The Evolution of PGX and the Hunger Free Forever Program

Introduction

My latest book, Hunger Free Forever, co-authored with my friend and colleague, Michael R. Lyon, M.D., provides the key to effective and lasting weight loss. Our program is dramatically different from any other weight loss diet or strategy. While it is true just about any diet can promote short term weight loss if followed closely, the reality is that the vast majority of people fail to achieve and maintain their weight loss goals. So, what is different about our program? Our program provides a near effortless program for safe, effective, and lifelong weight control that has evolved from major scientific discoveries made in the field of appetite regulation. Our simple approach allows you to reach and easily maintain your body weight goals utilizing exciting new scientific breakthroughs to normalize your appetite and consistently enjoy a high degree of satiety from the food you eat. Achieving your ideal body is not about dieting or food deprivation, it is all about eliminating excessive hunger and increasing the feelings of pleasure and satisfaction from food.

Simply stated, our program is all about promoting satiety - the state of being full or gratified to the point of satisfaction. Research has shown that humans eat to achieve satiety and those who are overweight have an increased frequency of food cravings and a resistance to satiety after eating adequate amounts of food. Our program uncovers the reasons for this resistance to satiety and increased food cravings and provides the vital keys to restoring normal appetite control - whether you want to lose 5 pounds or 200 pounds.

The Secret Discovered

The key factor in our Hunger Free Forever weight loss program the use of a novel blend of soluble fibers known as PolyGlycoPlex (PGX®) - the most viscous and soluble fiber ever discovered. These dietary fibers in PGX work synergistically to produce a higher level of viscosity, gel-forming properties, and expansion with water than with the same quantity of any other fiber alone.

PGX is able to bind roughly hundreds of times its weight in water resulting in a volume and viscosity three to five times greater than other highly soluble fibers like psyllium or oat beta glucan. To put this in perspective, a small, five gram serving of PGX in a meal replacement formula or on its own produces a volume and viscosity that would be equal to as much as 4 or 5 bowls of oat bran. In this way, small quantities of PGX can be added to foods or taken as a drink before meals to have an impact on appetite and blood sugar control equivalent to eating enormous and impractical quantities of any other form of fiber.

The development of PGX began with the intense scientific research at the University of Toronto led by Dr. David Jenkins, Dr. Tom Wolever, Dr. Alexandra Jenkins, and Dr. Vladimir Vuksan, developers of the now famous glycemic index. Further research has now shown that when added to virtually any food, PGX can reduce the glycemic index of the food by an amazing 50 to 70 percent. Beyond that effect, our clinical research as well as university-based clinical research has shown PGX to exert the following benefits:

• Reduces appetite and promotes effective weight loss, even in the morbidly obese.l.

• Increases the level of compounds that block the appetite and promote satiety.

• Decreases the level of compounds that stimulate overeating.

• Reduces postprandial (after-meal) blood glucose levels when added to or taken with foods.

• Increases insulin sensitivity and decreases blood insulin levels better than any drug.

• Improves diabetes control and dramatically reduces the need for medications or insulin in the diabetic.

• Stabilizes blood sugar control in the overweight and obese.

• Lowers blood cholesterol and triglycerides.

The Evolution of our use of PGX

Before writing Hunger Free Forever, Dr. Lyon and I collaborated on another book – How to Prevent and Treat Diabetes with Natural Medicine. As we began working on this book in 2001, we discussed the need to utilize a fiber supplement as a “pre-meal conditioner” – i.e., something that would dampen the appetite and slow down gastric emptying thereby reducing after-meal blood sugar levels. We quickly began focusing on PGX as this important component in our program.

The clinical results that were achieved with our WellBetX program that featured PGX for helping to improve blood sugar control were incredible – both in their rapid onset and the degree of improvement. In addition, many subjects began losing weight, a key goal in reversing type 2 diabetes. Encouraged by our experience with PGX in blood sugar control, we designed a small pilot study specifically designed to assess the use of PGX as a weight loss aid. The protocol that Dr. Lyon and I developed with the help of other members of the Canadian Center for Functional Medicine then served as the basis of the SlimStyles Weight Loss products from Natural Factors as well as our Hunger Free Forever program.

