carb though I strive for just complex, healthy carbs. I’m going to go all the way to 10 weeks, maybe even 12 and have bloodwork done (I really like to SEE results) and if it’s not in weight loss maybe my CRP will come down. I’t really high at 6 and would be worth it if it comes down but boy, I have to say I am VERY dissapointed in the lack of weight loss. I’m really overweight and looking and another hip replacement. I’d love to lose about 20 pounds before surgery but am only able to walk about 20 minutes a day. I got the letter too from Fallon but just can’t understand how all those people lost weight and not me. (poor me, he,he) Anyway just wanted to weigh-in, so to speak.
I’d love to know how many people are participating on this site and how many have lost weight. It seems to me that we have maybe 30 posters and maybe 5 losers?! Not very good odds.
Sorry to be negative on such a wonderful day!
I’m into week 5 and have noticed a significant reduction in appetite in the last 2-3 days. I haven’t been able to finish meals, as my “full signal” seems to come on quick and strong. Today at lunch I ordered tomato soup and a veggie wrap with beans and rice, which I can typically finish off. Well, I enjoyed all of the soup, but then could only do a few forkfuls of beans and three bites of wrap before I felt I could physically eat no more. Weird!
Also, I’ve lost another 1.5 lbs this week , which makes 4 lbs total so far. I have about 25 lbs I’d like to lose, so this seems like a good start. I haven’t been dieting or resisting any urges to eat, nor am I exercising beyond the usual on-my-feet-at-work-all-day routine (I’m an elementary school teacher).
So at the moment, I feel pretty encouraged and positive about my irvingia experiment.
Shelley,
Looks like LEF’s resveratrol did not get a great rating at Consumer Labs. In fact, the lab reported that it had much less of the active ingredient in it vs. other resveratrol products. I’m surprised because I would think LEF would go overboard in making sure their product was top rate. I’m new to the resveratrol crowd and I know this site is dedicated to Irvingia. But resveratrol does have that calorie restriction ability so it rotates in the same orbit as a weight loss supplement that “could” possibly work as a nice adjunct to Irvingia.
LD
I hesitated to go off the integra lean while I pursued the hormone problem so I reduced my dosage to just one per day.
Drum roll please…. I have LOST 5 pounds in 3 days.
Could it be we have a dosage issue? I have not changed anything else yet because HRT in any form is dangerous for a heart patient so I had to wait for my doctor to OK.
Anyone else having a “creeping weight” problem? I would suggest you try reducing the dose. Just a couple of days will tell you.
My daughter has lost 8 pounds now on the regular dose. (We are 7 weeks in).
To keep things focused, can all those who have tried Irvingia for at least a month please give a concise “pounds lost after first month” results summary. Note that the LEF Irvingia test group lost 8 pounds after one month. After the first month, I lost exactly zero pounds.
LD
On Consumer Lab & LEF Reserv. LEF did a article on why the test wasn’t good for there product- I’m sure if oyu call them they can refer you to the issue. I too called them right after Consumer Lab Report. Never saw them with a bad report before or since- so I give them the benefit of the doublt.
Continue to drop pounds since week 5 1/2 on down a good 10.2 lbs. Get on the scale wednesday for next weight in- Looking forward to it as my belly looks smaller-
Bob
The 1st 5 weeks I lost ZERO POUNDS Since then I’ve lost close to 10 lbs- changed from low carb diet to high fiber and added Weight Loss Oatmeal every morning
Bob,
6 weeks, 0 lost (gained 6 over holidays)
Barb
Bob, zero pounds attributed to Irvingia/fuco, lost 1 pounds of fat (not scale weight) since Dec. 1st which is a usual drop for me. I eat pretty clean body building style diet and exercise five days a week.
Check in after 7 weeks…
I lost another .4 lbs, how I do not know! I have been considerably constipated was less active than normal due to the pneumonia and overate unbelievably. Though I do tend to get full faster (and feel miserably full depsite eating less) my night time cravings for reeses and whole milk were back, Hubby had brought 2 big packs of donuts which I partook a bit too much in. This cold weather is really getting to me especially after being sick. SO normally food intake like that would have resulted in a gain, I had a loss. This week it is going to be back to business!
LD,
Where do you go to look that info up on the Consumer Lab ratings? That would be nice to check supplements out on! I believe the Resveratrol only mocks the health effects of calorie restriction without actually restricting calories, because obese mice who would normally expire early lived as long as calorie restricted mice was my take on what I read….I could be wrong though! However, that leads one to believe it hinders the mechanisms of detriment to overeating and keeps the body more regular and healthy despite obesity so it would be a good adjunct to Irvingia!
Jen S,
Thanks for your check in. Glad to hear more encouraging results.
Well into my second bottle (more than a month) of the Irnvingia plus fucoxanthan product (Slim Signals). I have no change in appetite and no loss of weight-zero.
The comment above concerning the bad rating of LEF resveratrol is interesting. I recently switched from another brand to LEF. When I reduce my daily intake of resveratrol I often have a headache for one day. When I switched to LEF brand I had a headache for one day. This puzzled me at the time but the finding of Consumer Labs offers an explanation.
I just started my second bottle today of Irvingia and I am down from 182lbs. to 173lbs. I am 59yrs old and this is the first time I’ve been able to lose any weight in a long time. There is a decrease in my appitite and I don’t have the need to snack out of boredom. I ride my stationary bike 3x week and I have decreased my wine intake to a couple of glasses a week with dinner. So far, I am really pleased. I have noticed that my blood pressure is up. I don’t know if it is due to the Irvingia or just my anxiety which I suffer from. If anyone else has noticed a change in their B.P. I would like to know.
Shelley,
You have to subscribe to the website to get the data. I did it for 6 months as I was interested in reviewing new products and getting comparisons. They are BIG on weight loss products and “hot” products such as Omega-3 and Fish oil. From what I understand, they are pretty fair with their lab tests BUT I know that any data can be screwed with to get a certain outcome if the testers wish it so.
Got my bottles of Transmax today. Will start first thing in the A.M.
So, far I’m 1 week into my second bottle of Irvingia and I’ve GAINED 2 pounds. Very unhappy about this. I have started oatmeal again in the morning and incorporating one slice of multi-grain bread a day into my diet. I’m very cautious of this as even complex carbs in the form of grain have not promoted weight loss in the past. Perhaps in conjunction with Irvingia, this will change.
LD
Shelley,
Not sure if Resveratrol “mocks” calorie restriction. My interest in it lies with its many other benefits and the tons of people I know who say they feel better and look different after being on it for more than one year. I’m willing to give it at least 6 months and see what I feel like. I’ve researched the Transmax brand and truly feel its the best one. (I have absolutely no connection to that company.) I am very intrigued by the fact that resveratrol is used in many other supplements for blocking cancer-causing estrogen. That is something I really need.
LD
Has anyone noticed sedation and fatigue with integra lean. It has been a problem for three weeks now. No weight loss noted.
Vic T,
You said nothing lost in 5 weeks then 10 pounds since then (how many more weeks?)
Thanks,
Barb
day 21. Lost 2 pounds. I know my inflamation is down because I am wearing rings that I have not been able to wear in 6 years. All my joints seem smaller. Still sleeping like a rock. Afternoon cravings are gone. slight appetite supressant.
Although I know that this blog isn’t about Resveratrol, I wrote to LEF about the Consumer Labs result and they replied with a .pdf showing assay from 4 different labs of all of their Resveratrol products. All showed in excess of the label amount of Resveratrol. In my every dealing with LEF, they’ve demonstrated nothing but integrity. I’ll email the .pdf to the blog moderator if anybody is interested.
And hey, how about some more Irvingia posts here!
Glenn
I have taken two days off from Irvingia to see if I can halt the weight gain. I have not gained or lost weight during these two days. I’ll go back on it tomorrow and see if I can lose weight. But after being back to square one after nearly 5 weeks on it, I need to reaccess this.
LD – try just taking 1/2 of the dose. Since I halved the dose I have lost 8 pounds.
My daughter, who is on a full dose, has lost 10 and we are moving onto the eighth week.
For clarification – I am taking 1 pill in the evening.
I am in my eighth week and have lost a total of six pounds total weight from the beginning on December 3rd. My 7th week I expected an increase in weight loss but it continues to be a steady loss of only a few ounces each week. It does not go up at all and continues down but extremely slowly and it is frustrating in comparison with the study. My clothes are a lot looser though. That said, before I began I was only going up each month and even starving myself did not stop it. So, my thinking is that either I am really, really leptin and/or insulin resistant or my other hormones are still not in synch yet. Either way, I am contining on this road because I am seeing results albeit miniscule.
As far as diet, I have been eating a small bowl of oatmeal in the morning. Lunch is a salad with veggies and protein. Dinner is either nothing because I am not hungry or it is a small bowl of cereal or a piece of chicken or a piece of steak. That is it. No snacking at all. Lot’s of water. Sometimes I wake up very thirsty during the night .
LD — Thanks for the tip and info about Transmax resveratrol. I am about to order some.
Stephanie and Vic T — I am encouraged by your success on irvingia. Please continue posting! You are stoking my hopes.
I’ve been on irvingia 5 weeks and 3 days.
So far I’m only down about 4 lbs.
I eat a carb-rich diet with some meat and a good amount of whole grain and fiber. Pretty high in fat though.
However, it has been well worth the $140 spent on three bottles for the long overdue revelation that my migraines are most likely the result of blood sugar fluctuations. After my 12-week stint on irvingia (which could be ongoing if it really starts to work), I plan to give metformin a try to control my blood sugar and my headaches.
I am so pleased with the reduction in my migraine medication, I can’t help mentioning it in every post. To me this is far more significant than my (thus far) marginal weight loss.
I got a new symbol because I mistyped my email address. It’s the same Jen S. with the black “snowflake”.
Weird. My post before the previous one didn’t show up. It was long and I just cannot retype it! Anyway, here’s the gist (not much has changed):
I’m in week 6. Day 38.
I’ve lost 4 lbs total (none since last week).
My migraine meds are still halved, yay. Amazing.
I already eat a high carb, high fiber diet.
Thanks Vic T and Stephanie for your encouraging posts of success. You are keeping my hopes stoked.
Thanks LD for the info on Transmax. I am about to order some.
Even if taking irvingia for 12 weeks results in only marginal weight loss for me, it was worth the $140 spent on three bottles to find out that my migraine headaches are most likely the result of fluctuating blood sugar levels. After my irvingia stint, I might ask to try metformin.
Has anyone noticed a rise in their blood pressure?
I just re-read the letter from William Faloon to Irvingia Consumers. He does say it may take four or MORE weeks to restore leptin sensitivity. I think I am responding to the Irvingia extract’s fat-loss mechanisms but at a much slower pace. I do wonder though as far as the study goes what the gender mix was and how much did the men lose as compared to the women. I may email LEF this question…
Ok, I’ve been taking the Irvingia for four days now. I had originally planned on just taking it and not making any changes to my diet.
However, after thinking about it, I’m wondering if it might not be a good idea for me to actually diet at the same time. I’m wondering what your thoughts are?
My last two diets were WW & lowcarb. I did lose around 30 – 35 pounds each time, but quickly gained it back plus more.
My thinking is – if the Irvingia helps correct the leptin issue, shouldn’t I be able to actually keep the weight off that I lose this time?
Or… would it be more logical to just eat regularly & see what happens. I generally don’t over eat, just occasional sweet cravings (that I am really hoping disappear based on others posts!)
Any thoughts? TIA!
We are not doing test. I would do the diet and see if Irvingia helps you stay on it more easily.
Male, 52, 5’5″, weight @ 12/1/2008=186.5. Need to lose at least 30lb.
I had already got down to 182lbs by 12/14 when my Integra-Lean arrived. Initially I went through most of the symptoms described by others.
I dont subscribe to any branded diet, just try to keep away from starches and only use olive oil at home.
I have been away since starting the Integra-Lean and didnt check weight, but intially dropped a notch on my belt so something seemed to be working. Also felt bettter and sleeping well maybe blood pressure and lipids improving.
The shock came on the scale when I got home, back up to 185.
Now down to 183 but the variations tell me the Integra-Lean is not the whole story
I’ve been a faithful follower of LEF for a while but I think they overstepped the mark with the claims on this one, particularly about “no change in diet”. I’ve read the information they sent out since and in fact they do advocate a diet high in complex carbs, which is likely to be a change for most people, a change which would lose them weight by itself.
I’m all in favor of that, but all in all, I’m probably more likely to lose my 30lb going to the gym 3 times a week and eating whole wheat subs stuffed with veggies at Subway.
Having read the Cameroon study, where the dose was 4 times what LEF is recommending, I’ll try increasing the dose to finish the 4 bottles I bought
On my fifth week on SlimSignals (Irvingia and Fucoxanthin), last week lost 8.4 pounds. This week I lost 4.2 pounds. I eat frozen Lean Cuisine meals and for snacks I eat whey protein powder blended with raw oats.
Colby
Well, I’m up THREE pounds today! I am eating a small bowl of oatmeal every morning, a salad with chicken or fish for lunch and a small dinner of protein and a good vegetable. Snacking is minimal and if I do it, it’s a few rice chips, celery, carrots or a glass of milk.
I will half the dose and see what happens. Thanks for that advice. I’m actually heavier now than when I started five weeks ago!!!! This is strange. It’s like I started my second bottle and everything went to hell.
That is what happened to me LD. I was expecting great things but at the 4-5 week period I started to steadily gain weight.
I, too, ate oatmeal in the morning. I have since discovered that body-builders use oatmeal to gain weight even though I had always believed it was one of the “healthy” carbs. I now eat eggs and/or turkey sausage. It must have worked because I am now down 9 pounds.
This would have been great if it was from my original weight. Instead it includes the 7 pounds I gained post 4 weeks which makes me down only 2 pounds from my starting weight. I am going to continue on the 1/2dose and see where it takes me. We’ll see if I continue to lose.
I started eating oatmeal for breakfast too last week and the scale has stopped moving. hmmm. I’m going back to eggs….
I went down 4.5 pounds the first month and around 6 weeks I am up 2 pounds above what I was originally. I have already quit the irvingia. It was alot of money, I bought 7 months worth. I am trying the master cleanse for a little while. After that I will try taking the irvingia again with eating mostly raw. I was eating complex carbs and definitely not overeating. Hungry a lot of times. Really disappointed. I will try to point my blood test for the 6 weeks. Should have done at least something there.
Since I don’t know a lot about leptin sensitivity, could there be something where your body actually fights this process and hangs on to weight? I know when I was getting my thyroid balanced, I went through a great honeymoon period where I felt great and the weight started coming off and then about 6 weeks into it, I felt flat, depressed, I started gaining weight, etc. My doctor at that time told me that the thyroid can do that and can literally fight the nutrients because it’s been “asleep” so long and really wants to stay asleep until it gets revved up enough and realizes it’s going to change. Maybe Irvingia works the same way? I don’t know. I’m not willing to keep THIS going as I’d made major progress prior to the Irvingia and lost 10 pounds over the course of a 14 months or so. I was using the Irvingia to lose another 15 or 20 pounds.
I, too, bought 7 months worth, willing to give it a solid try. But I’m concerned now. I felt my belly was changing in shape and getting less fatty in places but I can’t be so sure now. I think it’s really expensive stuff for not getting across the board outstanding results. You know, when you market something with a splashy cover story and a full color insert that boasts 20 pounds of weight loss in 10 weeks, you better have some consistency with the product for all blood types and for all ages. ESPECIALLY when it’s SO expensive.
I started on eggs and turkey sausage too this morning and will stay on the Irvingia at a half dose for one week and see what happens. If you’re doing a half dose, does it make sense to take it in the morning to curb hunger or at night to…well, I’m not sure what it would do at night since I’m not eating while I sleep…..
SUSAN NOBLE,
Forgot to mention, with that Master Cleanse, be careful and be aware of how it affects the body. I’ve done it several times (along with other cleanses over the years) and I found that my body literally went into “shock” mode when I’d do it or any cleanse. Other people have mentioned the same thing. Any weight you lose will be water weight and just pure starvation. Traditionally, you’re supposed to do these cleanses as a fast and over a period of 3 to 7 days. Back in the 1970′s when I was a teenager, it was popular to see who could go the longest on these cleanses, who could do the most coffee enemas and who could purge the most toxins. There was the Master Cleanse, the juice fast, the mucusless cleanse, the cabbage soup cleanse, on and on. I know that I’d lose 6 or 7 pounds and then gain it all back and then some within a week after I stopped the cleanse.
