Glabrinex Fat Burner Review: A Remedy For Belly Fat?
A few days ago I received an e-mail from a visitor asking me if I’d heard of Glabrinex, a product that had just received national exposure in the Canadian media, thanks to a syndicated column by “Dr. Gifford-Jones” (aka “Dr. Ken Walker”). In an article entitled “Remedy for Pot-Bellied Killer Fat,” the doctor outlines the dangers associated with visceral or abdominal fat, and then boldly states…
“Now an exciting new dietary supplement is available to help those who are losing the battle against their pot-bellied fat. Glabrinex is the first natural product of its kind. It helps to mobilize visceral fat and delay or suppress the onset of the metabolic syndrome. It’s derived from the root of the leguminous Glycyrrhiza plant and has been consumed for over 4,000 years since the era of ancient Egypt.”
If you have any doubt that the previous few sentences were written for impact, consider the fact that “leguminous Glycyrrhiza” is more commonly known as licorice; obviously, it sounds much more impressive as the former than the latter.
Nonetheless, it all seems pretty impressive, huh? And from an M.D. at that. Surely then, this is the obesity cure-all we’ve all been on the lookout for?
Well, let’s see.
The majority of studies performed on LFO (licorice flavanoid oil, of which the active ingredient is called “glabridin”) were performed on animals (see Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2007 Jan;71(1):206-14. Epub 2007 Jan 7, Biol Pharm Bull. 2004 Nov;27(11):1775-8, Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2003 Dec 15;13(24):4267-72).
And yes, they demonstrated a positive effect. That’s a good start, even though you are not a mouse, and the results of animal based trials do not necessarily translate over into the same results in humans.
And what about the human-based study referenced in Dr. Gifford-Jones’ article?
Well, that study is the single human-based study performed on LFO (see J.Health Sci., 52(6), 672-683, 2006, or to, read the full PDF of the study, click here and look for the link entitled “CiNii Fulltext PDF”).
The first thing I noticed with this study is that none of the participants were put on any sort of diet program. That immediately calls the study results into question.
Why?
Well, if you don’t know how many calories each study participant consumes, how can you accurately assess the value of supplementation? For instance, if you knew each individual was consuming 1,000 calories over his/her requirements then the results would be much more impressive. If they were eating less, the results would be less impressive. Right?
The fact is, we don’t know what the study participants were consuming; some may have eaten less—even subconsciously—in order to lose weight. Still others may have seen the fact they were on a diet pill as a licence to eat more. Who knows?
That said, what of the results? For this, I consulted Elissa, our in-house scientific and technical advisor. Here’s what she had to say in her analysis of the study…
“On average, there really was zero weight loss – this is clear from the graphs on page 4. It’s just that the placebo group got a bit heavier over the 12 week period, so the LFO group looks rather better by comparison. The final data point was taken 4 weeks after the completion of the supplement regime, so the difference between the LFO and placebo groups at the end looks bigger than at the actual end of the supplementation period.
As you can see from the histograms on p.5, however, in real world terms, the results were all over the map. I’m no statistician, but it seems to me that the main reason the results are even statistically significant, is that there were 5 people in the LPO group (the y-axis represents the number of subjects) who lost 4 kg, and one who lost 5 (?) kg, vs. only one person in the placebo group with a loss of that magnitude – this is enough to skew the results to the left.
But that’s basically 6 out of 51 people in the LPO group who had very good results – roughly 12%. The majority in the LFO group (31) were between -1 and +1 kg (61%)… along with 35 in the placebo group (67%). So really, it appears like LFO might help a bit, but it doesn’t look like a miracle pill.”
Elissa then went on to echo what I said earlier; it would be nice to see a study performed with individuals assigned a daily caloric intake, to be able to more accurately assess the value of LFO supplementation.
As it stands however, I would respectfully suggest that calling Glabrinex a “remedy for pot bellied killer fat” is a bit of a stretch. Moderately helpful… yes, it appears to be. Miracle? Definitely not.
If anything, this initial human study and the preceding animal studies indicate a need for more in-depth structured studies to further investigate the possibilities of LFO on weight loss.
