Hi folks,
I came across this pharmaceutical made carb-blocker (Pharmachem Laboratories
Inc. [2,3]) on ScienceDaily website while reading the summary of Dr. Cynthia
Kenyon's new study [1]
(http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103121605.htm )
(you find it at the top right of Kenyon's summary under the title "Weight
Loss Weapon").
So I did a search for more details and found the latest clinical study on
Phase 2 (see below Medline abstract plus the Methods section of the full
paper).

My question: Has anyone tried it and with what results?

1. Glucose shortens the life span of C. elegans by downregulating
DAF-16/FOXO activity and aquaporin gene expression.
Lee SJ, Murphy CT, Kenyon C.
Cell Metab. 2009 Nov;10(5):379-91.PMID: 19883616
2. http://www.pharmachemlabs.com/index.html
3. http://www.pnibrands.com/

Nutr J. 2009 Oct 28;8(1):52.
Lowering the glycemic index of white bread using a white bean extract.
Udani JK, Singh BB, Barrett ML, Preuss HG.
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Phase 2 is a dietary supplement derived from the
common white kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Phase 2 has been shown to
inhibit alpha-amylase, the complex carbohydrate digesting enzyme, in vitro.
The inhibition of alpha-amylase may result in the lowering of the effective
Glycemic Index (GI) of certain foods. The objective of this study was to
determine whether the addition of Phase 2 would lower the GI of a
commercially available high glycemic food (white bread). METHODS: An
open-label 6-arm crossover study was conducted with 13 randomized subjects.
Standardized GI testing was performed on white bread with and without the
addition of Phase 2 in capsule and powder form, each in dosages of 1500mg,
2000mg, and 3000mg. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA of
all seven treatment groups using unadjusted multiple comparisons (t tests)
to the white bread control. RESULTS: For the capsule formulation, the 1500
mg dose had no effect on the GI and the 2000 mg and 3000 mg capsule doses
caused insignificant reductions in GI. For the powder, the 1500 mg and 2000
mg doses caused insignificant reductions in the GI, and the 3000 mg dose had
a significant effect (-20.23 or 34.11%, p=0.023) CONCLUSIONS: Phase 2 white
bean extract appears to be a novel and potentially effective method for
reducing the GI of existing foods without modifying their ingredient
profile. Trial Registration: ISRCTN50347345.
PMID: 19860922

Methods
The Phase 2 product is a water extract of the white kidney bean (Phaseolus
vulgaris)
standardized to alpha-amylase (8;12;15;39) inhibiting units (Pharmachem
Laboratories, Kearny, NJ). Phase 2 is produced from non-GMO whole white
kidney
beans, which are ground and then extracted for 4 hours. The liquid is
filtered and
concentrated under vacuum. The extract is filtered again, and then
pasteurized before
being spray dried. The product was dosed as powder (mixed in butter) and in
capsule
form. Phase 2 is odorless and tasteless. Wonder brand white bread
(Interstate
Bakeries, Kansas City, MO), which was purchased at one time, was utilized in
this
study.
Subjects and Study Design
Fifteen healthy volunteer subjects between the ages of 24 and 44 and a BMI
between
18 and 25 (kg/m2) were screened at the Medicus Research facility in
Northridge, CA.
IRB approval was obtained from the Copernicus Group IRB (Cary, NC) prior to
any
study related procedures. Good Clinical Practice (GCP)'s were followed
throughout
the study. All subjects gave informed consent according to GCP guidelines
prior to
initiating any study procedures. Screening fasting glucose levels were ? 100
mg/dL.
Subjects with any active eating disorders, gastrointestinal illness or
history of
gastrointestinal surgery, diabetes or other endocrinologic disorders were
excluded.
Subjects underwent a history and physical examination by a board certified
physician.
All women of child bearing potential were given a urine pregnancy test and
required
to use appropriate methods of contraception during the active study. In
order to
standardize the glycemic response on the each study test day, subjects were
required
to consume only a diet of standardized prepared low-fiber frozen foods [23]
containing a minimum of 100 g of carbohydrates. The purpose of the low-fiber
diet is
to minimize the potential residual blood sugar effects of slowly digested
and absorbed
complex carbohydrates which may be present up to 1 day after consuming them.
Subjects were also required to fast for 10 hours prior to their study visit.
GI testing with 10 subjects was completed according to the FAO/World Health
Organization (WHO) guidelines with standard methodology using glucose as the
standard food [24]. During the standardization phase of the study, subjects
reported to
the study center 3 times during which they received 50 g net carbohydrates
in the
form of glucose. At each visit subjects had their capillary blood glucose
measured 9
times over 2 hours. Capillary blood collections and multiple GI measurements
were
performed during the two hour interval as the recommended technique to
reduce the
measurement errors [25].
During the active phase of the study, subjects reported to the study center
7 times
during which they received 50 g net carbohydrates in the form of white bread
with
butter either by itself or with a form of Phase 2. The serving of bread used
to obtain
50 g of net carbohydrates was determined from the package label information.
Butter
was obtained in standardized plastic "pats" and each serving was 5 g, 36
kcal and
contained 0 carbohydrates. The amount of butter was standardized for each
test dose
so that each subject received the same amount of butter at each visit
regardless of how
much test product they received. Although fat may affect the GI of foods
[26], there
was consistency in the study in that it was included in both the control and
test
groups. The test product was given at dosages of 1500 mg, 2000 mg, and 3000
mg in
capsule form and 1500 mg, 2000 mg, and 3000 mg in powder form. The powder
form
of the test product was mixed into the butter which was spread on the bread.
The
capsules were taken immediately prior to the ingestion of food. During each
visit
subjects again had their capillary blood glucose measured 9 times over 2
hours.
The white bread was consumed within 5 minutes after which subjects remained
in a
semi-recumbent position throughout the duration of the study visit (unless
they need
to use the restroom) to reduce variability in oro-cecal transit time [27].
The only
beverage allowed during the testing session was ice water. The test meals
were
administered in a random order and the test visits were less than 2 weeks
apart.