If you’re doing it to detox your system, great. But a good general liver/gall bladder cleanse that works and is easy is to drink a blend of two ounces of extra virgin olive oil with two ounces of lemon juice (preferably freshly squeezed lemon juice.) Start with just one ounce of the combined mixture to see how your system handles it. Some people lie down on their right side afterward and allow the mixture to get into the liver. This often promotes a huge evacuation and cleanse-type bowel movement within an hour or less. Work up to the full four ounces of the mixture but don’t do it every day. Your body needs time to repair from the release of toxins. I used to do the olive oil and lemon cleanse every week for a month in the spring. Staying completely off sugar and eating basically lightly steamed veggies and organic foods (fish and chicken) with no grain, dairy or red meat for one month while you’re doing the olive oil/lemon juice will certainly cleanse the system but still give you nutrition.
I have been on the Slim Signals from Life Extension which is the Irvingia & Fucoxanthin. I have been on it for 4 weeks. I have gone from 197 to 189 (8 lbs). My diet has become more health conscious i.e. I bypass the baconator and go for a sandwich. My appetite has changed alot, less snacking and my portions have decreased. I haven’t experienced any side effects. One note, I got the flu at the end of week 2, so while I was on antibiotics (being the hypochondriac that I am), I paused using the product for about 4 days. Wanted to mention this, since it may have had an effect on my overall weight loss. The initial weight loss inspired me to go to the gym and I have been going about twice a week for the past week. Altogether, I am really loving the product, my doctor recommended it when I said I wanted to lose weight. I plan to take another blood test in mid-February to see how the product has affected my cholesterol and other levels and will post my findings. But definitely excited about this product and how its helping me get those pounds off.
LD
Thanks so much for the information. I went on the master cleanse before for 10 days. I feel so bad with my weight I dont know what else to do. My whole body hurts. I am 5’5″ and weigh 194. I have never believed this much in a company before (LEF). It amazes me how they can hype something up this much for something that does not even come close. I would have been happy with a 3 pound weight loss per month. I had my thyroid checked and I was in the normal range. I found a doctor that put me on T-3 about a year ago. Didnt like the way it made me feel, maybe I should have stayed with it.
I will try that liver/gallbladder cleanse. I am just going on the master cleanse until my clothes fit better and I can drum up an eating plan that might work that I have not tried before.
Years ago LEF came out with this other diet pill. It was called avolean. From the avocado. Tried to buy it but they took it off the market. I wonder if that was any good.
i will probably try the irvingia again when I get done with the 10 days or whatever. At least it takes some of the appetite away.
Susan,
Honestly, the 10 days is way too long. All you’re going to do is starve yourself and your body will go into shock mode. It’s too hard on the system. Five days is plenty on the Master Cleanse. Look into the T3 again. T3 has a honeymoon period and then the thyroid fights it and then it gives in to the T3. I know because I’ve been on T3 for two years and it’s really made a difference in my outlook on life, my weight and my ability to think more clearly.
People forget that we need GOOD fats, like coconut oil and avocado in moderation. GOOD Fats help the body’s metabolism fuel the weight loss. Low-fat diets are not safe and cause a lot of mental confusion because the brain needs fat to function. Coconut oil is great for the thyroid. I’ve been using it ever since I read a book on good fats and how they heal depression, the thyroid, weight loss, etc. I think it was called Good Fats/Bad Fats.
If you are eating protein and organic vegetables and just a smattering of whole grain bread for fiber and then exercising to get the heart pumping and THEN doing the resistance exercises (such as with 3 pound weights or pilates bands or the exercise ball) you WILL lose weight and gain muscle and the more muscle you have, the more your body will burn fat. I know this to be true because I used to just do cardio for up to 2 hours and I lost NO weight. Once I started cardio for 30 minutes and then switched to 30 minutes of weights and pilates, I started see HUGE changes in my body. I didn’t lose weight right away, but my upper arms started getting less flabby and my thighs were stronger than ever. I was also able to lift heavy objects because my lower back was conditioned and stronger.
I’m not sold on Irvingia. I’ll do the half dose this week and go back to protein for breakfast and see what happens. But if I don’t see any weight loss or if I gain (God, I hope not), I’m returning the unopened bottles and getting a refund. I’m actually getting a little suspicious of LEF’s intent with their supplements. It seems like they are all show and no go. A lot of slick marketing but empty outcome with their products. I’ve used their Curcumin and B-Vitamins and I didn’t feel that much better or different on them. My ND tells me that if you don’t FEEL better or LOOK better on a supplement after 90 days on it, stop taking it because supplements that are good should be FELT almost immediately.
Just my two cents.
Hi All,
Please read this post to help me put together an irvingia survey:
http://lowcarbconfidential.com/2009/01/26/back-but-not-quiteand-your-questions-for-an-irvingia-survey/
Regards,
LCC
This is for M.H. of Jan 24, I started Integra-lean on 1/1 with my BP 130-140/60-70 on RX. On 1/16, my BP spiked to 175/70 in the afternoon. Stopped Irvingia and it took 4 days to comeback to normal range. Lost 6# in 16 days. Noticed appetite curb and other things others have said. I don’t know if the thirst thing made be dehydrated and that caused BP to spike, but drinking more fluid and OJ (potassium) solved BP thing. Haven’t restarted Irginvia yet, but weight has stayed off. Also, I haven’t noticed the strong appetite curb as before. Like you I was interested in any other BP problems occuring.
NES,
Sadly though, I won’t ever order from Vitacost again. I like to save on shipping and stock up and I’ve spent thousands on their products through the last few years. They do not value their repeat client base as they will NOT even honor a broken inner seal after 30 days and treated me very rudely despite my kind demeanor when dealing with them. I do not like opening my vitamins/supplements ahead of time and exposing them to oxygen and light. You would think with an outer seal in tact you wouldn’t have to worry about the inner seal and everyone agrees if that is broken they wouldn’t risk using the vitamin…especially since it was for my kids! Also, after 30 days you won’t get a refund on anything for any reason. Whereas LEF I’ve returned several of the supplements I ordered last year that I never got around to taking or didn’t find useful any longer. It was almost a year when I decided I wasn’t going to use them all and I was immediately credited completely hassle free. I value that they appreciate their customers and offer that type of guarantee behind their products. I’m giving my side business to iherb.com now and vitacost can stick it where the sun doesn’t shine!!
)
Week 8 results. I’m stuck! I’m at 189.2 and can’t seem to break past that plateua. I’m sick again with severe bronchitis possibly pneumonia again the way my lungs hurt. They wouldn’t xray or do bloodwork on me at the ER last night because I was in so much pain and was just diagnosed with pneumonia via xray two week ago to the day! I maintained a 101 temp even after taking Dayquil which has acetamenaphin in it. The pain is so intense when I breath in my bronchial tubes and back of my lungs I can’t hardly sleep even on codeine and the sounds that come from my lungs when I lay down frighten me! They gave me another pack of Zithromax, a Symbacort inhaler, some pearls to relieve the cough and tylenol 3 with codeine. After I took the antibiotic, T3 and Immune Protect from LEF my chest and stomach hurt like someone was standing on my ribcage and kicking me in the back of my lower lungs. I have a high pain tolerance too so for me to complain, you know its bad! I’m going to take a break from the Irvingia and Fuco again until my health returns. Best wishes and I will keep checking in. It seems we are seeing lots of positive results, but also some stalling. I agree like LCC says we need to post our diets and our weight and some medical background. I for one am being treated for my thyroid which would definitely impede weight loss if it wasn’t being treated and finally in my target range. I think height and sex would also be a good idea. I’ve seen people post on the LEF forum complaining like mad about it not working, come to find out one gal had 7 subjective lbs to lose and refused to post her weight because she was very thin. Take care!
LD,
Quick question then I must lay down. I started taking Zymessence about 3 weeks ago and am wondering if that may be working to create the stall with Irvingia? I remember reading (too sick to dig it up) about Irvingia working also by dampening Amylase and interfering with how it breaks down carbs or something along those lines. I’m taking 3 caplets a day and it really has helped my allergies and sinus’, but contains about 99,000 USP/FCC units of Amylase in 3 pills. Just wanted to see what your take and two cents is on that? Maybe when I’m healthy I will try holding off on the Zymessence to see if the weight loss returns and then prioritize my needs accordingly because I love how Zymessence is affecting my upper respiratory, but I also want this weight off desperately. Thanks!
Shelley,
Zymessence reduces inflammation, eats up scar tissue and destroys fibrin. As we age, fibrin becomes a huge block to any nutrients getting to where they need to go since it incases organs, arteries, etc. Once the fibrin and scar tissue are reduced, circulation can resume and the body can start to re-shape itself. This happens very slowly. Zymessence is also supposed to prevent excess estrogen in the body which can lead to all that belly weight that nobody can lose (including men!) no matter how much they exercise. In addition, Zymessence aids with digestion and elimination. I don’t care what you’re doing for weight loss but if you don’t have good digestion and proper elimination every single day, you are not going to lose a lot of weight. Most weight loss programs that work include some sort of “pre-program” that includes a gentle cleanse, targeted at the liver and bowel. I know people who have lost up to 20 pounds (for those who were really overweight) just by cleansing their bowel and liver.
I have no idea about the amylase issue you bring up and how it might create an issue with Irvingia. All I know is that when I was JUST taking the Zymessence, I was losing about a third of a pound a week, along with a low carb diet and lots of resistance training. The only reason I started the Irvingia was to attempt to jumpstart that weight loss.
I cut the dose in half and I’m still at the weight where I was months ago (146) and I need to be more around 126. I may not be obese but I used to wear a size 6 about 7 years ago and now I can almost fit into a size 10. Thus, all my weight is around my middle section and upper thighs. This is estrogen weight and I know it’s connected with my hormones. My thyroid is doing pretty well as I have it checked three times a year.
If I don’t see some change in weight this week for the positive, I’m stopping Irvingia and sending back the unopened bottles. I’m not impressed one bit with LEF and their customer service when it comes to asking questions about this product. My feeling is that they are “pimping” a product that really doesn’t have clear and consistent results that match their four color article with the LOSE 20 POUNDS banner across the top. I would have settled for 10 pounds frankly. But to GAIN weight and be heavier than when I started??? Sorry.
One of the questions that should be thrown in the pot for consideration is “are there some people, hormonal types, body types, that respond better to Irvingia than others?” Do men have better luck at this than women? Do certain blood types have better results from Irvingia? I’m a type A positive blood type. I wonder if Type O blood types do really well on this product?
IF I had to rate Irvingia right now, out of 10 stars I’d give it a 1.
LD & others
My Irvingia + Fluc week6
Got on the scale this morning (week 6) and I’m at 272.2. Stuck 9 days at about 273 it seems. of course I have the flu now for 2 weeks (that FLU seems to come and go)- i cut out exercising to one time per week the last 2 weeks.
Just added cider vinegar to the menu before eating to see if this helps. All in All i’m sure my belly is smaller, my desire for sweets is really small and I’m just not losing weight as fast as I’d like. no reason to stop with the stuff- got no bad re-action (Unless I can blame the flu on it?).
I too wish LEF had given more time to experimenting with this stuff- Finding the best diet to follow, etc.
Star Rating from me 4 stars out of 10- but hoping I can add more later?
I am male blood type O- and have no weight loss as of about six weeks on the Fuco+Irvingia product.
I have been taking Irvingia with my coffee in the morning and with my vitamins before going to bed. I have a definete appetite suppression during the day but still get hungry at night. Today I took it at 5:00 and really don’t want any dinner. Just ate a couple of stuffed grape leaves. There is no doubt in my mind this works as an appetite suppressor. Also, I have been sleeping like a log. I would continue to take this just for the ability to sleep at night and not wake up three or four times. I have only lost four pounds and am on my second bottle. But I have noticed that I have lost two inches in my waist. I am going to change the timing of taking it – 6 in the morning and five at night. I have also changed from my usual breakfast of four pieces of bacon and two pieces of rye bread toast to oatmeal. I am just not hungary at usual breakfast time of 9AM
Just curious – has anyone tried increasing the dosage to maybe 3 pills a day?
Judith,
Check back with us and let us know what changes when you switch to oatmeal. For some, it made them gain weight.
I just don’t think that starvation or not ingesting food is the way to lose weight. Appetite suppression is one thing but skipping meals is simply not a healthy way to live life.
LD,
You can send back the opened bottles also-that is what I intend to do.
Bethkay,
I have been taking three a day when I saw no effect from two but still no effect. I think I could probably down an entire bottle in a day and there would be no effect.
I called customer service and they told me six weeks is required not for the Irvingia but for the fucoxanthan and that people were losing weight with it. I asked if their basal temperature was elevated and she said no. Fucoxanthan is suppossed to activate uncoupling protein. I gaurantee you if you uncouple and lose weight your basal temperature will rise as you burn fat. A really effective uncoupling compound like 2 4 DNP is dangerous because all the fat burning raises core temperature to the point that death can result from overheating.
To Dave Lindgren, thanks for the info on your B.P. You are the only one that provided me with any feedback. I will definitely drink more fluids and O.J. I hate to stop the Irvingia because I am pleased with my weight loss and appitite suppression. I will continue to monitor the B.P.
LD,
Thanks for your input….after studying Zymessence the active ingredient that really does the fibrin and scar tissue eating seems to be the serrapeptase. I agree having normal digestion is a very important aspect of weight loss. I have not been taking my Super Cleanse colon pills for just over a week and have been having results thanks to the Zymessence. My concern is I know Irvingia works synergistically via several mechanisms for weight loss and the Amylase in Zymessence may be the reason for my stall which pretty much coincides with my beginning taking Zymessence. So I have to prioritize right now….I think I may just take serrapeptase alone to continue fixing me internally in regards to fibrin and then when I reach my weight loss goals continue on with my beloved Zymessence because I really enjoy the results on my digestion and allergies. I’m going to recommend it to my niece for fertility issues. So when I get better, I’m going to experiment to see if the Amylase was messing with my results and causing the stall in weight loss results.
Now on to you my Dear, you have given us all so much wonderful info and I was hoping to pass some on to you! I have looked at the BMI charts for someone 6 feet tall….your goal of 126 lbs is between the first two squares into underweight and your current weight of 146 is between the first and second lowest square from the low normal end.
http://www.freebmicalculator.net/bmi-chart.jpg
That may explain why the Irvingia is not working for you? Also as you said, starvation is not the way to go as that will only further suppress metabolism. I definitely think people with different body types such as higher BMI’s in the obesity category are going to be the ones more likely seeing results. Basically it doesn’t seem Irvingia is the answer that will mop up those last annoying lbs though I completely understand you want to acheive what you feel is most comfortable for yourself and reduce your hormonal lower body fat. Hopefully you find something that will help and I will keep my eyes open too for ya. Did you try the Fuco? It is way slower than the Irvingia to even get activated it takes 6 weeks.
You bring up blood type which is very interesting as I’ve seen a blood type diet in one of my women’s mags. Based on the theory that as we were adapting to our areas our different blood types indicated what diet our genetics are used to.
My Hubby is really getting into researching supplements and has taken a shining to wanting resveratrol. Where did you find the best price on Biotivia Transmax? Please don’t tell me Vitacost LOL!
Paul,
Please include info on your diet, height, weight, BMI and other factors you may find important.
Judith,
I have noticed my inch loss definitely does NOT seem to correspond to my weight loss. My Father even said….there is NO way you only lost a total of 23 lbs (part of which was before starting the Irvingia)! He said I look like I have lost way more and my jeans that only fit when I was around 170-175 are fitting me well at 189 with no belly overhang. I find that all very interesting!
Back to the recliner for me! Found out this crap is viral today so that makes sense why the antibiotics weren’t working. Been running 104-105.5 fever even on fever reducers. Ugh! Thank goodness for prescription strength cough meds because it felt like my chest was literally on fire when I’d cough! Where’s good ole Dr. Kevorkian when I really need him! LOL!
Tomorrow I will be the end of my 8th week on Integra-Lean. I am now down 7 pounds total from when I began. I lost exactly one pound this week.The scale continues to move down but in slowww motion. I have noticed that I have definitely lost some inches around my belly and that is the part that I am most concerned about so this is good. I will continue on my slow road and see where it leads.
It definitely reduces your appetite and makes it much easier to eat healthy. You could easily skip meals, but that only worked when I was in my teens & 20′s so I don’t skip. I helps me with the 3:00 pm cravings and the night time cravings so I am thankful for that. I am sticking with the low carb/complex carb diet (grilled chicken on lettuce with lots of green veggies, easy on the dressing) and have given up the oatmeal as it did seem to impair weight loss.
Shelley,
I don’t know where you got the idea I was 6 feet tall! I’m 5′ 6″ inches tall. For most of my adult life, I was between 128 and 132. When I entered peri-menopause, I shot up to 155 in less than one year while not changing my healthy diet or altering my five day a week exercise program.
This week, I am focused on more targeted pilates exercises on the belly. The scale was at 144.8 this morning which is now 2 pounds more than when I started on Irvingia almost 6 weeks ago. And no, it’s not muscle.