Should you experiment with Glabrinex? Only you can answer that. To provide some perspective, consider this; a bottle of Glabrinex costs $50. If you’re hoping to mirror the results of this study, you will need three bottles ($150). Should you be lucky enough to experience the most dramatic weight loss experienced by the mere 12% of study participants, you can look forward to losing 10-12 lbs. over that 3 month period.
Is that worth $150 to you? Especially when you consider the majority of study participants vacillated between losing and gaining a couple of pounds of weight?
A gym membership would be a much better investment, methinks.
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June 9, 2009
I often read Dr. Jones columns in the Toronto Sun and found him to be very informative and knowledgeable. I had no reason to be skeptical so I ordered 2 containers of Glabrinex.
I just recieved it in the mail today. They also included a magazine of all their products. When I read some of the product claims and descriptions my BS detector went off the scale.
So leguminous Glycyrrhiza is just licorice! Are there any studies that show it is beneficial in any way at all other than food flavoring? I’m tempted to try it except for the fact Dr. Jones stated it takes 8 weeks (168 capsules) to see ANY results! I have never heard of any medication having such a long gestation period. Shouldn’t something like this start to take effect immediately? Besides, neither he nor the company make any specific weight loss claims other than ‘fat cells reduce in size speedily’. I guess their disclaimer is that it’s more for metabolic health than weight loss. I feel like such a fool!
Editor’s comments: There are some animal studies and one human-based study, which we deconstruct in the full review – you can read that here! Just curious; is Dr. Jones’ comments included in some of the material you received? If so, that would indicate a very major conflict of interest.
June 9, 2009
No, Dr. Jones was not quoted in the product literature but I wouldn’t doubt that he was compensated in some way for promoting VPR and including their number and website address in his article.
June 29, 2009
I’m using it now for about 4 weeks, without any changes in activity and eating habits (I’m a diabetic and used to a strict feeding regimen) and I have lost exactly 0 (zero) grams.
Maybe the claim that it’ll start working after 8 weeks is true, but I am already, having purchased 240 pills (at a cost of 1 Canadian $ a piece) beginning to feel like an imbecile.
August 8, 2009
Further to my earlier comments: I have used it now for ten straight weeks and my weight has not changed one milligram.
Don’t bother with this stuff. It’s a scam, plain and simple. And the folks who manufacture this crap, together with those who sell it and promote it (including that quack Jones), should be brought to justice.
September 2, 2009
Absolutely of no benefit whatsoever. I chided Dr. Blaylock at Newsmax magazine for including a full page advertisement with his monthly newsletter. Don’t waste your money on this one. A number 1 rating for this product is too high.
October 6, 2009
JUNK JUNK JUNK THIS PRODUCT IS ABSOLUTELY USELESS..
October 7, 2009
I paid a fortune for these pills and received a newsletter stating that they would not be effective for a few months prior to receiving my order. They didn’t bother telling me that until they had cashed my cheque. It was like an admission of ineffectiveness for their product. I only ordered three bottles and there was no change in my weight either. Needless to say I will not be ordering any more.
January 5, 2010
I used Glabrinex for 3 months and noticed inches lost in my stomach area. My clothes were fitting better and I actually had a waist even though the rest of me did not loose inches. I will definately continue to use this product and perhaps see even more results if I eat properly.
January 20, 2010
Glabrinex is a total scam on my estimation. No results at all after paying a large fee to the mail order company. Dr. Jones, Canada, has lost credibility in my estimation.
February 25, 2010
I suspect the above author (M Warren) is hallucinating. Everything is ‘fitting better’. Could be. But the question is: was there any weight loss? I recently finished my 8-month supply of this junk, and my total weight loss is exactly 0 (zero) plus a few hundred bucks. Once I was a moron, but no more.
As for Dr. Jones, this medical free radical is forever and ever pushing something or the other in his weekly columns.
May 29, 2010
I also used Glabrinex for over five months and it was expensive. But I found a definite reduction in stomach mass. I never expected to lose weight on Glabrinex, I hoped for belly fat to break down (which is the actual claim)over time and it did. When I stopped taking Glabrinex, the stomach bulked up again.
