Proactol XS Review: Does it work?

Intro: What is it?

Proactol XS is a weight loss pill made to reduce fat absorption when taken alongside a meal.  It’s claimed to be supported by more than 40 different clinical studies.

A main intended benefit is that one can “still eat their favorite foods”, while losing weight. It’s meant to reduce appetite through its added fiber, while helping reduce the dietary fat eaten, changing it into an indigestible nutrient that gets removed thorough one’s stool. This in turn leads to a healthier digestive system according to the manufacturers. So are there actual clinical studies performed? What have other people experienced, and is it truly safe? This full Proactol XS review has all the information you need to know.

Proactol XS Ingredients

 Chitosan: Sugar extracted from the skeleton of shellfish. Its fiber is used to reduce fats and cholesterol. A 24 week clinical study by the University of Auckland showed that this ingredient:

“did not result in a clinically significant loss of body weight”

In this study people were given a high amount of this ingredient at 3 grams, Proactol XS only provides a proprietary mixture of 500 mg, so there’s much less than what was used in the study.

Another study performed with 2.5 grams was done by the University of California Davis, it showed that Chitosan:

“fails to meet claims”

“fat trapped was clinically insignificant”

Therefore, there isn’t much of a benefit according to these 2 clinical studies.  It’s also shown to potentially lead to side effects that include:

• Upset stomach and intestinal discomfort.
• Constipation.
• Gas and bloating.

There’s also concern of it causing an allergic reaction in people with shellfish allergies. An overall analysis of all the available clinical studies was researched by the Cochrane Library, which gives unbiased scientific reports on data. They mention that only low quality clinical studies show this ingredient is effective for weight loss. They add:

“the effect of chitosan on body weight is minimal and unlikely to be of clinical significance”

Therefore, it’s not enough to be considered a reliable ingredient for weight loss. It’s failed to show any significant or valuable weight loss benefits.

Aspergillus Niger Mycelium: A fungus that causes black mold on foods such as onions, peanuts, and grapes. It’s also known to be potentially fatal bacteria that can lead to death and lung infections. It’s advised to avoid this ingredient if one has a weak immune system.

It can potentially lead to serious side effects that include:

• Temporary hearing loss.
• Damage to the ear canal and membranes.
• Lung disease.

It’s effective for reducing gluten, which can be beneficial to those with celiac disease. Though information on it having any dietary effect for weight loss has not been shown.

Proactol XS Quality Of Ingredients

Chitosan is the main ingredient that’s meant to help reduce sugars and fats, though clinical studies show it’s not very effective at producing this result.

Aspergillus Niger Mycelium is used as an enzyme to improve overall digestion by reducing complex sugars. While this effect is good, it also raises concerns, as those with weak immune systems aren’t meant to use this additive. It can come on too strong and case an infection in people who are battling diseases, or who don’t have a healthy immune system.

Judging from the unbiased clinical studies performed on the key weight loss ingredient chitosan, it’s unlikely this brand will have any weight loss effects.

It’s also potentially harmful due to its fat reducing properties, which can also reduce the effects of fat-soluble vitamins and medication. The company never mentions this possibility as a concern.

The Price and Quality of Proactol XS

One bottle costs $59.95, which at the recommended serving of 2 capsules 3 times a day amounts to a 10-day serving. This averages to a daily cost of:

$59.95/10= $5.99 for one daily serving.

This is remarkably high for what’s a blend of 2 ingredients with added binders and inactive ingredients. Since the key active ingredient meant to reduce fats and sugars has not been proven to be effective, this brand is greatly overpriced.

No clinical studies are ever offered either, so it’s unknown if the claimed science actually showed a consistent positive effect.

The Effects of Fat Binders

Fat binders work by attaching themselves to fat, which in turn is removed through one’s bowel movements. This effect can also not just reduce fat heavy meals, but it can cause a reduction of fat-soluble vitamins. The science website WiseGeek has expressed concern over the added chitosan, they mention that it:

“may interfere with the absorption of essential minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, and certain drugs.”

This can reduce the effects of healthy vitamins which can then potentially lead to side effect that include:

Vitamin A: Dry skin, night blindness, increased risk for infections, maternal damage, and decreased immune system function.

Vitamin D: Weak and brittle bones, reduced calcium absorption, increased asthma symptoms in children, increased risk for cardiovascular type diseases, loss of proper brain function.

Vitamin E: Muscle weakness, damage to the retina which leads to blindness, poor response from the nerves, developmental problems, poor eating habits, chronic diseases, slow growth, and paralysis.

Vitamin K: Increased risk for bleeding, reduced blood coagulation, hardened arteries, developmental problems.

The combined risk for all these deficiencies can be seriously damaging to the body. Even supplementing with other forms of vitamins may also be reduced.