I got my Transmax from the company that makes it, BIOTIVIA. If you buy four bottles, you get a slight discount. I only got two to start with. I’ve been doing one capsule in the morning, as is my husband. However, he just started taking another capsule around 2pm. The trans-resveratrol stays in the blood for 6-8 hours and he has been told by his ND that allowing it to stay in the system for at least 12 hours increases the chances of greater benefits faster. I tried one capsule at 3pm yesterday and I had so much energy by 7pm that I knew I was in trouble and that I’d have trouble sleeping. And I did. However, when I take a second capsule at around noon, I don’t have that effect AND I sleep like a log. I know Irvingia has that affect too but I was off the Irvingia for 2 days and I had the same effect.
Did you see the “60 Minutes” segment this last Sunday on Resveratrol? They were promoting the DRUG, of course, that David Sinclair is creating at Sirtis. They made out like there was NO other resveratrol available while we wait for the drug in five years. The reason I chose the Transmax over any other brand is I really did my research and I found out that Biotivia has consistently created new technology to make their resveratrol more stable and more potent. It’s the stability of the resveratrol that’s important as much as the potency because it does not typically have a long life in the body. Anyway, I know this blog is not about resveratrol not sorry to the person in charge of it. But, honestly, Irvingia is not the end all, be all answer to our problems. Frankly, the potential for trans-resveratrol in products such as Transmax far outreach what Irvingia can do because they work on a broad and deep scale of the body.
I had a typo up in my last post. I didn’t mean to say, “not sorry” I meant to say “so sorry.”
The other reason I chose Transmax, Shelley, is because it is a product that a lot of NDs and MDs purchase in mass quantities for their cancer patients who take as many as 6 a day.
I’ve just started Integra-Lean Irvingia today and I’m hopeing to see some good results. I will keep you posted on my progress. I’m 34 yrs old 5’5 and 195lbs. I’ve been struggleing with my weight for 10 years now and am very active. I’m hopeing to find some relief from my weight woes! LOL! Any progress is good progress for me. even if its a 1/2lb!
starting 5th week of irvingia. down 4 lbs (2lbs this week). still sleeping great. no cravings. slight appetite suppressant. lost 3 inches around my waist, nowhere else. swelling in my joints is greatly reduced.
PAUL,
Tell us more about your situation….BMI, diet, weight, height, etc….we like the whole picture for people it works and doesn’t work on
The companies selling resveratrol are generally using an extract of Giant Knotweed – they sell 50 60mg pills for something like $20,00 or more.
You can order the same stuff from China for $40 – $70 per 2.5 pounds! Before you start ragging on China remember, that’s where the companies selling you 60mg pills for big money get the stuff as well!
David Sinclair seems to be creating and artificial resveratrol – we’ll have to see if it has any advantage over the readily available and low cost original.
It’s like making artificial water – if a molecule has an effect of some sort – such as thirst quenching – how can you re-invent the same molecule and expect to charge more for it? It was worth 700myn to a big pharma company so they must have something.
Irvingia cannot be found (so far anyway) but I bet the mark up on that is huge as well.
I’ve decided to try it — I’ve never seen LEF push anything as blatantly as they have this stuff. Let’s hope it works as well as advertised.
LD,
I wrote a bunch and it didn’t post. I had mistaken you for BG on the height…sorry! I don’t think that Irvingia is going to work on people in a normal BMI range and you are right it isn’t the end all answer. No one thing is. There are many valuable supplements for longevity and weight loss….what I do like is Irvinga has other health benefits and lowers CRP and inflammatory markers and I like the sleep with vivid dreams after being an insomniac for years! However I believe people with high BMI’s are the ones seeing results. And hopefully will be able to control their weight or get within healthy parameters using Irvingia. Interesting there is a virus they are linking with obesity AD36 not only do you get a cold…you get FAT! Obesity is catchy now?
I found this site after Googling irvingia and have been reading all the comments with great interest for about a week. Here’s my status with this product. I am into my third week with irvingia and so far the scale hasn’t budged. My appetite seems to be much less than it had been and I really don’t notice any difference in sleep. What is the consensus on diet? So far I haven’t changed anything. We try to eat fairly healthy – low fat, complex carbs, little red meat. I am struggling with post menopause weight gain of about 25 pounds that won’t go away. Any suggestions? Thanks to all of you for your posts.
Shelley,
6′ 1″ 205lbs for BMI=about 27
Given how thirsty the Irvingia seems to make everybody, how much of the initial “lack of weight loss” might we attribute to increased water intake? Perhaps it might be better to focus more on the waist measurements.
8 weeks. Was down 5 lbs After 4 weeks. Still there. No change in last 4 weeks.
I think I have been on this long enough for the Leptin and CRP levels to have been corrected so I hope I start to see some weight loss in February.
Started back on the Irvingia yesterday as I’m feeling a bit better….lost 1.4 lb. Yay, broke through my plateau! Quit the Zymessence because it has Amylase in it and switch to straight up serrapeptase for now to see if that caused my stall.
Won’t let me post lately on board unless very short and even that won’t go through…anyone else?
I am doing exactly the same as Vince. No change in recent weeks – my total loss is 6 pounds since Dec. 3rd.
I read a study ( http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=378516 ) about fat causing Leptin resistance. I am wondering how the people in the Irvingia study ever developed Leptin resistance on their low saturated fat diet. Perhaps, LEF should have told us to go on a low fat diet from the outset and keep Complex Carbs normal. I’ve tried everything and am on my third bottle now with 3.5 pounds max lost today.
Six weeks roughly into Irvingia. Still at 144.8 and I STARTED at 143, lost three pounds and then went back up during the fifth week on Irvingia. I have switched from oatmeal to eggs in the morning but I am eating one piece of whole grain bread with a little butter at lunch with more protein.
There may be less puffiness in my belly but hard to tell. I have been doing targeted abdomen exercises all week and feel more muscle tone building. Doing Pilates and Yoga a lot more too along with weight bearing exercises.
Does anyone know WHY Irvingia creates this pattern of deep sleep with everyone using it (or most people?) What is causing that?
Any one exper. Nausa on this stuff? I am feeling sick about 30 mins to 1hr after taking.
AJ – I have not experienced any nausea and I’ve been taking it since December 3rd.
LD – I sleep deeply once I go to sleep. I’ve no idea why except that maybe it is positively affecting blood sugar levels. My doctor told me that your blood sugar can dip in the middle of the night and wake you up. Obviously, this blog has a lot of unanswered questions and maybe LEF will do some more testing in the future. I certainly hope so.
I have never had nausea on Irvingia.
I’m disappointed for most of you trying this, but I personally have found 6 measureable improvements after being on Irvingia since 12/9 at 150 mg before breakfast and dinner:
My blood sugar dropped from 110 – 132 range to 94 steady
My BP dropped from 135/80 to 117/74
My cholesterol from 223 to 165
My LDL from 121 to 83
Triglycerides 145 to 75
Weight went from 169 to156
this seemed to be all possible because also 4 things happened
My appetite was lower
My craving for excess calories or junk is almost absent
I feel surprisingly comfortable eating small portions, fruit for dessert, half as much bread, leaving food on my plate (this was never possible before)
I am motivated to exercise more
I did make a few other changes so the science is sloppy:
I increased lovastatin from 10 to 20mg, and added fenugreek and alpha lipoic acid which some say both could help blood sugar
My diet is probably a blend of mediterranean and mixed asian with fish. but pretty eclectic, very little meat other than poultry, definitely fish, some eggs, some soy chocolate milk,lots of vegetables,salad,fruit, some olive oil.
All in all this stuff amazes me for me, but maybe not for random others. My wife has lost zero weight in 3 weeks. She eats more egg whites and chicken protein than I do.
My Doctor is testing all my endocrine nbrs throughout my 10 week test on this. I will publish when I am thru the 10 weeks. To get a true test, I have not changed one single thing. I just added taking the Irvingia. I am also following the directions to the letter regardless of side affects.
AJ – I was nauseous the first 2 weeks. Hang in. I found that I must eat within 15 to 30 min after taking the Irvingia to avoid nausea. It is due to Blood Sugar. You get nauseous if your blook sugar is low. Irvingia definately lowers Blood Sugar. I have confirmed this with my Doctor.
LD – The sleep is also due to Bloodsugar, and most specifically the concert between Bloodsugar and Cortisol. If your Cortisol is high at night it is an indication of Metabolic Syndrome or Adrenal Fatique, or both. If your Cortisol is high at night, it disrupts sleep cycles (all aspects of it). Irvingia balances out blood sugar, which balances out Cortisol, so you sleep better.
Has anyone had their CRP (C reactive protein) measured after being on Irvingia? I figure if it doesn’t help me lose weight, maybe at least I could get CRP down. Mine is incredibly high at 6, suppose to be less than one. I won’t quit taking till I have a bloodtest but wondered if anyone has specifically checked this?
Thanks,
Barb
Well, bad news on this end.
I’ve GAINED another 3 pounds in two days. Now I’m at 147.8.
This is WORSE than when I started the Irvingia as I started it at 143 pounds.
I had cut back to ONE capsule about 20 minutes before dinner and replaced the oatmeal in the morning with my usual egg breakfast. I have been exercising normally this week (5 days a week 30 minutes of cardio followed by 20 minutes of Pilates and weights.) I did not change my diet in any other way except what I noted with the oatmeal. In fact, my even with one capsule, my appetite has been curbed during the day.
My concern is that if one cuts back on this product (or stops it entirely) that any weight loss comes back and then some. I was concerned about this happening as that was a common effect of the popular thermogenic weight loss supplements in the 1980′s.
I’ve been on it for a little over 6 weeks, I think. And I think I’m going to stop it entirely now for one week and see what happens. I’m beyond freaked out by this weight gain. I also tried on a pair of jeans yesterday and they were much tighter than usual. I worked VERY hard over the last year to balance my thyroid, adrenals and cortisol levels and hormone levels. Because of that, I was able to slowly go from 155 to 145. I started the Zymessence and slowly dropped another 2 pounds to end at 143. Now I’m back up to 147+???? Sorry, but this is NOT making me feel secure. I hope this stuff hasn’t screwed up something hormonally.
LD
Here is an update to my post of 1/24, now 7 weeks down and still 185.
I decided to call Life Extension prior to increasing the dose. The “health Advisor” I soke to said they had been getting very positive results. What he told me regarding negative results may be of interest.
1) By far the biggest group not getting results was due to incorrect dosing. The 2 doses per day must be 30-60mins before breakfast, and same again before dinner.
2) Hormone imbalances was next biggest impediment to weight loss
3) in some cases, C-reactive Protein (CRP) may persist at high levels for longer than the 4 weeks and may require more patience to come down.
I subsequently re-read the original LEF article with particular regard to CRP. I havent had any tests.but can only guess by my increase from waist size 34 to 38 over the last 10 years that it must be higher than desireable.
I also did some other googling on CRP and found 2 other ingredients which bring it down. By far the most effective (pre-Irvingia testing) appears to be Vitamin C. Curcumin (from Turmeric) is also touted by LEF and was suggested by the advisor. Also fiber.
So I am adding the above to my diet and will restart taking their Super Miraforte for hormone balance and will report back again next week.
Something to note, from the reports of gainign weght taking oatmeal, is that as with any fiber, it is recommended to increase water intake to push the bulk fiber through the system.
LD,
I stopped Irvingia for several days and didn’t gain back. I started a couple days ago and I’ve lost 3 lbs….I think it has helped that I stopped taking my supplement with Amylase in it because Irvingia works through interfering with Amylase. Maybe you should try quitting the Zymessence just for a week to see if it is the Amylase that is doing it?
Started Irvingia 9 days ago and have lost 6 lbs. My belly fat is considerably reduced and I notice my clothes are looser around the middle. This is the first appetite supplement I have tried and I am pleased with it. I am diabetic and my blood sugars have been lower as well during this period. I am in my middle 70′s, 5’3″ and weight 144 lbs. I definitely could loose more weight, another 4 lbs at least. My body temperature runs quite low, and my blood pressure averages 110/70. I am northern European and have noticed similar stats and body type with others I talk with. I would say this seems to be working for me, mostly because of the appetite suppression. I wanted to try this medication mostly because of the suite of reported improvement in low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and CRP. Does anyone know if this impacts NO formation and does it have possible impacts on oxidative products of LDL?
Shelley,
Thanks for the heads up. Before starting Irvingia, I was losing weight at around 2 pounds a month. Veeerrry slow but steady. I noticed that the weight loss, better digestion and much better regulation of bowel were vastly improved after starting the Zymessence. I have had serious digestive issues for years and some inflammatory issues as well. Thus, the Zymessence seems to have targeted all those issues and done a great job.
Right now, I’m so impressed with the Zymessence that there’s no way I’m going to stop taking it….even if just for the way it empties my bowels. Thus, I’m going to stop the Irvingia completely and return the remaining unopened bottles to LEF. I’m taking the Transmax at a minor dose (1 cap a day) and it has the appetite suppression ability like the Irvingia. I just read a report on Transmax that it also has been used as a weight reduction supplement but it takes awhile to work.
I’m just not willing to stop the Zymessence and so I have to make a choice and I’m choosing the Zymessence because the Irvingia cannot deliver the digestive action and bowel regulation that Zymessence can. I think you are probably right about the combo of Zymessence and Irvingia not being compatible.
As for dosing instructions about 30-60 minutes prior to food, that’s news to me. Glad to know it.
I’ve lost 10 pounds in first two weeks of calories in/ calories out method (sort of). I’m 41 yrs old, was 326…now 316. interestingly enough, i eat 3000 calories a day. My friends are mocking me but the proof so far has been on the scale! How did i come up with 3000 cal a day? I googled “how many calories do i need” and found several websites with calculators where i input my age, weight, gender, activity level and it tells me how many calories to eat. NOTE: instead of putting my current weight, i put my GOAL weight of 220. The average after using a few different calculators was 3000 cal a day. So thats what ive been eating. 10 POUNDS IN FIRST TWO WEEKS!! We’ll see what happens next two weeks. Also, I’m eating whatever i want (under 3000 a day) and exercising (walk or bike ride once a day for about an hour).
I am entering my ninth week on Integra-Lean tomorrow (Wednesday). I am down a whopping 5 pounds total weight loss. I followed a very a diet that was protein and green veggies, a little salad dressing and sometimes a small bowl of cereal. I did not eat any starch or refined carbs. So, the Integra-Lean did not help me to lose weight at all. It does continue to help me from binging on carbs so I will continue to use it as a tool. Also, I want to see if it has had any effect on my bloodwork and that won’t be for another month or so.
Well, after 8 weeks and a gain of 4 pounds (and with no loss of inches around the waist either), I have finished with Integra-Lean and will ask for a refund. Alas, there is no magic pill after all
Best of luck to all of you in your weight loss.
Hello. Thank you for allowing everyone to post their results here. I started SlimSignals nine days ago. I’ve experienced some of the symptoms you all have. For me it’s been: the reflux; decreased appetite and improved sleep (even with the reflux issue).
I’m too freaking fat to want to see what the scale will say, but I can tell that I’ve lost a few pounds. Not on any specific diet, and drink more beer than I should. Happy so far, and plan to use the four bottles that I bought. Will get on the scale when I think I’m back in the 150lbs area. Looking to get back to 120 to 125.
I’m hoping that the blood work will improve even half as much as stated in the LEF article. Had to have blood drawn while applying for cheap health insurance. My LDL is off the charts (155MG/DL) when the upper limit of *normal* for this particular lab was129MG/DL. Total cholesterol was 283, and HDL was 115 (which gave a ratio of 2.5). Not on any serious meds., and don’t really want to start. Fingers crossed that the SlimSignals, Bayer w/Heart Advantage and copious amounts of POM Wonderful will make a difference.
Good luck to all, and thanks so much for sharing your experiences.
Shelley,
Forgot to mention. The other reason why I’m not willing to give up the Zymessence is because it has completely alleviated all of my TMJ inflammation. I had to go to two doctors last year to have my jaw literally realigned from the TMJ. Since I started the Zymessence, my jaw has gradually become less tense and that awful clicking noise in my left ear from my jaw has stopped. I can’t begin to tell you how I suffered from this problem last year.
Good luck to everyone who stays on Irvingia and who it is helping. It didn’t work for me and I returned my bottles but I’m glad it is doing the job for some of you out there!
LD
OK, this is my second week takeing it and I still am feeling sick after about 30 mins……. Thanks for your response judyd. I will contine it for another week and see how it goes.
I’ve been on the product about 3 weeks and lost a couple of pounds. Not sure if its the product or my funky scale as yet, but I will continue to use them. I have no side effects positive or negative. I take two a day – one at lunch and one at dinner and try to take them a half hour prior to eating. I weigh 135 now and eat a low fat diet. Will be checking this blog alot as I am interested in seeing how others do on the product. I just got the Integra-Lean Irvingia without other product in it.
