A February 2014 episode of Dr. Oz hailed FBCx as a dietary fiber which can eliminate up to 500 calories a day. Today we take a closer look at FBCx and seek reader reviews.
What is FBCx?
The fiber alpha-cyclodextrin is derived from corn and is marketed under the name FBCx. It is a soluble fiber which is claimed to bind with and eliminate up to nine times its own weight in dietary fat. FBCx is marketed in the U.S. under the brand name Calorease.
FBCx.com was registered in November 2005, while Calorease.com was registered in July 2011. Below is a screen shot of fbcx.com, captured in February 2014. The website appears the same as of this January 2015 revision.
Dr. Oz
FBCx was featured in a segment of Dr. Oz in February 2014. He referred to it as a “fat-eating fiber.” He did not mention Calorease, and the display used in the episode was a generic-looking bottle that may have been used for demonstration purposes only. “This is a very cool fiber which as amazed my entire staff,” Dr. Oz said. “It can eliminate nine times its weight… It’s gonna do it over time, but it will do it.”
How much does FBCx cost?
A 90-count (15-day supply) of Calorease direct from the official website costs about $30. A 180-count (30-day supply) costs $49.99. Shipping is $5.99.
At GNC, they use the same pricing as calorease.com, but offer member discounts. The 180-count at GNC, for example, costs members $36.99.
After the airing of the Dr. Oz episode which featured FBCx, many vendors (both local and online) sold out of Calorease/FBCx products. Note that Calorease also disappeared from GNC’s website at one time, possibly due to high demand. It appears that this change was temporary, though, as Calorease is now back on GNC’s website during this January 2015 revision.
FBCx Research
There have been a few studies published regarding FBCx, including:
- The benefits of early intervention in obese diabetic patients with FBCx: a new dietary fibre (Grunberger G, Jen KL, Artiss JD., 2007). This study concluded, “FBCx has thus shown promising benefits in weight maintenance, a reduction of blood lipids and an increase in adiponectin levels. It can be easily incorporated into a diabetic management regimen.”
- The beneficial effects of ?-cyclodextrin on blood lipids and weight loss in healthy humans (Comerford KB, Artiss JD, Jen KL, Karakas SE, 2011). This study found that FBCx works in non-obese people as well, concluding, “These results suggest that a-CD exerts its beneficial health effects on body weight and blood lipid profile in healthy nonobese individuals, as previously reported in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes.”
- Earlier studies on rats saw promise with the new fiber, such as this study which concluded, “It would appear that FBCx might be effective in reducing body weight gain and improving metabolic syndrome.”
Side Effects of FBCx
The most prominent side effect is gas if is not taken with a meal. As the Calorease FAQ states, “If you take too much or don’t take it with a meal or snack containing fat, you may experience intestinal upset or flatulence.”
Our FBCx Review
One of our product testers obtained a 30-day supply of FBCx from GNC and used the product for a month. Our tester is in good physical shape, eats a healthy balanced diet, and did not vary his routine while taking FBCx. At the end of the 30-days, the tester reported that he had lost just over half a pound. No side effects were reported.
It is not known if this sleight loss of weight can be attributable to FBCx, yet it is clear that it had a very minimal effect on out tester.
Other FBCx/Calorease Reviews
Calorease is available online at GNC, and as of this writing the reviews are mainly positive with a few negative reviews. It has a 4 star rating with a dozen reviews.
Reviews on Amazon are much more mixed. 54 Amazon users rate Calorease at 2.7 stars out of 5 stars. 12 of these are 5 star reviews while 19 are 1 star reviews. The majority of the negative reviews claim that Calorease did absolutely nothing and/or caused gastrointestinal side effects such as bloating and upset stomach.
Google Trends History
The Google Trends graph below shows interest in FBCx over time. A peak surge occurred in February of 2014 after FBCx was featured on the Dr. Oz Show. Since then, interest has largely declined, yet another smaller surge of interest did occur in May of 2014.
Bottom Line
Calorease, featuring the main ingredient FBCx, is a dietary fiber supplement that allegedly binds to fat and disposes up to 500 calories per day. The substance became popular after it was featured on the Dr. Oz Show in February of 2014. FBCx products appear to have mixed reviews online. A 30-day test of FBCx by one of our product testers resulted in the loss of half a pound.
Your FBCx Review
Have you tried FBCx/Calorease? We want to hear from you in the comments below.
Updated February, 12 2015
Originally published February 2014
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