Another concern of fat binders is that the fat that isn’t metabolized by the body ends up in one’s stool. This can lead to leaky, sudden, or uncomfortable stools.  While a mild laxative effect isn’t known to be as potentially harmful, repeat use of fat binders can lead to uncomfortable bathroom sessions. Fats passing through the stool are a concern that cannot be avoided, as it’s not possible for it to be expelled otherwise.

Other concerns expressed by WiseGeek are that chitosan use can produce limited effects on important medication:

“Certain drugs… may be rendered less effective”

This can include things like birth control or medications. The official website does not list this as a potential concern.  They do claim one can “Lose Weight Safely and Effectively”, but without any proof of this claim it’s unknown if they have any official safety studies.

Without there being any sort of insight into how strong this effect may be, it raises concerns over the use of this supplement. One might not be able to safely use their important medication without it having a limited or no effect.

Business of Proactol XS

Bauer Nutrition owns this brand and they can be found via the following:

Phone Number: 44 (0) 208 787-5981

Address: 81, Griva Digeni Avenue

Marison Court, 1^st and 2^nd Floor

P.O Box 42656, P.C. 6501, 6043 Larnaca – Cyprus

Email: [email protected]

I couldn’t find many reviews on the company as far as whether or not their money back return policy is useful or actually applied.

There were some negative opinions about how the company takes a long time to ship. A few people that ordered didn’t receive their supplements for months.  Many people had issue with the lack of a customer service representative to be on call. Customers had to leave voicemails and emails because no representative would answer the phone. Some even waited months to leave a negative review after their questions were never answered.

Customer Opinions of Proactol XS

Not many reviews are available on the product. There are just 9 customer reviews available on Amazon.com:

“found no benefit from them at all”

“What an absolute waste of money”

“poor”

“Would not recommend at all”

Most of the customers who used this alongside diet and exercise failed to see any weight loss changes. People were disappointed in the total lack of appetite suppression and weight loss.

Conclusion

Proactol XS has shown the following important points:

• Customers have not had a great experience with this product: The average customer has experienced no weight loss benefits. Many have expressed concern that their appetite was not suppressed, and that they used diet and exercise and still failed to see any changes. There aren’t many reviews available online however the consensus is extremely negative. This is likely due to the clinical studies done on the key ingredient chitosan, which science has shown it to be ineffective for weight reduction. Though the company claims to offer a money back return on unopened products, many customers complained reaching the company is nearly impossible.
• There’s no reliable clinical evidence offered: Much of the real certified clinical evidence that is of a high quality shows that chitosan, the key fiber added, has not been shown to be effective for weight loss. Many trusted studies have repeatedly shown it to not provide a valuable fiber source. It’s also a potential contaminant to some people. Looking at all the research shows that although the added bacteria may help with sugar reduction, it’s only intended for people with strong immune systems. The company never mentions this fact, and they fail to describe why they added the bacteria strain Aspergillus Niger. The combination of these ingredients isn’t enough to justify all the weight loss claims made.
• It’s incredibly expensive: To get a full months supply one has to purchase 3 bottles at $179.85. This is extremely high considering there are just 2 active ingredients, and the key additive in chitosan has failed to produce significant weight loss benefits. Its fiber like effects can be reproduced with other cheaper and more readily available ingredients. There’s nothing in chitosan that shows it’s any better than other fiber sources. Without any evidence provided by the company, it’s not worth this price. In fact it’s probably one of the most expensive supplements that features 2 ingredients, which are cheaper elsewhere.
• The company has been criticized for their shipping program: Though Proactol XS hasn’t had many reviews on it, the company has been reviewed often. Many customers complained about the long shipping time, of which many mention they couldn’t even find out even where their package was in the shipping process. There were also 2 reviews from customers who were charged twice, even though they only received one supplement. The customer service representatives are also difficult to get a hold of, since sending emails and calls will often receive no answer. There were people who waited weeks to hear any word back on their packages, and it’s unknown if they’ve since received what they paid for. This can make the return process impossible, since there’s a limited 60-day window for unopened returns. The company can make claims that since they didn’t see a return in this timeframe, they don’t have to honor the guarantee.
• There are claims it’s backed by over 40 clinical studies, but they never provide proof: No clinical studies are ever cited even though the company assures customers that Proactol XS is “medically certified”. Without being able to look at where this certification comes from, it’s possible the company is not being honest. They also suggest it’s safer than other fat binders, still no evidence is ever provided. It’s important to be able to see where their sources come from to ensure the data provided is actually useful. Sometime companies will use clinical studies that were under extreme or limited circumstances. This can include strict diets or only having a few users involved in the study. These studies can also be biased if the company who funded it can make a profit off sales.

Since the key active ingredient for weight loss has not been shown to be a successful weight loss tool, it explains why the majority of customers failed to see any benefits.

People have complained that they not only didn’t lose weight, but they also couldn’t get a hold of the company. Judging from the poor reviews about the brand and the business, it’s likely this supplement won’t produce any benefits.