On Irvingia for 9 weeks now. I had appetite loss at first and lost 6 lbs. fast. I did regain a couple, but my reaction to carbohydrates is just different. I don’t get the big drop in blood sugar along with sweet cravings. I can eat in a much more relaxed way now and even if I have a lot of food, I gain almost nothing and it comes off the next day.
just a thought….for those of you who are convinced Irvingia does not work but still want to lose weight, try this. EAT MORE. Let your metabolism go back to work for you.
I noticed many of you followed a low calorie diet while taking Irvingia. Take a week off of dieting! Eat more (not pig out) just enjoy those things you have been depriving yourself of.
If you are eating 1200-1500 cal a day OR LESS, and are not able to lose weight (with or wothout Irvingia), up it to 2200-2600 a day for a week to stimulate your Metabolism. IT WORKS…REALLY!
Then….try staying in the 1700-1900 cal range but “shift” your calories around so a few days a week you’re eating 1500 cal/day, and 2000 or 2200 cal/day other days. After a week, make sure you’ve consumed 11,000 – 13,000 calories.
EATING TOO LITTLE FOR TOO LONG WILL PREVENT YOU FROM LOSING WEIGHT!
RESTART YOUR METABOLISM.
I finally received my supply of SlimSignals (Irvingia with Fucoxanthin) and have just started. I’m male, 35 years old, 6’3″ (191 cm) tall, and am starting at a morning weight of 120.0 kg (I started weighing in kg after moving to Korea and like that there is less fluctuation during the day or between days, but it is 264.6 lbs for those who want to know). I don’t really follow a specific or overly restrictive diet and eat both a lot of complex carbs and proteins while trying not to eat food with sugar, corn syrup, white flour, or potatoes too often but still do sometimes. I already drink 2-3 liters of fluids a day, so I don’t expect any change in fluid intake that might result in water weight gain. I am taking the SlimSignals about 45 minutes before breakfast and dinner.
I’ve been taking it for a couple of weeks now. No weight gain or loss. I’m taking it buccally. I open the capsules info my mouth and squeeze on the shell to get the powder into my mouth. Then I take a mouthful of water and swish it around for about 5 minutes before swallowing. It tastes a bit like a raw soy drink, or maybe a bit like coconut. Very pleasant actually.
(Via email from ShellyH, who is having some trouble posting…)
Week 9 check in…my initial starting weight was 201 December 1st. I was down to 186 for my week 9 check in. For a total of 15 lbs lost pretty much painlessly and effortlessly. Not quite up to what the studies say but I’m happy with that. I had a stall when I took Amylase with the Irvingia as interrupting Amylase is one of the mechanicisms by which Irvingia works. When I quit the Amylase weight started dropping back off quickly. I have gained 1.5 lbs back in the last couple days because I’m now on prednisone which causes me to retain fluids and have had pneumonia/lung issues since Jan 11th and can’t do much in terms of physical activity as I get absolutely dizzy and winded after just a couple minutes of being on my feet due to the fluids in my lungs. Simple things seem like mountains to accomplish when your lung capacity is low. I’ve been on SO many meds the last week and a half, I don’t know what else they can do to stop this insane cough and salty pink mucus. I guess I will go in to the dr again tomorrow…I was supposed to go back Monday if it wasn’t resolved….but going to the Dr. seems like an impossible chore when I feel like this. Normally this lack of activity would have resulted in a weight gain, but I’m glad it has not. I have intermittently quit the Irvingia and Fuco when I was too sick to take it. I was happy to say I didn’t gain back during that time.
Lance you are absolutely right! Eating so little ends up further supressing metabolism. That is why I love eating Body for Life….I feel like I’m cheating all the time! And I veer off course, I was craving hot dogs the other day and chicken wings over the SuperBowl and the next night too! I figure it is what I do MOST of the time that defines my health…I’m only human and am going to indulge. What would life be like without living, right! But very good point you bring up about the really low calorie restriction. Also low fat diets often deprive our bodies of “good fats” which we need for hormone production and to keep our brains healthy.
LD,
I’ve been trying to post this to you, FYI on the Transmax so you get the full benefit…”It is best taken with a full-spectrum resveratrol product such as Bioforte to obtain the entire complement of naturally occurring resveratrol compounds ..” that’s from http://shop.biotivia.com/ I too love the Zymessence, but for the time being the weight issue needs to be my priority. I’m taking serrapeptase in the mean time to maintain that benefit of the Zymessence. I understand why you won’t stop taking it, if I only had a few pounds to lose, I wouldn’t make the sacrifice either….but my weight is really taking a toll on my 5’3″ frame and everything from my lung function to overall health seems affected by my current obesity status.
Will post my week 10 results and beyond. I completely intend on using Irvingia to keep going with my weight loss program. It has really kept it simple for me and when I fall off the horse, my experience is that it protects me from gaining back and suffering the consequences thus making it easier to break the self loathing guilt cycle that usually comes with falling off the program. This makes getting back on track and out of the rut an easier ordeal than it used to be…when falling off meant back tracking and making weight loss look hopeless in the 1 step forward, 2 step back vicious cycle.
Thanks!
Shelley
“just a thought….for those of you who are convinced Irvingia does not work but still want to lose weight, try this. EAT MORE. ”
———
I have a relative who is a professor doing psychological research. In one experiment he had people play video games where the rewards were completely random. Didn’t matter what they did, but still, most of the participants saw patterns in the results and came up with theories on how to win. Same thing with this product. People are losing and gaining all the time for all sorts of reasons, and coming up with theories of how they did it. Eat more, eat less, take the pill thirty minutes before meals, take just one, take three, take four, eat complex carbs, stand on your head and spin. But the bottom line is, LEF got snookered with bogus, unverified research, and can’t admit it.
Lou,
Extreme calorie restriction feeds into metabolic syndrome. That is a fact. Lance does make a good point because some of us tend to overdo it to our own detriment. I used to eat less than what it would take to sustain a person especially of my weight and GAIN! Now I eat much more and am losing. I feel that the Irvingia helps with that in relieving metabolic syndrome. Too bad more of us didn’t have initial bloodwork on our CRP. I’ve definitely also noticed I don’t “pay the price” that I would have before when I fall off the wagon. I feel this is definitely a benefit of Irvingia breaking the vicious emotional self loathing cycle of one step forward, two steps back making weight loss seem hopeless at least for me. It seems that many have noticed that effect through the Holidays that were taking Irvingia. I’ve really hit a wall being so sick in that it is easy to overindulge simply due ot the lack of being able to be physically active. Normally I would have gained back from the inactivity alone. The Irvingia didn’t live up to the “studies” for me, but I was still very happy with the loss of 15 lbs in 9 weeks especially that it was so effortless. I also did notice when I took Amylase with it, it stalled completely and as soon as I quit my supplement with Amylase the weight started coming back off. So there are definitely varying factors in our Western lifestyles that may make the what we do different from the people in Cameroon and it would be nice if LEF ran another study separate from Oben’s to differentiate the data on actual Western lifestyles and habits. I also feel alot of people who are trying Irvingia have vanity pounds to lose and are in the very normal to low end of their BMI and are expecting Irvingia to be the answer….of course we are finding this not to be the case. I am glad you are keeping things real though….it is important that there is accountability. I for one am one of the biggest diet supplement skeptics and before the Fuco and recent Irvingia….I refused to take anything for many years due to the failures in the industry and the many bottles of half empty NO results NO money back losses I took. Nor can I stand doing stimulants. They make me irritable and I don’t like the person I am on them. So I’m very happy these two supplements have been great tools in my program over the last 9 weeks. I for the first time in years feel like my goals are actually attainable to get within a healthy weight range….maybe I won’t reach where I want to be which is the low end of my BMI scale at 120 lbs, but I feel there is hope that I can acheive most of my weight loss using Irvingia and Fuco. Hopefully I can incorporate an exercise routine in there one of these days too when I’m healthy enough to not feel like collapsing from lack of O2 from these lung issues. I’m ready for this Minnesota winter to END!
“The Irvingia didn’t live up to the “studies” for me, but I was still very happy with the loss of 15 lbs in 9 weeks especially that it was so effortless.”
——–
You’re attributing the loss to this product, but you also had pneumonia during that time, if I remember right. My wife had pneumonia several years ago and lost 12 pounds, and she wasn’t overweight to begin with.
Lou – Although I didn’t lose the weight as promised (6 pounds total in 9 weeks), it does continue to curb my appetite and keeps me from eating between meals. I am no longer thinking about food and I no longer get sleepy after eating my lunch when I would look forward to something sweet and/or a cup of coffee. Actually, if I were 20 years younger, I would probably have lost an amazing amount of weight consuming what I presently consume. I think you are absolutely correct that LEF completely overstated the facts and the results. However, it is a fact that I am no longer gaining any weight and it is an important diet tool for me. I believe I am neither starving myself nor am I binging. For the first time in my life, I am able to eat sensible portions and stay away from sugar. Even though it did not perform as promised, I am estastic about what it is doing for me personally and will continue to take it.
Lou,
If you read back, I’ve only lost 3 lbs since I’ve been sick and that was between my episodes of lung issues when I was feeling better for a couple days and went off the Amylase and back on the Irvingia and Fuco. My weight loss stalled just before my pneumonia started I feel because I had been taking the supplement with Amylase. The times correspond perfectly. When I quit the Amylase and was taking the Irvingia Fuco I lost 3 lbs. I have however gained some fluid weight back of 1.5 lbs due to being on prednisone. It is known for fluid retention and today they upped my dosage. They told me today when I went back to the dr that 1.5 lbs in weight gain from the prednisone is much less than they expected so that makes me hopeful when I’m done with the prednisone and the fluid weight comes off it will show I’ve had actual fat loss that was being masked by the water retention. The after effects of the pneumonia I was initially diagnosed with on the 11th have been more like a horrendous bronchitis/cough with fluid on my lungs and coughing up salty mucus, I’ve had decreased activitiy and increased calorie intake because I have not been feeling so sick that I don’t feel like eating, quite the contrary I have been craving strange things like hot dogs or guacamole or chicken wings, however I have not been craving or have any desire for sugary things AT ALL! In fact my Hubby brought home Newy York Cheesecake Hershey’s Kisses and I could only eat a few. Before they would have been one right after another, now they have just been sitting! Even my old night episodes of waking up for milk and some form of chocolate are completely gone. I’ve been so O2 deprived when I get up and walk around that I get dizzy so my activity level is zilch. Yet I have not gained weight back. Most of my weight loss on Irvingia was BEFORE I became ill. Since I have been ill, I was only taking Irvingia intermittently when I felt good enough to. I’ve now been back on it regularly for several days. So I’m sorry, but I can’t contribute my success in my weight loss to having pneumonia. But it is nice to share that Amylase can interfer with Irvingia’s action so those taking Enzymes can see what happens if they stop. As I said, I feel the results of the studies weren’t congruent to OUR actual Western Lifestyle and there are lifestyle factors that can interfere with Irvingia’s mechanisms of weight loss that weren’t taken into account. However Irvingia has given me renewed faith that my weight loss goals are attainable and it has prevented backsliding in my weight loss even through the Holidays and inactivity so I am absolutely thrilled with what it has done in those terms along with the better sleep, vivid dreams and reduced sugar cravings. Unfortunately due to being ill and taking the Irvingia intermittently over the last few weeks have set my own10 week trial askew….but I intend on continuing using Irvinigia as a tool for health and weight loss for the numerous reasons stated in previous posts. The mere fact that when I fall off the wagon and don’t see a backslide in my loss has really helped the break the vicious self loathing binging cycle through keeping my cravings down AND my emotional status up since I didn’t suffer the consequences. Breaking that cycle alone is a miracle in my opinion!
Shelly H – I too will continue to use the Integra-Lean as a tool. I am convinced that it is a hormone imbalance (thyroid/estrogen/progesterone) that is keeping me from losing any faster. I started the Armour Thyroid on December 29th and I take 30 mg twice a day. I feel better taking it, but I still am exhausted when I wake up in the morning. I am not constipated, but very sluggish and my skin is still very dry. Plus, my doctor changed me from Tri-Est to Bi-Est and she had me doing just the one dose in the morning and not at night, however, that gave me hot flashes so I am back to twice a day on that. So, I really think that I won’t be able to lose weight until I get these issues straightened out. But, I AM NOT GAINING!!! It is so worth it to take the Integra-Lean and not gain weight. btw, when my son was getting chemo treatments he was infused with major amounts of prednisone and he ended up gaining 40 pounds in six months. After stopping chemo, he lost the entire 40 pounds quickly and I am sure you will see a big difference too. Plus prednisone makes you hungry too. Anyway, I hope you feel better soon!
SusanM,
Thanks! Hmmm…maybe the prednisone is the reason for the weird cravings! I have been hungrier, but not for sweets at all. Uff….40 lbs from prednisone…your poor Son to have that thrown on the chemo! It is uncomfortable how the prednisone makes my legs feel. I’ve been on it for a week now and they just upped my dose today and I’m going to be on it for another 10 days. They expected I was going to gain 5-7 lbs in initial fluid retention. At first it was supposed to have a stimulant effect, but it then knocked me out cold for 2-3 hours after a brief shaky period! This new higher dose is making me very irritable. This is my first experience with prednisone so thanks for the info that the weight from it goes quickly! I noticed my night weight is down, but through the night it doesn’t go down like it used to. I read the book The Thyroid Solution by Ridha Arem (awesome read) and it explains how it takes time to resaturate the body and the neurons with T3. I’m amazed your doctor put you on such a high start dose…it should get you there quicker. Like LD says sometimes your body goes through a brief fighting it off period. They did me very slowly to the point I was getting frustrated and finally my Dr. upped me to 60 mg once a day. I think stopping weight gain is important in light of hormonal weight gain, because I know the depo shot did that to me! About 35 lbs in 3-4 months despite watching what I ate and being active through the Summer. I still have to be on it unless I make the option for surgery which I don’t have a lot of faith in the dr’s here so I’m staying with the depo for a while longer. So another plus that I’m actually losing weight despite being on depo rather than continuing to gain…so I agree Susan that at least we found something that is a good tool for success in our unique situations even if it is slower than we had hoped for it is moving us in the right direction. Goodluck and thanks again for the info on the prednisone!
I am a male age 66 height 172 cm weight 96 kg.
I have started Integra Lean a week ago and have lost 3.5 kilos!
Target is 80 kgs. As with most of you, apetite is down, cravings for sweets and alcohol down.
I eat normal male type home-cooked food with plenty of fruits and vegetables. No diets. Since starting with Integra Lean I have made no changes to my diet.
I shall report back, unless this blog continues to mutate into a chatroom for everything but Irvingia.
Hi Chris,
It *has* gone a bit off-topic, eh?
LCC
When will LCC post the survey results?
Here’s a quick peek at the survey results: 4 gals and 1 guy filled it out. The 1 guy said he was satisfied with irvingia – the 4 gals were unanimous in that they were NOT satisfied with Irvingia.
Week 10 –
My daughter has lost 12 pounds. She says she will be continuing the irvingia because she likes the effects: no cravings, full faster, and better sleep.
I reduced my dosage by 1/2 in week 7 after gaining 7 pounds. I lost some and then began to gain again. I believed this was due to a hormone imbalance so I looked for a means of correcting this. I checked with my doctor and he suggested I try phytotherapy because HRT is too risky (I have had a heart attack). I began a program from Women to Women (womentowomen.com) two weeks ago and I have lost 8 pounds and feel 100% better.
Here’s an example of two women, same genetics, same diet, and very different results. If nothing else I have the irvingia to thank for showing me what the problem was.
I agree with Chris. I wish this site would be used for what it was intended. It takes too much time to slog thru all the stories to gleen the statistics.
Sorry, I know I’m definitely one to blame….get carried away with all the other aspects of weight loss and life and some other good info is shared on women’s issues, even tho I try to focus on the Irvingia and what works and what doesn’t, the aspects of being sick and my 10 week trial going askew perhaps I muddled things. I apologize…
Ummm…if anyone is to blame, it me. It’s my blog and I didn’t stop it.
I didn’t mind the sidetracks and digressions…I picked up some interesting info, BUT…I do see the point in keeping (mostly) on-topic.
My 10 weeks is done this coming Wednesday and I am actually up 2 pounds this morning from last week. Including this weight gain, now my total loss has been just 4 pounds.
LCC – I have yet to fill out your survey – sorry! Will do later today.
Note – On the LEF blog there are a few people that have lost weight, but the majority have not. It does seem that men have an easier time losing weight in general. I was hoping more people would have success but it appears not.
Shelley H. – I’ve enjoyed your posts! I’ve learned a lot from checking in here.
I’m only on my second week of Irvingia. From what I have read, I don’t expect to lose a lot of weight using it. However, I plan to keep taking it & will try doing WW again to see if the Irvingia will help me keep the weight off.