Recently I returned to Weight Watchers to take off pounds and also resumed Glabinex for the belly fat. Again the belly fat is losing density. I’m also losing weight.
Glabrinex is not a diet pill. Dr. Jones never promoted it as such. It was promoted as an aid to reducing abdominal fat, plain and simple. That doesn’t necessarily translate into weight loss. My stomach became softer, more malleable and protruded less but I didn’t lose weight.
The fat doesn’t come off with a pill, it requires hard work, and exercise. Glabrinex works on me in a similar manner as melting a pound of butter. The butter is melted down to liquid. It is still a pound of fat but with less bulk. Eventually through proper diet and exercise, the body flushes the fat and true weight loss occurs.
Editor’s comments: Claire, according to the product advertising, “animal and human research indicates supplementing with Glabrinex helps decrease visceral and abdominal fat. Preliminary research suggests it also helps prevent weight gain.” That’s an identical claim made by many retailers of diet pills, so suggesting this is not advertised as diet pill isn’t exactly accurate.
Additionally, Glabrinex does not melt fat (if you check the Glabrinex review, you’ll see the studies showed very little in the way of results) nor does the body “flush fat”. Fat is a stored energy source. If it is mobilized, it must be burnt as fuel, or it is re-deposited.
August 9, 2010
I would give this product a 5. I have had stubborn belly fat and after 3 months of diet and exercise saw no results as far as losing inches in the belly area. After reading up on licorice root and it’s benefits in helping with belly fat I decided to try Glabrinex. Continuing with my diet and exercise program and taking Glabrinex I have lost 5 inches around my stomache in three weeks. To me these were the results I was looking for and will continue to take it- it works!
January 6, 2011
I have used Galbrinex for about 4 months and have seen a very serious reduction in abdominal fat. I have lost the “water wings” that I have had for years and my gut no longer hangs out over my belt. I also watched my diet, but did not take any drastic measures. Galbrinex works for me.
February 6, 2011
I have had steady slow reduction in abdominal fat as well. I am small overall but had that middle aged tummy with a little bit of the love handle thing going on. Both are greatly improved….down a dress size because of using Glabrinex. I dont know how, but it works for me too.
August 5, 2014
I’m 5′-9″, 178 lbs and have a relatively firm body EXCEPT that I have a 40″ belly. I believe 40+ years of sitting at a desk job caused my gut to “pooch” out … at least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it … lol.
Anyway, after reading about this product in HSI’s “Miracles from the Vault” I got excited thinking maybe, just maybe this product might actually work. Of course, I read the reviews on this site and others looking for validation of the product and there were many. There were plenty of negative reviews as well but I tended to discount them because I truly wanted to “believe”.
One day VRP offered a two-for-one sale and allowed you to buy up to 3 – 90 capsule bottles (plus 3 free) for their regular price. I jumped on it and within a week I received my 6 bottles of miracle pills in the mail.
I read in “Miracles from the Vault” that studies had show belly fat loss with as little as two pills twice a day but that you could take up to nine pills a day. I decided on a regimen of 3 pills twice a day with my morning and evening meals. I stuck to this plan religiously for three months until my pills ran out. I also got into a weight lifting routine of 3 times a week for 30-45 minutes. I did not alter my diet and continued to eat as I had before.
Well … three months and 540 capsules later I recorded a total weight loss of zero, nada, nilch pounds and reduced my belly size by 1/2″ to 39-1/2″. Of course, I realized about 4 weeks into this process I wasn’t achieving the “reported” belly size losses but I was determined to see this project through hoping that somehow the losses would eventually come.
They didn’t. Furthermore I believe the 1/2″ reduction is belly size was attributable to my constant weight lifting and not Glabrinex. I have noticed some nice improvements to my chest, arms and legs but nothing for my “beer belly”.
Please don’t waste your money nor time on this “miracle” cure like I did; Gabrinex, like many other “miracle” products is a total ripoff and was an expensive $150 lesson for me.