PGX Daily For Weight Management: Review & Information

PGX Daily is garnering a lot of interest from visitors lately, due to an extensive advertising campaign and prominent displays at big-box super stores like Wal-Mart. If you're reading this, you've probably heard of it. It's the weight loss diet product with the catchy little slogan...

"PGX will change your life, even if you don't."

Of course, PGX Daily will not change your life, even if you don't. But it certainly sounds good, doesn't it? That doesn't mean this isn't a decent product of course, and possibly even one worth experimenting with—it's just that no diet product, no matter how good, will accomplish this sort of result.

That said, let's get back to basics and look at the claims made for this product, and the science that apparently supports its miraculous effects. First let's take a look at the ingredients...

PGX Daily is primarily a glucomannan/konjac supplement. That means it is basically a fiber supplement. There are numerous glucomannan based fat burners on the market today—Lipozene, FiberThin, Propolene, and Tetrazene are a few that come to mind immediately. So the use of glucomannan in weight loss products is nothing new.

It might also interest you to know that in the U.S., the makers of the konjac-based products FiberSlim and Propolene were charged with making false and unsubstantiated claims about their products.

The good news is that yes, there is some evidence glucomannan shows some real benefits for dieters. For instance...

Several clinical studies validate glucomannan's ability to lower LDL cholesterol, blood lipid levels and blood sugar levels (see J Am Coll Nutr. 2003 Feb;22(1):36-42, Diabetes Care. 2000 Jan;23(1):9-14, Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2005 Jun;15(3):174-80, Diabetes Care. 1999 Jun;22(6):913-9, Biomed Environ Sci. 1990 Jun;3(2):123-31).

It appears to be especially useful for diabetics in this regard.

There also appears to be some evidence validating glucomannan's positive effect on weight loss (Int J Obes. 1984;8(4):289-93, Med Sci Monit. 2005 Jan;11(1):PI5-8)

One study (Int J Obes. 1984;8(4):289-93) showed that 1 gram of glucomannan, taken with 8 oz. of water one hour prior to meals, has a significant influence on weight loss—almost 6 pounds of fat lost in two months, with no changes in eating habits (it should be noted that this equates to .75 lbs. of weight per week... hardly on "par" with the sort of results promised by the retailers of the more outrageous glucomannan-based weight loss products).

I have no doubt that it is this study that spawned the ""PGX will change your life, even if you don't" slogan.

This study "Glucomannan and obesity: a critical review" concluded...

"At doses of 2-4 g per day, GM was well-tolerated and resulted in significant weight loss in overweight and obese individuals. There is some evidence that GM exerts its beneficial effects by promoting satiety and fecal energy loss. Additionally, GM has been shown to improve lipid and lipoprotein parameters and glycemic status."

A more recent study (see J Am Coll Nutr. 2007 Dec;26(6):663-8) showed glucomannan may play a role in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. It's been shown to be helpful in the treatment of childhood constipation as well (see Pediatrics. 2004 Mar;113(3 Pt 1):e259-64).

Of course, the PGX Daily advertising makes much of the studies performed on the product itself. Please note... these appear to be "in-house", unpublished studies. As such, their conclusions and methodogies have not been critiqued by qualified professionals (as they would be if they were published in a peer reviewed journal) and need to be taken with a grain of salt.

Despite what appears to be mounds of positive evidence, there are a couple of issues with glucomannan.

First, glucomannan may bind with and hinder the absorption of certain nutrients. It's probably a good idea to use a high quality multi-vitamin when supplementing with glucomannan or glucomannan-based products, and to consume that later in the day, either prior or sometime after you've consumed this supplement.

Secondly, I've received some interesting feedback regarding glucomannan-based products and their side effects.

This feedback seems to indicate that glucomannan pills can occasionally get stuck in the esophagus and cause a blockage. Although this seems a bit far-fetched, a clinical study (Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2007;45(1):80-2) indicates that glucomannan-based supplements can pose a hazard for individuals with upper gastrointestinal pathology.

One way to avoid this issue is break open the capsules and sprinkle it over your food. PGX Daily is also available in granules that are meant to be used this way. Using the granules will eliminate the issue of blockage in the throat. Other visitors have reported that some glucomannan pills don't seem to digest properly —the granules would eliminate this issue too.

Also present in a single capsule (according to the advertising I reviewed) are...

• Sodium alginate: An algae-based thickener that is commonly used in pie fillings.
• Xanthan gum: A thickening agent formed when the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris is combined with corn sugar.

These two ingredients, along with the glucomannan, comprise the "PolyGlycoplex" element of the formula, and total 750 mg.

Also included in a single dose capsule—according to the advertising I viewed—is 600 mg of MCT oil, or medium chain triglycerides, usually derived from coconut oil.

Here's where we run into a couple of problems...

First, although there is some evidence MCT oil may be helpful for weight loss (also see American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 44, 630-634), it is only at very large dosages that such results are observed. The latter-mentioned AJCN journal study, for example, used approximately 74 times more MCT oil than found in PGX daily.

Second, you cannot have 750 mg of "PolyGlycoplex" together with 600 mg of MCT oil in a single capsule as the advertising indicates.

Why?

Because that capsule would be too large to swallow. If you check out this capsule sizing chart you'll find you'd need a capsule twice the size of the largest "00" size in order to include this volume of ingredients. Obviously, such a capsule is not something you could swallow.

We're left, therefore, with a couple of options...

• The volume of ingredients per serving size refers to a two-capsule serving, and not a single one as the advertising indicates.
• The MCT content is improperly labeled (a simple mistake) and is much lower than reported.
• The retailer is intentionally misrepresenting the amount of ingredient in the product to make it appear more impressive than it is.
  

Frankly, I'm inclined to believe it's an honest mistake, and the product labeling refers to a two-capsule serving. But in the largely unregulated supplement industry, you don't always go wrong assuming the worst.

What's the bottom line on this product?

It's a convenient form of fiber that appears to have plenty of benefits. Although you can get more fiber into your diet simply by eating the right fruits and vegetables, many people will appreciate the simplicity offered by PGX Daily. It will likely help you eat less, and this reduction in calories may cause you lose weight. It also appears to be helpful in moderating glucose levels, which may reduce your cravings for sweets, and desire to snack.

Remember though, the results are subtle at best. This isn't a "10 lbs. in 10 days" solution.

If I have any issue with this product it's this...

There's no reason to believe the PGX Daily formula will deliver results superior to simple glucomannan, which can be purchased for significantly less money.

For instance, a 180-capsule bottle of the NOW brand glucomannan is just under $10 at BodyBuilding.com, our recommended online retailer. Unless you see a specific reason to use this product, that would be my recommendation.

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