(Sent via email by Peter)
Been on it for 3 weeks. Coincidentally, I had a blood lipid panel draw (annual) the other day. From 10 months ago HDL went from 66 to 69. LDL dropped from 123 to 102.
My body weight actually had increased a few pounds (I work out, so I hope some of it is muscle).
I was all excited about this and then I received a note from the doctor that my liver was showing stress. That can be caused by too much alcohol (I do not drink), NSAID’s (do not use), certain herbals, and Tetracycline (been taking 1000 mg daily for 2 months skin condition). I think it is the Tetra, but I am concerned about whether Irvingia contributes idiosyncratically. With the doc’s concurrence (have not talked yet) I am going to experiment by cutting out the tetra (condition is cleared up) and give it 30 days before another blood draw.
I am most impressed with the lower LDL because my diet has not changed.
I think I’m at about week 10 on Irvingia (I’m into my my 3rd bottle).
My weight is identical to my starting weight. The only benefit I got from it seems to be the eating less, and not gaining weight. My diet has been a South Beach 2nd phase type diet.
I have gotten my hormones balanced at BodyLogic, and am feeling better and exercising more, but nothing is happening to my weight (I have to loose about 95 lbs.)
I’ll finish out the 3rd bottle, but I’ve started on Atkins Induction diet in one more attempt to get this weight moving. For me, Irvingia is not a success
My survery wouldn’t work….kept saying to “Please enter a positive number” and I didn’t have CRP taken, so I even tried entering 1 and it still didn’t go through? Thanks LCC!
I haven’t take it long enough to have anything to report, but after reading along for a while I just have to mention several points:
- This product apparently works by correcting some issues that occur when you are fairly overweight and may be considered to have metabolic syndrome. It doesn’t sound like a product that will help you lose that last ten pounds.
- It’s important to note that “weight” is not the only measure that matters… though that is what I keep seeing being mentioned. If you fit into your clothes better then you are seeing results.
Anyway, I’m old enough to have lost my leptin sensitivity, I have a propensity to wear my fat around my midsection and I have noticed that I’m hungrier than I need to be to.
I’m going to give it a try. If it works, great. If it doesn’t work, so what. I don’t have to keep buying it…
Sue G – I also go to BodyLogic myself. My first visit was Dec. 29th and at that time she balanced my hormones and added Armour thyroid to the mix. I seem to be exactly where you are in taking the Integra-Lean and have had dismal results in weight loss myself. However, I am going to continue taking it until I get my next bloodwork done (not until March) because I want to see if it has had any other results (which actually may be more important than just losing weight). Compared to others that have much more to lose, I only have 35 pounds or so to lose and most of it is around my middle. That being said, no matter how much you have to lose it can be a struggle!
Hello,
So I guess no one has done a before and after for C-Reactive Protein? I may have to be the first. It is the ONLY reason I haven’t quit Irvingia yet. It’s been 11 weeks or more and I have gained about 10 pounds!!!! I can’t blame it on the Irvingia as I put on about 6 from overeating during the holidays. Was really hoping it would help me. Anyway this weight is weight that is coming back on after losing a lot a few years ago. I’m not trying to lose the last 10 pounds (have much to lose) also I’m not low carbing so LEF can’t give me that song and dance. I would just love to talk to “all the positive result customers” Sorry, much as I have loved LEF over 20 years, they really blew this one…
I’ll let you all know my lab results as they were done just prior to starting. My Lipids weren’t bad (LDL was a little high at 110 or so) But it was my CRP that was a whopping 6! (suppose to be 1 or less)
Wishing you all better luck than me,
Barb
Barb,
Thanks for posting – I really do hope you post your lab results when you next get them. There’s only a smattering of such data so far. And, it’s unfortunate that if your blood work is good, that’s less than you were hoping for….
Glenn
Week 10 check in for Irvingia:
Been on prednisone for a couple weeks now. Side effects noted: rapid weight gain, terrible water retention, insatiable appetite. Yet I’ve only gained 4lbs back. The Irvingia is keeping the sugar chocolate cravings at bay, BUT the prednisone I’m craving hot dogs, guacamole, chicken wings, meatballs and gravy and its really hard to stop eating seems to be getting progressively worse. And I now drink 3-4 beers in the evening to offset the horrendous stimulant crabby effect (doesn’t have an alcohol warning) which is even more calories and my activity level is still way down because I’m just not quite up to 100% though I am feeling SO much better! So I’m feeling very positive the Irvingia is keeping the weight off and once I’m done with the prednisone in 4 days this water weight will come off too and then some. My ankles and legs tingle and ache from the water retention. I will keep you all posted as to what happens in the weeks to come on Irvingia when my life normalizes after this pneumonia and bronchitis aftermath!
Bethkay,
Thank you for you kind words! I think WW would be a good nutrition program to compliment the Irvingia and the Irvingia a good tool to help you stick with it for the positive side effects it has. Keep us posted on things! I really hope it works for you!
So 10 week trial for a total of 11lbs lost pretty effortlessly. I was keeping up to the study results until I took the enzyme supplement with Amylase and got sick and only could take Irvingia intermittently. Am I disappointed? NO, in fact I’m very pleased that I haven’t suffered more weight gain from the situation and the prednisone. Sometimes just NOT putting on more weight in light of the situation at hand (which in this particular case would have normally resulted in a huge backslide) is enough to keep a positive mental frame of mind. Thanks and goodluck to all!
Male, 52, 5′5″, weight @ 12/1/2008=186.5. Need to lose at least 30lb
(see previous posts 1/24 and 1/31)
Tomorrow will be 9 weeks since starting Irvingia . I’m now back down to 182lb but after still being at 185 at last post, I had to make some changes to “help” the process.
added to diet
-up to 3g Vitamin C daily , 1g at a time
-Inreased consumption of fruit and veg also changed to double fiber bread.
-fiber supplements Colon Care and Prima Cleanse twice daily
-LEF DNA protection formula (curcumin one of main ingredients)
-Abundant water
-LEF Super Miraforte twice daily
NB: These are mentioned on page 21 of March LEF magazine
removed from diet nearly all fat with the exception of olive oil spray and EFA supplements
This is somewhat drastic for me and not in keeping with the LEF statement of no change in diet, and the results are somewhat belated in the 10 week time frame, however I still have one more bottle left and will continue until it is all gone.
Although the weight loss is disappointing, I have regained a notch on my belt and am sleeping well so will persevere for “the greater good”
I hardly dare to report my results after all the bad news above:
2 weeks and 6 kgs down (some 13 pounds), just past 90 kgs! Waist is probably -2 inches. I eat about half of what I used to – I just couldnt cope with more. Alcohol down to one glass/day. My diet is still unchanged, except that in the evening I am just as happy with a salad (or the leftovers from lunch) as compared to a big sandwitch before starting Irvingia.
I hope this is not the last good report.
I shall have my lipids tested after 4 weeks.
Chris – That is awsome news. I hope I am not being too forward, but can you please let us know if you are male or female, age and how much you would like to lose. Oh, and if you exercise. And please don’t forget to share the results of your lipids.
The Irvingia seems to either work very good on some people and on others not at all. I can’t get past a 4 pound loss and I am definitely not overeating. However, I do enjoy the effect it has on my appetite so I will continue taking it.
Chris – I looked back and found your previous entry. No need to reply – my apologies. However, still interested in if you exercise.
Chris,
There are many good reports here. I’m very happy. I think people are more apt to complain when something doesn’t work for them than we are to praise anymore. Also, there are so many dynamics that go into weight loss in our Western lifestyle that weren’t part of the study. And of course there are thin people with vanity weight that it won’t work on…I remember I used to complain about my weight when I was thin and looking back I could only wish I was “that fat” again! Now being the fat girl, I know how others must have felt when I complained about my vanity pounds….but really for a thin person, it is serious to them. I, myself, also admit I’ve overindulged on it as I’ve found it protected me from the consequences…this wasn’t intentional, but also I’m glad I feel full faster so I can’t fit as much. Glad you are experiencing wonderful results….keep us posted!
Blood tests are back.
Total cholesterol -61 points
Bad cholesterol -48 points
Triglycerides -45 points
CRP -0.7 points (I am now out of both the intermediate and high risk zones…finally!)
Glucose -9 points and the new glucose test totally normal.
I only lost 3 pounds of fat (not scale weight, fat) between the time my blood work went high again and now. The two factors I would consider as the most significant in regards to the awesome results I got, was a machine called the ROM which is a high intensity four minute trainer and taking Slim Signals. I had bracketed the ROM workouts before and saw huge improvements to my blood lipid profile, and improvement to CRP but it was still high. Then I had six months when I slacked off the ROM and the blood lipids went up again, CRP improved but only a little. Then I went another six months, concentrated on the ROM, and took Slim Signals for two months prior to my blood reading. I am very pleased to say that, after 15 years, I am finally no longer pre-diabetic, no longer have high cholesterol, and my CRP is down to 0.8. This is what I was hoping for with the slim signals. It’s enough to keep me taking it.
I am retired and we live in Spain. We have a large property of 2,5 acres that we we keep without help. Thats my exercise!
I have woundered myself, how I managed so easily loose weight (ist is a bit early to make final judgements!). Obviously, I wanted to loose weight, as all of us do, but my cravings and my immense appetite were stronger than my willpower. Its here where Irvinia has helped a lot and made it easy for me. Also, I have recently read in one of the older LEF magazines that Faloon said, when looking at “bad” food, he thinks it is poison. That got buried into my brain and seems to help, too. Also, my wife is very slim and eats only healthy food. So I am now tending to join her style of eating. I know this is contradicting my comment “no change of diet”, but it is not really. I am still eating as before, only the preferences and quantity have changed. I eat more salad and vegetables now than before, fruit instead of bread an butter for breakfeast, ect. It is not a planned change, but simply happened.
I hope that my blood tests will be as favourable as those of JS!
Does anyone know if using this causes side effects to other perscription medication ??
I’m on day 2 and feel a little ill.
CC,
It just has warnings if you are on statins or diabetes meds because together they can make your cholesterol and glucose go too low. Lots of people reporting “detox” feelings for the first couple weeks. Have you ever done an herbal type of detox? Very similar feeling to first being on Irvingia for many.
Chris,
Same here, better food choices and less appetite. I just get full easier. Nice…being other supplement used to “fill” you up with expandable fiber leaving a void still. I think its a great tool in my quest to reach my goals. And NO cravings whatsoever for chocolate or sugary things which for this woman is amazing! LOL!
JS,
Thanks for reporting your bloodwork….nice to know it does what it says as far as bloodwork goes!
I got an amazing compliment from a male friend of mine last night…he said I look fabulous and have an awesome hourglass shape and asked me how much I’ve lost! Really made my night! Then I noticed, I stand much closer to the sink than I could before. My belly has gone down alot. I took my last prednisone so I’m hoping after this weekend I’ll be back to my lowest weight since I’ve been taking Irvingia.
AFTER 4 WEEKS…WEIGHT LOSS 18 POUNDS!
Below is a copy of my post from feb 1st. Since then I’ve lost another 8 lbs! Now down from 326 to 308. Hope this might help some of you who are not getting what you want from irvingia. I will post again feb 28th and let you know how i’m doing.
“I’ve lost 10 pounds in first two weeks of calories in/ calories out method (sort of). I’m 41 yrs old, was 326…now 316. interestingly enough, i eat 3000 calories a day. My friends are mocking me but the proof so far has been on the scale! How did i come up with 3000 cal a day? I googled “how many calories do i need” and found several websites with calculators where i input my age, weight, gender, activity level and it tells me how many calories to eat. NOTE: instead of putting my current weight, i put my GOAL weight of 220. The average after using a few different calculators was 3000 cal a day. So thats what ive been eating. 10 POUNDS IN FIRST TWO WEEKS!! We’ll see what happens next two weeks. Also, I’m eating whatever i want (under 3000 a day) and exercising (walk or bike ride once a day for about an hour).”
3 weeks of Integra Lean: I lost another two kilos and am now down to 88 from 96. ( in pounds: 18 pounds, from 212 down to 194!)
The decrease has slowed down a bit, but I am still way ahead from LEF’s graph at 4 weeks.
I am now starting to wonder:
What when I reach the target weight (seems realistically possible now). Do I stop? Will the weight losses level off to 0? What about the positive side effects of lipids and blood sugar?
Questions, questions…
hello. i’ve been scanning your info here for a while contemplating my use of the irvingia. i just started taking it tues, 2/17/09. about a 6 weeks ago i was told i have a serious issue with leptin resistance which is how i came to find this supplement, it is stated to reduce this issue by lowering CRP (which was also high upon reviewing bloodwork @ 3.4). i also have a mild low thyroid problem too. i’ve gained about 60 lbs in the last 8 yrs, but in the last couple years hadn’t gained more and have worked harder to lose with no success. even doing hard workouts, dieting hadn’t helped beyond a few pounds!!
i’m really hoping this supplement will help. in learning about leptin resistance it is a pretty difficult issue to turn around so i’m hoping this really aids me in the process. i’m getting married in 3 months on the beach mexico and would love to be at least 20 lbs. lighter than i am now ~ sexy on the beach would be glorious.
in reading the entries here it seems many have found success and some not. i do agree that those who don’t necessarily have serious weight issues may not get as good results vs. those whose systems are really in the state of needing repair. i will be logging my progress here to fill you in on my experience. does anyone else here have leptin resistance? thyroid problem (i saw one person i think)? if so, how have your results been ~ curious…
looking forward to success ~ here i go! oh by the way, saw some people have darker urine ~ mine is a bit more orangey, anyone else that color? i did read that this bush is also called “bush mango” and the color is slightly mango flesh colored ~ perhaps thats why? don’t think its anything to be worried about.
also, fyi ~ i am trying to maintain a low glycemic diet with lean protein, complex carbs (whole grain, etc. in small portion), and veggies/fruits. aiming to exercise at least 4 hrs. / week too.
Hi Calygirl, I’m on thyroid meds and likely had leptin resistance but not sure. My CRP was as high as 4.5 but is now down to 0.8. You might pick up The Body Fat Solution by Tom Venuto. This book is different than others in the fat loss genre as it will not give you lists of food to eat or describe any one dieting system. Nor does it make you work through a lot of scientific detail about the complexity of fat loss. But Tom is very knowledgeable on the subject of fat loss, research and what makes people lose fat and gain it again over and over. Tom does not believe that fat loss is a problem for most people, what he believes is the problem is why they can’t seem to keep it off or why they cannot maintain diet compliance for very long. This book will be a huge support for you while you await the happy day of your wedding. Best of luck to you!
Hi Calygirl,
Goodluck! I hope you bought the Intregra Lean! I switched to SlimSignals for about 2.5-3 weeks….I gained 7 lbs more back!! My appetite returned with a vengeance, my vivid dreaming stopped, I wasn’t very thirsty and I got malaise and headaches. My opinion is that when they mix the Irvingia with the Fuco in a gel cap that it loses it efficacy. I went back on straight up Irvingia with Fuco taken separately. I have now lost 5 lbs of the gain in 3 days since returning to Intregra Lean, but am still up from lowest weight 6 lbs. Total lost since Dec 1st is around 10 lbs. Between the prednisone gain and the switch to SlimSignals gain I was getting very depressed! But now that I’m back on Integra Lean….its coming back off with ease so my spirits are rising, my vivid dreaming is back and so is my appetite suppression….I feel full much faster. I’m going to call LEF about the SlimSignals formula….some friends also used it and got NO results whatsoever too and being it took away all the good side effects I experienced on Intregra Lean leads me to believe combing the two makes it ineffective. My opinion is SlimSignals is a waste of time and money and I’m going to pursue a refund for the SlimSignals I purchased, but I do feel Integra Lean is effective and a good tool to maintain a weight loss program with. I’m restarting a 10 week trial and hoping I don’t run into issues with my asthma and end up with pneumonia again which messed up my first 10 week trial. My weight Mondaymorning 2/22/06 was 196.6 lbs today it was 191.6.
I’m 35 years old, male, 191cm (6’3″) tall, and have not been exercising regularly. I’ve been on the SlimSignals for 3 weeks now: I take one before breakfast and dinner, chew it open before swallowing with water, and wait 45 minutes before eating my meal. Occasionally, I eat outside and then take it immediately after returning home, which makes me feel full soon after chewing it open and swallowing it. I feel the appetite suppression but still get mildly hungry near mealtimes, although not in between like before. I feel fuller faster and it takes about one-third to one-half as much food to satisfy me while also giving me mild acid reflux which I typically only experienced before on occasion with spicy foods, tomato sauce, or after overindulging on mixed nuts. If I eat what was a normal serving for me before, then I feel completely gorged and get strong acid reflux. I don’t get the usual urges for nighttime snacks and I now easily get sick of eating sugary foods and put them down without finishing. I also feel energized after eating bread rather than sluggish like before. I drink a lot of water during the day (2-3 liters a day), so I only feel mildly more thirsty. I have not noticed that my dreams have become more vivid or memorable, my urine did not become darker or orange in color, I have not felt sick, and I have not experienced dizziness. I have not lost any weight yet, but I am not expecting to lose anything before 6-8 weeks on the supplement. I have gained 1kg from my starting weight of 120.0kg (264.6lbs). My early morning weigh-ins (after urinating, before eating, and without any clothing on) are as follows:
Week Weight (kg)
0 120.0
1 120.8
2 121.0
3 121.0
I purchased a 4-month supply and will continue to take it the same way until it runs out. If I don’t lose any weight, I’ll try the Integra-Lean Irvingia and see how it works. If I lose all of my excess weight using Irvingia in either form, I plan to continue to take a maintenance dosage of anywhere from one a day to one every other day to keep my blood sugar even and the CRP levels down so I don’t become lepton resistant again and put on more fat.
I have a company physical and blood work done every year, but they unfortunately didn’t take the CRP measurement. My fasting blood glucose was on the high end of normal at 95 mg/dL (100 mg/dL the year before), my Lp(a) was very high at 65 mg/dL (ultrasound of my arteries showed them to be clear of plaque and my blood pressure is normal), and my liver enzymes read a little over normal (I have a moderately fatty liver, seen by ultrasound, even though I don’t drink alcoholic beverages at all).
The spacing in my table didn’t work out right in my last post, so here are my weigh-in numbers again:
Week – Weight (kg)
0 – 120.0
1 – 120.8
2 – 121.0
3 – 121.0
My husband and I have been on Irvingia Integra Lean for 12 weeks. At first we both experience the greatly lowered appetite and I lost 6 lbs. My old appetite is back, and I have been eating the way I used to eat without the consequences of weight gain even when I expected to. I do not need to lose any more weight. I love not getting hungry and sleepy after eating complex carbohydrates.
Very slowly my husband lost 9 lbs. with the help of Irvingia. For the first time he is sticking to and eating plan without discomfort. He is using Tom Venuto’s program. We both agree that Irvingia is not a miracle, but a definite help. No blood work done yet for either of us.
I wish everyone success.
Just posted, but one further comment: I only take on Irvingia capsule at night now. He continues to take 2 and wants to lose more.
I started taking Irvingia a few days ago. I will post my results.
Thanks to this board, I know that I am supposed to take it 30-60 minutes before a meal and I can increase to 3 day if I am not having results. I am also glad I found out not to take supplements with Amylase as I had been taking some digestive that would have interfered with the Irvingia.
I’ll check in next week.
I have just finished my first bottle (four weeks) of Integra Lean and am now down to 86 kg from 96! Great success. I am planning to carry on untill reaching my goal of 80kgs (or even less?).
I still eat only about half of what I used to and nothing inbetween meals, no more sweets or saussages. I simply dont want to eat those foods any longer. Very little alcohol (one glaas of vine with dinner). No specific diet, but a lot of fruit, salad and veggies, hardly any bread any more. But still a spaghetti dinner once a week! Liquid intake has remained unchanged. I have never experienced special thirst, as others have reported. Only a dry mouth at times in the first week.
I am looking forward to hearing from those who have not changed their diet and have used Irvingia for at least 8-10 weeks.
I started January 25, almost 5 weeks ago. I have not changed my diet at all. I moved from 2 tablets per day up to 3 per day recently. I hope to shed 15 lbs. – all of my excess weight is stomach fat. I also need to get my cholesterol down from 217.
I hope we hear from those who did not change their diets radically, yet had positive results, especially in fat loss. This is what LEF has established their marketing promise on. They said in effect, “be patient, wait 10 weeks, don’t make any major changes to your diet, and you will have results.”
I will report back between weeks 8-10. As of now I have had no weight loss although I am happy to say I have seen a slight amount of stomach fat loss, to where I am a little encouraged becuase my pants fit better.
Male, 52, 5′5″, weight @ 12/1/2008=186.5. Need to lose at least 30lb
(see previous posts 1/24,1/31,2/9)
Just passed 11 weeks since starting Irvingia 12/11/08 and on 4th bottle. Still at 182lb i.e. -4.5lb since start however waist has dropped at least 1 inch. IAs nothing else has worked so far, I’ll try adding more exercise this week and see what happens
just finished week 2 on integra lean. orangey urine has gone away. notice i don’t feel hungry at night after dinner and definitely have smaller appetite. sugar cravings much less and satiated from less food for sure. have lost about 3-4 lbs so far. have been exercising and for the most part maintaining balanced diet w/ lean protein, veggies and complex carbs, along with some fruits. thinking it is working. will be getting some bloodwork done soon too. will report. gonna try to hold out to 4 weeks to see effects of integra lean possibly.
hope my leptin # is down!! and weight keeps dropping… looks promising.
Shelley ~ thanks for the heads up. good luck w/ your efforts too! i’ll keep you posted.
NES ~ is the Lp(a) your Leptin # ~ curious?
JS ~ how long did it take to get your CRP # down that much?
Lp(a) is Lipoprotein(a):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipoprotein(a)
Oh, and lepton is a good thing to have when you have excess fat (and is produced by fat cells) since it tells your body and brain to stop eating and to burn the excess fat stores.
Am SO disappointed. Have been taking Irvingia for 3 weeks and have gained 1 pound. Have not noticed any fat loss results, either. I know there is no “magic” pill out there, but I had certainly hoped this would help to jump start my weight loss. I am going to continue taking the rest of the bottle and am thinking about ordering a second bottle — just in case it is taking longer for my body to react. I have to say, though, I am so discouraged.
Lance, you wrote: “I will post again feb 28th and let you know how i’m doing.” It seems you forgot to write again on Feb. 28th, could you write how you’re doing?
Calygirl, I took 1 cap of slim signals for about two months prior to my blood work. I had a hard time tolerating two caps so I cut it down to one in the morning and got that result. I have no idea if it really was from the supplement, but it looks promising. I’m hoping my CRP stays down. I have blood work done about every six months, though that may change if my markers stay low.
Just wanted to report that I finished my second bottle and have lost 5 lbs. My goal was to loose 10 lb, so I am have way there, it’s just taking a little longer! I like the pills because it controls my appetite which i believe is the reason for my losing the weight. Will check in again when I am done with my third bottle. Good luck to all!
Dixon, it seems you don’t know irvingia needs more time in some people to start working, knowing this you wouln’t be discouraged as you’re. Let us know how you’re doing after taking it at least 8-10 weeks.
I started Irvingia on Dec. 20th at 183lbs. I just started my 3rd bottle, taking 2 pills per day, and as of today I weigh 170lbs. I’ve lost an 1 1/2 in. in my waist & hips. I am not on any particular diet and I ride my stationary bike 3x wk. My cravings are gone in between meals and I still have 2-3 glasses of wine a week. I am scheduled for blood work in 5 wks. I am very happy with these results and hope I can reach my goal of 20-25lb. weight loss. I am female, age 59. This is the only weight loss pill that has worked for me.
Ming, thank you for the advice. I will reorder and give myself additional time. By the way, I am a female and I think my hormones are off-balance because my weight gain began when I started through the homonal change. Have also been through periods of major stress. Am certain that all of this contributes to the amount of time it will take for “anything” to work. I will keep on trying. Thanks again, Ming.
NES ~ thanks… btw, leptin isn’t always good and really you shouldn’t have a number higher than 10. what is bad about mine is that i am “leptin resistant” so my brain isn’t responsive to the leptin signals which in turn causes my body to produce more (like when u can’t hear someone speaking so you ask them to speak louder). having higher leptin can be detrimental and impact your heart health, ability to lose weight and more. my number was 58 which is extremely high. i’m working on correcting it with the integra lean which is stated to help resolve leptin resistance issues.
JS ~ thx for the info. how did the 2 pills affect you badly? shelley noted that the slim signals weren’t very good and prefered the integra lean… perhaps you should switch. it’s the irvingia thats most helpful i believe and the fucoxthin doesn’t seem to mix well w/ it based on what i read from others.
Calygril, could you explain how much the leptin test is? normal range of leptin? what laboratory did you use?
I finished 5th week and am down to 85 kgs from 96kgs. I have discontinued my BP plus diuretic this week and gained 2 kgs within two days. I guess its the liquid that is causing this. I have lost 1 kg after the gain, so I hope I am back on track.
Calygirl, I started out around Thanksgiving and alot of people were having problems with dizziness and thirst. Those were my symptoms. Could have been a bug going around because I am taking the second pill in the evening around a week ago and no sign of either. I am not taking the supplement for fat loss but for my blood lipid numbers which responded great so for me it’s more of a health supplement than a fat loss issue. Good luck to you.
Ming ~ the leptin test is done through bloodwork and is something people learned more about in the mid 90′s… a bid breakthrough in the issue of fat loss regulation. my dr. who is an endocrinologist suggested i test for it. i think normal range is 10 or below. i know a girl who is quite heavy and hers was only 8, so not every heavy person has this problem. there’s some interesting books out there if you just google “leptin resistance”.
JS ~ I’ve never gotten dizzy or extra thirst or any other real side effects. only the orange pee for the first week or so.
Shelley ~ How are you doing with the thyroid? Feeling okay?
As of today I’m am down 8 lbs and about be out the 30′s (230′s that is) which I haven’t been for years!! So psyched and I haven’t even been exercising this last week due to feeling ill. I notice my body seems to be much more responsive to exercise when I do though, which is awesome. Gonna go get some blood work in about a week. Will post results then on CRP, cholesterol, leptin when I get results ~ hope they all are down. Have a great Sunday!
BTW, it will be 3 weeks on Tuesday… for the record.
I have been on Irvingia for 10 days and the same thing happened with me on coffee, thirst and no appetite. The coffee thing is weird. I am not drinking a lot of water, but am on a diuretic due to high bp. The middle of the night thirsty moments are dramatic for me—and they also seem to come with a night sweat (possible perimenopause although my panels came back normal). Not much of an appetite HAS to be a good thing though, doesn’t it? I am eating about half of the portions I would normally eat. Low carbing, and have been also for the same 10 days. I’m liking this and am going to keep on taking it until either I cannot afford to buy more, or I am not getting the right results.
btw, adria = calygirl….
fyi too ~ many of the sites besides LEF are backordered on the integra lean so if you need to reorder do so in advance or pay more from LEF. they are still stocked in full as of today. i just ordered from two other sites to get a better price, both of which are out of stock.
“fyi too ~ many of the sites besides LEF are backordered on the integra lean so if you need to reorder do so in advance or pay more from LEF.”–calygirl
Are they really? I checked this morning and found a half dozen places offering it at prices between 34 and 44 dollars. Not one said it was backordered.
I took the supplement for over 2 months and noticed nothing at all. While I had no side effects, I also noticed no weight loss nor any change in appetite. All in all, at approx. $34/bottle it was just an expensive sugar pill.
My Dr. also said they have a bunch on back order… so she said she was not sure if they had any but did find a few bottles and sold me one.
Calygirl, one shouldn’t have a leptin number higher than 10 because it means that they are overweight (Not all overweight people have a number higher than 10, but most people with a number higher than 10 are overweight). High levels of CRP can be the reason and culprit behind leptin resistance. If CRP is reduced, the high leptin levels will work for the body and cause it to lose weight faster than with lower levels. After eliminating or reducing the size of the adipocyte fat cells that produce leptin, the leptin levels will drop. You are right that being leptin resistant means that the brain is not getting enough signal, but the response/result is eating more in order to produce more or increase the size of adipocyte fat cells that increase the leptin signal to the brain. I think we are talking about the same set of facts but looking at the sources of cause and effect differently. Thanks.
Lou ~ the sites i ordered from didn’t say they were out until after i had processed, paid for and they confirmed the order. then the next day received an email saying it was on back order ~ they don’t want to lose the biz i’m sure.
Marmee ~ that’s cool your dr. had some! mine didn’t even know about it.. LOL
NES ~ you are right and i agree with your facts which i have become aware of through researching. hence the reason i’m trying this product… thanks for the useful info too. interesting that the high leptin is beneficial once the resistance is gone. i agree about the effect of eating more which has decreased significantly since being on the integra lean ~ give thanks!!
how are your results coming along??
also do you think it reallllly makes a difference whether you take it before you eat or at the same time?? anyone have any data to confirm or rebutt this? curious…
Calygirl, I’m just ending Week 5. My weight has increased a little up through Week 4. I will weight in tomorrow morning. I don’t expect to start losing before 6-8 weeks on the supplement. My appetite has steadily decreased from half to one-third portions. My portions of nighttime snacks also decreased by the same amount initially but now I don’t get hungry and snack at night, although I might take one taste of something the rest of the family is snacking on or eat a little bit of fruit that my wife gives to me. I’m thinking I should start losing soon given the decrease in my total daily intake, nearly discontinued habit of nighttime snacking, and given that I am approaching Week 6; however, we’ll have to see what the data says. Thanks, and I wish you well in improving your health.
I have been on the Integra-Lean since December 2nd. I’ve only lost 6 pounds total but to be totally honest, I haven’t been exercising. I WANTED to lose 35 pounds and NEEDED to lose 20 and realize this is small number compared to a lot of other people out there who need to lost a lot more. However, I have the same problem as those a lot heavier than me in terms of my CRP levels, glucose and cholesterol levels. I have lost belly fat and do not have any cravings for sweets or breads because of the Integra-Lean. I love it because I no longer feel the pull to graze in the late afternoons at work. I know that if I exercise it will really come off whereas before taking the Integra-Lean, no amount of dieting and exercise would move the scale down. However, all that being said, the true test will be next week when I have my bloodwork done and compare it to the tests done in October. I will definitely report my before and after numbers so that we can all see if and how the Integra-Lean works in that regard.
Blood Work. After 10 weeks was
Total Chol down 15%
LDL down 25%
HDL no change
Triglycerides No Change
Glucose down 15%
CRP and Leptin — not tested
Weight fluctuates from no change to 6lbs down
also…
TSH — 6.5 up significantly
Doctor increased my Synthroid again
Vince,
It will be interesting to see what my blood work shows.
I also started on Armour Thyroid on December 29th. I’ve lost 6 pounds fluctuating 1 or 2 pounds but keeping on a strict (no sugar, starch) diet since I began the Integra-Lean on December 2nd. I hope to have the results by the end of this week. (Mine will be after 14 weeks after starting Integra-Lean). I think the only thing I am not being tested on is Leptin. And I am TRYING to exercise now so we shall see how that goes. I work such long hours it is tough to get motivated although once I start I am fine….
It’s all a balancing act…
so i’m on week #4 and also feeling like a gained a bit and the loss is quite as progressive as it was. could also be my drinking on friday that impacted me. also (hope its not TMI) but kinda backed up… anyone else have this problem. hope the effectiveness isn’t wearing off.
need this to keep working!! slacked on my workouts for about 1 1/2 weeks due to sickness, but back on track with that and diet this week. hoping this will bump it back into gear.
anyone else at this point and feeling the same. i see many get the 6 lbs. mark and get stuck or no??
Vince ~ great results on your blood work!! congrats! getting mine done next week and will post when i find out. gonna check cholesterol, leptin, CRP and thyroid. so curious.
i feel about the same as you and Susan re: the # of lbs. lost, with mild fluctuations. diet has been good, but not super strict ~ more managing portions and cutting out snacking.
lets hope the progress continues… good luck all.
I started on Jan 7 and have not missed a dose. I am 77 and have seen or tried every diet that has been on the market. I am sorry to report that after 10 weeks I have only lost 3 pounds and that is about what the persons not taking Slim Signals lost in the studies. By the way I started at 197 and this morning at the same time the scales showed 194. I certainly thought this was going to work based on all the info on how it worked..BIG disappointment. Will continue to take for 6 more weeks just to see.
Have used Integra-Lean 150mg twice daily for two month with no weight loss. Does suppress my appetite and as long as I take atleast a half an hour before meals it helps me eat less since Im so full. My wife has used for a month with no effect. I am dissapointed but will continue for another month
For me, it’s been 12 weeks and I’ve lost 3 pounds, most of it in the first 2 weeks. I noticed no change whatsoever regarding appetite, sleep patterns, etc. Having read a lot on the placebo effect, I think part of this product’s appeal is your expectation to lose weight. When one buys this product, they are hopeful and tend to eat a bit better, exercise a bit more, etc. and I’m starting to think that it is THESE things that cause a modest weight loss, not the product itself. Shame on LEF. I went into this having tried numerous products over the years, but the only thing that really worked was diet and exercise, ie, low cal, low fat and weight lifting – building muscle, which burns fat. Doing all that, I lost 30 pounds. Years later gained back 15 of it – and that’s what I’m trying to lose the easy way now. Not happening. My hopeful husband bought me 10-12 bottles of this stuff, so I have enough to last a year. Most likely a waste, but I’ll continue for now.
On January 3, 2009 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 the first day; 2 hours of running on the second day and no formal exercise on the third day. I continued to repeat this.
On March 14, 2009 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. Irvingia may have helped with reduced appetite, but I’m not sure. I have complete blood work done each year in May. I will report if my LDL decreased and HDL increased at that time.
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. As a result most people put faith in their recommendations, as they did on Irvingia. I feel they blew it on Irvingia. I can’t believe they didn’t do their own extensive study, before putting so much faith in Irvingia and bragging about its effectiveness, especially considering the fact that the original study appeared to have some flaws as has been pointed out. You can fool all of the people sometime, — etc. Shame on you LEF.
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. Irvingia may have helped with reduced appetite, but I’m not sure. I have complete blood work done each year in May. I will report if my LDL decreased and HDL increased at that time.
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. As a result most people put faith in their recommendations, as they did on Irvingia. I feel they blew it on Irvingia. I can’t believe they didn’t do their own extensive study, before putting so much faith in Irvingia and bragging about its effectiveness, especially considering the fact that the original study appeared to have some flaws as has been pointed out. You can fool all of the people sometime, etc. Shame on you LEF.
I just stumbled onto this site. I have been taking Irvingia for over a month now. Since I am a skeptical person, I did not change my eating habits at all. In fact, due to various circumstances, I have actually been exercizing less than normal. During this time, I lost 3 pounds.
Granted, this is not a whole lot, but I really can’t attribute it to anything but this pill. Also, I was just taking it the way the bottle says to, which is with or without food, and I realized after reading the research here that it’s supposed to be taken 30 minutes before a meal. So I haven’t been taking it correctly either.
Also, since the dosage is about one-tenth of what was taken in the study, I cannot imagine anyone losing as much weight as the study showed.. But, given its expense, it would be pretty prohibitive to take that much!
At this rate, obviously I’m not going to lose a lot, but it is something and it’s easy. Also, I want to see if it really has an effect on my triglycerides and cholesterol. So I plan to reorder and continue to take it for another month or two. It would be worth it to me if it lowered my cholesterol and I could get my doctor off my back about taking a statin.
Ken, I understand you’re upset, but it seems you’re not aware of several things. First, there are not studies using when both, Irvingia+Fucoxanthin are used together. The lost of 28 pouds was using Irvingia alone, so try Irvingia-Lean. The fact the study was made in Cameroon doesn’t mean the study is flawed necessarily. Third word countries can make good studies too sometimes, so don’t generalize. Third, no supplement or medicine is 100% effective, in some people may not work, and that doesn’t mean is not effective for everyelse. Fourth, I’m not defending the product, only pointing to be objective about it. I’m conducting my own verification on it, but so far I cannot jump to the conclusion it’s worthless.
We have just received our first order of Irvingia, the appeal being the benefits other than weight loss as neither of us (hubby or I) need to loose more than a few pounds. I do have a concern, however, in that I am an amateur athlete participating in moderate endurance events such as century rides (100 mile bike rides) and half marathons. If Irvingia changes the way the body metabolizes carbs, an athlete’s source of energy, should I not take this supplement?
Pat, I’m an athlete as well and have been taking slim signals for benefits other than weight loss and have experienced no problems in athletic performance with this product.
PS I agree with others that the main benefit with regards to weight loss seems to be the placebo effect. But if the good blood test results hold up over time, I think the benefits of taking this product could out weigh (pardon the pun) the benefits of it’s highly inflated, if not flat out wrong, claims for fat loss.
I’ve been reading the LEF magazine for about 15 years and I buy the products that I feel are justified for my needs.
I appreciate this thread to see some real world experiences with Integra-Lean.
These are anecdotes, not data, but, short of FDA evaluation, may be the best info I can get without exposing my patients to the extract. The waiting room LEF magazines have a lot of tear outs by interested parties. LEF provides more literature support from medical studies than any other nutriceutical source that I know of, but is so anti-FDA under Wm. Faloon that I think it has lost objectivity and is maybe trying too hard to “discover” a hot product. I, too, would like to recommend something like this to carb-craving patients. Thanks to everyone for the reports. Obviously, diet and exercise are still advised.
The improved sleep and vivid dreams suggest a possible antihistaminic effect(which could cause weight gain) or antiserotonergic effect (like we see when a patient stops Prozac or SSRIs).
Just reporting: I have been on Irvingia for about 6 weeks now. I have been running 2 to 3 times a week and weight training twice a week. I am also eating smaller meals 6 times a day. I have not lost any weight and I attribute this to the addition of my weight training. I have however lost 4 inches in my waist and 5 inches in my hips.
This is directly related to my exercise and diet. I do not believe the Irvingia is working. I will take the rest of my 2nd bottle, but i will not be ordering any more. Hope this helps!
I’ve heard Apple Cider Vinegar before meals works better than this. I will try that next.
Dr. D, that is very interesting what you said about improved sleep and vivid dreams. Would that be a bad thing do you suppose? I got great blood testing reports on this product (I’ve had three blood tests this year so I have some perspective.) I was having trouble getting blood glucose down despite a 80-90% clean diet and exercise and also CRP was tough to get down. I got them both down to normal, I believe with Irvingia/fucoxanthin mix as I did not have a big weight drop or anything like that. Would love to hear if you’ve seen this result from any of your patients. Thank you!
I started Irvingia-Lean on December 14 and have missed only one capsule during this time. I am the perfect candidate for this. I have insulin resistance, I’m 5’2 and weigh 191. I’m a 59 years old female. I walk 30-60 minutes six times a week. I do a half-hour of weight resistance training twice a week. My diet consists of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, nuts and small amounts of lean meat. I eat no refined sugar and seldom any white flour. I’m finishing up the final fourth bottle, and will be sending the bottles back for a refund.
I had such high hopes, but the only result of this product is that I gained back the 7 pounds I’d lost over a period of five months of wrestling with the Weight Watchers program.
I’ve not had blood work done–so I don’t know my cholesterol levels–but as far as weight loss goes–this product–in my experience–is a complete sham.
“Dr. D, that is very interesting what you said about improved sleep and vivid dreams. Would that be a bad thing do you suppose?”–JS
——
Dr. D was referring to some of the comments here, I believe, and not to personal experience or experience by his patients. I tried this stuff last year and I didn’t see any psychic effects whatsoever, and no weight change except for a slight gain. When I checked into the history of the researcher who developed this product, I was appalled. He’s claimed one breakthrough after another, but none seemed to have panned out. None except for the researcher himself, who has earned enough to start up an airline. Do you trust a scientist with a poor track record who stands to gain financially? Sadly, LEF did. I think the lesson here is that the LEF magazine is no more credible than any other source. The long list of scholarly-looking citations at the end of their articles–you better read them yourself, and even then you should be suspicious of any study without independent replication. In this case LEF made it sound as if there was replication, but there wasn’t.
You know I have had vivid dreams, but that is not too uncommon for me. I’m on this now for about a month I think and the one thing I notice is no hunger. I feel as though I am actually losing at a slower pace than I did 6 years ago. But is that because of the Irvingia or is that because of the fact that I am now older, 38? The no hunger pains–is that because of the Irvingia or is it because of the low carb diet? I am just not sure. Its mostly fiber right? And fiber fills us up? Causes our digestive system to move a bit slower? Coudl the same affect be had if we took regular fiber pills?
I’m a longtime user of Life Extension products and began using the SlimSignals capsules 3 weeks ago since their research was so positive. I lost nearly 2 pounds for each of the first 2 weeks, but this week, I’ve gained 4…bummer! While my soaring enthusiasm has deflated a bit, I’m going to give the program its full ten weeks before judging effectiveness. Note: the literature recommends following a normal (not high protein or super low carb regimen) meal program and suggests increasing exercise while using SlimSignals. One of the founders used it and lost nearly 28 pounds in the 10-week window. I’ll post more about my success as the weeks progress and look forward to reading everybody else’s comments on their experience. Tx-K.
Male, 52, 5′5″, weight @ 12/1/2008=186.5. Need to lose at least 30lb
(see previous posts 1/24,1/31,2/9,3/1)
Tomorrow will be 17 weeks, and 4 1/2 bottles down. I am still 183lbs. I’ll finish the last bottle (1 extra ordered after the LEF Advisor suggested to give it another month.) and return them all to LAF for credit/refund.
I gave it a good run, but it obviously doesnt work for me. I do agree LEF stepped over the mark with this.
While I dont think that the Cameroon studies were corrupt, as suggested, there is a huge difference in lifestyle, particularly when it comes to diet and exercise.
Think about how Africans actually use this. They perform much more manual labor, walk more, and have far less readily available food and snacks. When they do get to eat at the end of their work day, they would be inclined to stuff themselves to fend off starvation.Thats where the irvingia and its appetite reduction works, in curbing hunger. Not on people who go from home to car to office and back and can choose what and where they eat.
So suddenly, after all the hype in the first article which claims “no change in diet necessary”, there are letters and a second article telling us to eat complex carbs and exercise more..
I do still stand by LEF, I just think they overstated this one based on Dr. Faloon’s personal experience. It will take much more than Irvingia to suppress my appetite to a bowl of soup and a plate of lettuce in a day.
Thank you to all who posted within the guidelines of this topic.
Subsea – entirely my fault. I didn’t moderate the content here at all – in retrospect, a *good* blogmeister would have at least tried to reel in some of the side conversations, but I haven’t the stomach for it now – it’s just too big a project, with over 500 postings here.
Anyone out there interested in compiling this into some coherent form? Be my guest – I’ll post it if you can pull it off.
Otherwise, we’ll have to wait until I have some time to do so…and right now, time is scarce.
I don’t expect anyone to take me up on this…too much like work.
it’s been a while since i’ve checked in but i’m back…. with good news!
i started the integra lean 2/17/09 and its been 7 weeks. as of today i have lost 10 lbs.!!! i have eaten less and kicked up the exercise in the last month especially. when i began it was after being told i had leptin resistance which this was supposed to be good for. around week 4/5 i got a stand still but have kicked back into gear. i believe it is truly helping me….
in the last 4 yrs. i have tried countless times to lose weight sticking to rigorous exercise and dieting fairly well and have never lost more than 3-4 lbs. this is the best i’ve done in years. perhaps others didn’t have the significant issues that this was intended to address and as a result lead to weight loss. if you didn’t have elevated CRP (which i did a bit) and leptin problems maybe doesn’t work as well??
anyhoo ~ a bright light in a dark tunnel hopefully? good luck to all. getting blood work done tomorrow and will let you know results re: cholesterol, leptin and CRP levels.
Test results: Height 6 ft 0 in. Male.
On Irvingia 17 weeks.
Start End
Weight 203 lbs 195 lbs
Choleserol 310 299
LDL 237 222
HDL 31 49
Triglycerides 207 156
HgA1C 6.2 5.8
BP 130/85 122/73
Improved sleep level, decreased appetite especially for sugar and breads (i.e. refined carbs). Increased appetite for good carbs like veggies.
Finished Irvingia 10 days ago and will have tests redone in 6 months to see what changes, if anything.
Reasonably satisfied with Irvingia but my guess is that I subconsciously improved my eating habits and exercise levels even though I made no conscious effort to do so.
Started about 5 years ago on Atkins by the book at 266 lbs. Have done 4 times up until about a month before I started Irvingia. 266 to 235, then 240 to 225, next 230 to 210, then 225 to 180 the 4th time. I80 was too low for me didn’t feel well and have a large frame.
Weight is very stable now at 193-196 lbs and feel great. Atkins no longer seems necessary but I do watch glucose levels as a function the type of foods eaten and total carb consumption, were all different.
Diagnosed with Diabetes II about 4 years ago and still take Metformin even though all symptoms of diabetes are gone. Research shows Metformin is great for anti-aging and is taken by body builders and other health nuts like me.
Sorry to be so long winded. Best of luck in your efforts to loose weight and stay heathly.
George
PS: tried to use the survey but kept asking for a positive value. Had entries for all questions. Even made one up for CRP just to see if that was the problem but it was not. I did not have CRP tested since my doc said he could not prescribe for a high level if we found one, interesting ….
Thanks for the post, George.
Other people have had problems with the darn survey, but I can’t reproduce the error…
Great info – give us an update sometime, eh?
My case seems to be an exception. I’ve been using LEF’s SlimSignals version of Irvingia and I have dropped 10 pounds in just the first 10 days although I don’t feel like I’ve lost any. Will post more results after finishing the first bottle
Would some more of you please post before/after HDL levels? No matter what I seem to do – exercise, diet – I stay at about 39. My other cholesterol and cardio markers are good, but I’d like to get the HDL up. Thanks in advance.
You may just be normally low HDL. Mine is also 39 and never goes up no mztter what I do. I too have very good lipid and cardio numbers. The only time I was above 40 (slightly) was back when I had Cholesterol numbers above 240. I’ll take 140 and 39 anytime. Mel.
In response to your post saying that you can’t raise your HDL, I’m going to go a little off-topic to recommend pantethine. For years that was the only supplement known to raise HDL, and Atkins claimed that in his practice it was quite reliable. I think the mechanism is increased coenzyme-A, and in that case it would perform even better when you take acetyl L-carnitine (ALC) as well.
I started taking irvingia 2 weeks ago — nothing hapened for the first week . Then my appetite went way down. I have lost five pounds — starting at 191 lbs. I eat less than two meals a day now and never hungry. If you read the Life Extension brochure carefully, you will note that it says that you shouldn’t see any effects for ten weeks! So I was surprised to lose weight so soon. I’m rrying to find out about negative side effects. No luck so far. I have been trying to lose weight for ten years. This the first thing to work. Mel
“If you read the Life Extension brochure carefully, you will note that it says that you shouldn’t see any effects for ten weeks!”
——-
Go back and read it again, that’s not what it says. Even so, judging by the reports, the average person won’t see any effect at ten weeks, or ever.
Hi Everyone,
LEF has a new version of Irvingia out [ Enhanced Irvingia with Calorie Control Complex, item # 01392], one that includes cofactors that are their effort to deal with the failures of the original Irvingia formulation, as far as I can see. Of course, if your perspective is a cynical one, then the new formulation is simply LEF trying to make more money. However….
We’re an informal research community here: I’d say that by and large, the first iteration of Irvingia was not as wildly successful as the clinical trial suggested it would be. Unlike a clinical trial, those of us who contribute here have investments in the outcome that make this a more charged and perhaps, less judicious forum. But we’re very interested!
Might I suggest that this experiment [apparently coming to an end, judging by the number of submissions], morph into into a new version where the effect of the new Irvingia formulation can be explored? In other words, if you’re using the new Irvingia formulation and would like to share your results with others, this is the place to do that.
Regards,
Glenn
The main ingredient (by weight) of the new formulation is Phaseolus vulgaris, a carb blocker. But one LEF theory of why Integra didn’t work was that the Africans in the study were on a high carb diet, while many Americans were on a low-carb diet. So this makes no sense at all. How is a carb blocker going to help someone eating very few carbs?
Instead of doing the right thing and pulling Integra, LEF puts out yet another version of this Julius Oben product, and can’t even keep its stories straight.
There seems to be an implication here that LEF lack integrity, that they were “snookered,” but the research has now been published in a peer-reviewed journal here in the states, which means it has some credibility amongst researchers in the field.
As for the “LEF theory of why Integra didn’t work,” I haven’t seen that published anywhere: is there a reference for that?
However, there are cogent observations on the adaptations that seem to be needed to enhance the effect of Irvingia for Americans in William Faloon’s article “Why Aging People Fail to Lose Weight” in the latest LEF magazine. Reading the articles in that magazine makes it plain that LEF has worked hard to provide supplement ingredients additional to Irvingia to add to its effectiveness.
Here’s Steven Joyal on diet and Integra-Lean: “ . . . diets high in complex carbohydrates and rich in fiber but low in saturated fat would appear to allow for optimal results with Irvingia gabonensis extract.”
http://www.lef.org/pdf/Irvingia_Weight_Loss_Guide_0109.pdf
As for peer reviewed studies, peer review isn’t generally going to catch intentional fraud, should someone make up the study results. Which is one reason why independent replication is so important. Julius Oben has studied many supplements over the past ten years that he claims have tremendous weight loss and cholesterol reduction benefits. Several of these are on the market and Oben makes a lot of money on them, but none of his studies, so far as I know, have been successfully replicated. This should have given LEF pause, but did not. And now they’ve reformulated it with apparently no testing, and with a major ingredient that makes no sense. Very disappointing.
Hello,
My Irvingia field report: No noticeable effect on weight.
I have been on a low carb diet for over two years, starting (this go round) at 180 lbs, reducing to 160 and then back up between 165 and 170. I am on a ‘maintenance’ level and can reduce my weight by reducing carb intake. I would say, non-scientifically, that I will increase weight if I eat anything over about 40-50 grams of carbs per day, and will lose weight below 20 grams. I figure my critical carb. level for maintenance (CCLM) is around 30-40 grams.
I took Irvingia for just over 8 weeks, 2 150 mg. Integra-Lean per day (120 tabs total).
My experience was that I noticed no change in anything — appetite, weight loss, etc. Just the same as what happens anyways. Bloodwork I can’t be specific, but no noticeable change there either.
My conclusion is that this product, as Life Extension says in its literature, probably doesn’t do much for people on a low carb diet, and my own conclusion is that where it is effective, it is probably effective because it pretty much, metabolically, does what a low carb diet does.
I suppose that somebody should try going OFF their low carb diet and taking Irvingia and seeing if they put on weight? I’m not going to try that, but it would be an interesting experiment.
As for my stats: 50 years, 5’6″, exercise very moderately 5-6 days a week for 20 minutes and can generally adjust my weight up or down by going to lower daily carb levels and/or decreasing total volume.
Thanks for a great site.
I just started my third bottle of Integra Lean and saw absolutely zero results UNTIL I read the latest issue of LEF’s magazine introducing their new impoved version of Irvingia to be taken in conjunction with Alli and PGX soluable fiber. As I already had Alli and the PGX I decided to try this “cocktail”. It works. It works really well. *Went from 142 to 138 lbs in one week. But I suspect it’s the Alli working and has nothing to do with the Irvingia or PGX.
As they suggested, I am taking 120 mg of Alli (2 Capsules) which makes it prescription strength. At this strength you cannot have much fat in your diet or you are going to have a very unpleasant experience. I take this plus one Irvingia (the original formulation) before each meal and then 4 PGX capsules after each meal. My appetite is slightly diminished, my energy level is unchanged. But my weight is dropping. I am eating about the same number of calories (1500 per day) and excercising the same amount as before. What has changed is that my fat intake is way down. I’ve never been a fan of low fat diets but somehow this is working. My diet is pretty good. I don’t eat a lot of refined carbs, I don’t eat processed foods, I don’t eat a lot of red meat or pork products. I hit my 45th birthday and my body betrayed me. I’ve been trying to get back to 130 lbs for 10 yrs and nothing has worked until this.
For what it’s worth, I really think that it’s the Alli working and the LEF products may be playing a small role. They certainly didn’t work on their own. But eating such a low fat diet is probably not something a lot of people can carry on for very long.
I tried the original Irvingia formula a couple of months ago and no weight loss.
I started Life Extention’s recommended plan in their latest issue two weeks ago. First I started the Alli (Orlistat) 120 mg with each meal. Then a couple of days later, I started the NEW formula Irvingia. I have already been taking Konjac Fiber (PGX) for a couple of years twice a day.
Well, finally something is working. I HAVE LOST 10 pounds in the last two weeks and continue to lose about a pound every two days. I eat a healthy natural food diet as usual. I actually had to lay off my exercise the last two weeks to heal from a minor injury. I am not sure if it is the Alli, Irvingia or the combination, but I am excited to report weight loss, and for me it is usually not this easy!
My 53 year-old husband started the new Irvingia formula of Life Extension Foundation on May 21st, and has already lost 3 kgs (he went from 82 to 79)! He first started noticing a change in his waist size after 10 days. That’s when he decided to see if he was lighter, and indeed, he was! So I decided to try it too, for my little unsightly pot belly. It has been 5 days, and it seems that I have lost a kilo. Not sure though, as my weight tends to fluctuate. The pot belly is still here, of course, as 5 days is much too short a time to erase something that’s been here for 3 years!
p.s.: I forgot to say that there is no one more skeptical than my husband. The fact that he is actually losing weight (his ideal weight is 76 kgs, so 3 more kilos to go!) and feeling much better (full of energy, less bloated), has turned him into a “believer”. I hope this will also happen to me!
Here’s my weird Irvingia story.
started having hot flashes last july/august 2008 – they were horrible. REcently read a little about the product & even though I’m only about 10lbs overweight thought I’d give it a shot. Took the product for a few weeks and noticed that my hot flashes slowed down and then stopped completely after about a month/6wks on the product. Stayed off the product for about 2-3 months and just recently they start up again with a vengeance. So – I’m going to start the product up again and see what happens.
Any other women have this happen to them?
I reported in a few times when trying Irvingia back around Christmas.
Net result, I was on it for 16 weeks and didn’t loose a single pound.
When LEF came out with the new Irvingia Calorie Control formula, and the article in the last magazine on the 7 pillars of weight loss – in desperation, I tried again.
I’m doing the Alli, new Irvingia, fiber at every meal, and light exercise.
Note that I have tried Alli in the past and failed, tried Green Tea extract, Carb blockers, all failing. But I was willing to try the new “multi-modal” theory.
I’ve lost 7 1/2 lbs in 3 weeks. This is monumental. I’m 52 and have been only gaining weight since menopause, even while eating about 1500 calories a day. I have hopes I can continue to lose on this new method.
Only difference this time is I am not getting the hunger suppressing effects of the Irvingia I had last time. I am thinking it might be the Green Tea Extract in the formula is picking up my metabolism a little which is making me a little more hungry.
As a diabetic, I generally eat very low carb, but this time I am allowing myself a fruit or two, and 2-3 servings of low GI carbs.
You’re 52. It’s real possible that the absence of the hunger reducing effect of the Irvingea this time around is the nasty menopausal appetite increase. When the body senses lowered estrogen, it looks to compensate by increasing fat stores–reducing metabolism and stimulating hunger–because fat cells produce and store estrogen. That’s why fanatical exercisers and anorexics stop menstruating. So the increased appetite effect just may have kicked in between the last time you tried the Irvingea and this time. I think this whole syndrome is a dirty trick of nature, and I sort of understand why Suzanne Somers decided to eliminate menopause althogether by taking enough bio-identical hormones to get a monthly “period”, as dangerous as that might be. I personally am not that brave (or foolhardy, depending on how you see it.)
I returned my bottles of Irvingia after having only 2 pounds of net weight loss after 3 mons. I have around 15 pounds to lose. I noticed one of my friends lost 20 pounds and I asked how she did it? She said she shut her mouth. While I usually eat a 1800-2100/cal/day diet, and eat very healthy (and did not consider I could cut back) I made dietary changes by following the Nutri-System plan somewhat. I don’t buy their meals, but follow their portion guide. I seem only to be eating 1200 cal now – so I’ve learned to shut MY mouth and not consume as much. I have smaller portions of everything. I have a salad most days. Where I used to eat a snack of perhaps 20 almonds, I now have 6. I don’t eat after 7pm (tho sometimes I do, I’ll have a fruit or something light.) I exercise – twice a week I do a lifting weights combined with aerobic program and about twice a week I’ve been doing landscaping – shoveling rock for 3-6 hours. And 2-3 times I week, I just do a walk or nothing at all for exercise. AND its working. Only additional supplement I’m taking besides regular vitamins is resveratrol. It has health benefits besides helps weight loss. In the last month, I’ve lost 5 pounds. This is incredible for me because I’ve been struggling to lose even 2 pounds for the last several years. So, I will continue with this effort. I’m reporting this as I’m hoping that something in it will help someone out there. I’m 54, 5’5, and weigh 132.
One last thing – a woman mentioned her hot flashes subsided. I did not notice anything different with the Irvingia including loss of appetite. For my hot flashes, I applied some estrogen and progesterone creams – I believe I got thru LEF – and they worked great. I too did that experiment – used the creams, ran out, ordered again due to hot flashes coming back…and after two years or so, now find they are gone completely with little use of the creams. So that’s what worked for me.
7/1/09
I took irvinia for a few days and blood pressure
increased. I quit the supplement and went to
coconut oil have losr 18 lb. now weigh 168
ca
Me too, thanks for letting us know that it is possible for our blood pressure to increase when taking irvinia. I called LifeExtend and talked with a counselor said he had not heard of it effecting BP…I took it for 6 days….did get a sensation of feeling full…..
Oh dear, this is my second day without irvinia and BP is still high.. Coming down, but still up…
Tell me about coconut oil….I need help…will it help with LDL?
Life Extention is not being honest with you. I called them several times & asked about increase in BP and they told me the same thing. That was in Jan. 09. Since I’ve been off of the product, my BP is back to normal. I was on it for 4 mos. and lost 18 lbs. It works but plays havoc on the BP.
I suppose we have to take matters into our own hands – especially with supplements – they simply haven’t been tested that rigorously. I bought a BP machine and a blood glucose to monitor my own numbers. I’m becoming more careful with supplements – I think these days, some help, most are harmless – and the rest – buyer beware.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
I bought into Integra-lean Irvingia because of an article in the Feb. 09 issue of LifeExtension. It is my understanding that the information contained in the article is based on medical research. Is this so? I am looking for answers to why my body refuses to lose weight on a balanced diet of 1200 to 1500 calories a day with approximately 2000 -2400 calories burned daily. My calories are registered with a BodyBugg. I am diabetic. My A1C ranges between 5.3-5.7. If this product is not based on solid research I will not trust information gathered from reading LifeExtension. Certainly if I do not see a difference to my Liptin count of 137, I will be asking for my money back..
For me, who is 20 to 40 lbs. overweight, the LDL count is takes priority over weight loss.
The researcher, Julius Oben, has serious conflicts of interest, and his various studies on weight loss and cholesterol reduction have never been replicated, so far as I can tell.
Hello,
I “restarted” by trying the new enhanced version of Integra Lean. I haven’t done anything different with my eating and not taking any other weight loss supplements.
Started June 15 and as of today July 25, here are my results:
Beginning weight = 235lbs
Current weight = 215lbs
Weight loss = 20lbs
My goal is to get to 205 to 210. I’m 6’4 tall and age 46, male.
Something is definitely working for me with this. No major side effects, pants feel looser … just got my blood tested and will get the results within 2 weeks and will update.
Good luck to all. Please keep posting your results after you’ve been on for several weeks with the new formula.
Hello,
My name is Herman , Im from Belgium (Europe) and started to use the new LEF Irvingia formula.
I have my own blog where I put my results (http://irvingia-diary.blogspot.com/).
So far (after 2 weeks) I have no significant weight loss, but I feel more thirsty (drink more water).
So I’ll see what happens the next weeks
Good luck, Herman – some people have reported success – a lot haven’t. It’s great that someone else is taking the time to get this info out there so people have more info.
I live in Africa. So I have access to d irvingia seeds directly. I started using it four days ago, by grinding it, and taking a spoon full twice daily.
I have not noticed any change, I am currently 78kg. I would keep u guys posted as it goes on. Let’s see if irvingia does work at all!
Irvingia – it does NOT work.
I have been on it for about six months or so…. I have it, so I take it, —but it has done nothing. I simply want to lose about 10 to 15 pounds, I’d be thrilled with losing even five.
I eat a totally natural, whole food diet, and I eat only two times a day and a third light something or other. I have sugar down to almost zero. I do eat meat, but very little – - what meat I do eat is organic, grass fed beef, pastured free range chickens. I exercise: take Yoga for 1 1/2 hours six days a week and walk or hike everyday also. I have not lost ONE POUND.
Actually I cannot lose this damn weight no matter what the hell I do.
But your question is Irvingia and the new one with Calorie Control Complex…ha ha ha
I have no clue that I am taking this product – notta’ , nothing…no effects whatsoever…hope it is doing something for me.
I do buy a great deal of supplements for Life Extension – I get blood tests on some of the levels – for instance CoQ10, Vit, D, etc. I am fighting off Breast Cancer and doing so with nutrition. Keeping fat off is important for it makes estrogen and I had estrogen positive Breast Cancer… so keeping off the rolls of fat around my middle is a matter of life or death -
trust me, your weight is more than unsightly and inconvenient as you age it will kill you one way or another way before your time.
I guess we have to eat less.
I took the survery, however, it kept telling me to put in a positive number and I could not submit it… what’s up with that?
Some people have problems with the survey – it is probably your browser – sorry for the extra frustration, I should take the darn thing down.
It has already been stated that Irvingia is NOT useful for losing those last 10-15 pounds. It was also stated that it does not help those who have excess weight due to hormonal problems. You really should read up on things before putting them into your body. Thus, your experience belongs in the “bucket” with the guy who said Irvingia didn’t work after only 3 days of use. Granted, at least you tried it for 6 months even though you have conditions that Irvingia is not likely going to help.
Hey nstott,
You’re as grumpy as your avatar looks. I think 6 months is certainly better data than the 3-day guy – not in the same bucket, and answers the question: ‘if I take it for a real long time even if I am in the group it *isn’t* supposed to work for, might it, maybe, work?’
GerneyLee answered that one for us, so that’s good data, anecdotal like most of the rest of the data here, of course, but still valuable empirical data.
By the way – I *like* grumpy people, so no offense intended.
Regards,
LCC
I agree that it’s much better than “3-day guy,” but she should have known that it wasn’t likely to work given information already put out by LEF and on this LCC Blog thread. I agree that it’s useful data given the length of time (verification that six months still doesn’t work for those conditions).
I ran out of SlimSignals (discontinued by LEF) a week after I finally started to lose weight on week 15, so I can’t be positive that it would have continued. I’ll start up again after I move back to the US next week.
No offense taken.
Has anyone ever lost the 28 lbs that LEF says you will?
Hi all:
I read this entire thread with interest.
I am using optimized Irvingia with phase 3 calorie control.
It took about three months to start to see results. At the 3 month mark I was suddenly losing weight without exercising any more than prior to starting the Optimized Irvingia.
I lost a lot of fat in my abdomen.
I noticed that another poster also mentioned this regarding her mother.
The bottle cautions that it may lower blood sugar too much in people with low blood sugar or taking diabetes medications. Therefore some of the ingredients may work by preventing insulin resistance commonly seen in type 2 diabetes.
Balancing insulin levels may take time.
I am in my 50s and prior to starting the Irvingia I was already using natural progesterone and bi-est, but I was still gaining weight in the abdominal area.
The progesterone and bi-est did not add weight, but seemed to stabilize my weight.
It’s important to remember that all humans have unique bio-chemistry. Therefore it’s possible that this won’t work in some people and others may have a negative reaction, just as with peanuts or meds.
Some people mentioned an ache in the stomach area. That ache is likely caused by the fact that the Optimized Irvingia prevents the body from utilizing a starch digesting enzyme known as amylase.
The pain or sense of fullness may be caused by the fact that the starch is not being digested but passed out of your body undigested and before it can be stored as fat.
Wow great info, thanks for the great study. I wanted to let everyoen know that after reading this I went and bought Irvingia Plus and have lost 18 pounds in 4 weeks, and plenty more to go!!!
Congrats, Jessica! You seem to be one of the rare folk it’s worked for – do you think there might be something about your situation that might be special?
possible reason why Irvingia may not work for some: body pH. Using Irvingia for almost 2 years, since it came out. lost over 100 lbs and kept it off. need to do another 100. But just holding own. Sang Whang [www.alkalife.com] teaches that those over age 45 may have lower bicarbonate levels, so tissues may acidify so blood can stay slightly alkaline. He says you may need 5-7 glasses of pH 10 water per day. test urine with pH paper, goal is to get slightly over pH 7.
You meat eaters have lots more acid than typical diet, so you need it more. Lost a pant size 5lbs or so within two weeks after starting alkaline water. Blood triglycerides went from 69 to 122 in two weeks, suggesting stored fat being dumped into blood after stored acid was neutralized in fat cells
–ghg
i started this 2 days ago have not seen any weight loss but didnt expect to this fast, however i have noticed i eat more (snack more on little stuff all day) but seen to feel full rather fast. maybe be all in my head since i want to lose to pounds but i will give it a month and see how it goes
Hi I started 2 days ago. I noticed a marked improvement in my appetite being suppressed and a feeling of fullness. That alone is a plus for me. I am also starting the Ducan diet. So I am excited that I am finally being proactive with my health. Believe it or not I have lost 2.5 lbs. I plan on only weighing myself once a week. For me the proof will be in how my clothes start fitting. Like this site and have found it encouraging an educational. Look forward to reporting back with more succeses.
Great to see some real feedback from people using the product here. If there is anyone here who would like to give us their comments on how irvingia has worked for them, we would love to feature your words on our website.
I think it’s important that the real benefits of irvingia such as reductions in blood glucose levels, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and increase in good cholesterol, are the things that are really important here. It is the changes that these bring in the body that make conditions right for the weight loss …
I’ve been taking irvingia for almost 2 weeks, twice a day, and I felt fine until now. I was slowly breaking out in a rash on my face which is getting worse. I’m pretty sure it’s the Irvingia. I’ll stop and post a followup in a couple of days. If the rash resolves, I may try the Irvingia again, but once a day.