Just prior to the pilot study, I decided that I would serve as a human guinea pig to see if the program would be easy to follow and what sort of results participants might expect. For nearly twenty years my body weight fluctuated from between 200 and 208 pounds – I am 6’1” tall and fairly muscular, so I carried that weight well. On August 18, 2003, I stepped on the scales at 206 pounds with a body fat percentage of 21.3. Four weeks later, I weighed in at 188 – my lowest weight in 15 years!! Now, I would normally tell people that amount of weight loss is not wise because it usually is associated of loss of muscle mass. But, because my scale also determines body fat percentage what I observed was that my body fat decreased from 22.3% to 17.8%. So, most of the weight loss was actually fat loss. As incredible as it was to lose so much weight so rapidly (even though I had only planned on getting down to 195), what was really amazing to me was that the whole process was EFFORTLESS. What made it so easy was that I felt satisfied all the time. In the 4 ½ years since going on the program, my weight has stabilized between 188 and 192 pounds and amazingly my body fat percentage now fluctuates between 8 and 12%. To put this into perspective, I have lost over 28 pounds of fat while actually adding over 10 pounds of muscle. So, I know first hand that following the program given in HUNGER FREE FOREVER! not only helps people lose the weight, but continuing to follow the principles allows them to keep it off and even continue to burn more fat and build lean muscle mass – a key goal for long-term health and vitality.

Ground-breaking Research

We knew that PGX promoted weight loss through several different mechanisms. Since one of the key regulators of appetite is blood sugar control we chose to focus on how PGX impacts blood sugar levels in the Hunger Free Forever program. The results are truly revolutionary.

Proper blood sugar regulation is a critical goal for good health. Yet, until recently the assessment of blood sugar control was based upon static single or multiple glucose readings. With the advent of a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) physicians are now provided a much more dynamic and insightful method of assessing and monitoring a patient’s blood sugar levels. In the process of our clinical research we have also discovered some profound clinical insights that we share in our book.

Continuous glucose monitoring involves using a specialized electronic diagnostic system from Medtronics Minimed that requires the insertion of a sensing catheter under the skin of the abdomen. The sensing catheter contains a miniaturized electronic device that measures blood sugar and then sends this information every few seconds to a pager sized computer module worn on the patient’s belt for up to one week. The portable computer module translates and records blood sugar data which can then be downloaded to computer. A graph showing the average blood sugar reading every five minutes (288 blood sugar readings per day) can then be generated and studied in relationship to food intake, appetite, food cravings, hypoglycemic symptoms, medication and exercise. CGMS has been shown to be a very useful and useful tool in the diagnosis and monitoring of blood sugar control.

Using the CGMS, we have discovered that most people with weight problems and insulin resistance go through their days with remarkably fluctuating blood sugar, or increased glycemic volatility. It is a well-established fact that a sudden decrease in blood sugar over a short period of time is a primary trigger for food cravings and eating, if food is readily available. Although the control of appetite is influenced by a whole orchestra of hormones, peptides, and neurotransmitters, glucose can still be considered as a lead player and perhaps the conductor of this orchestra.

Our clinical experience has shown that the CGMS clearly illustrates that rapid and deep drops in blood sugar are particularly associated with very strong, and in some cases irresistible, urges to eat. In our work with CGMS we have uncovered many important findings on how to effectively reduce blood sugar volatility. For example, while a low glycemic load diet is very important in reducing blood sugar levels, it has little effect in eliminating blood sugar volatility. The only way to effectively reduce glycemic volatility requires the use of PGX. Below is an example of what this data looks like before and 4 weeks after starting the Hunger Free Forever weight loss program.

Figure 1 - Continuous glucose graph over 24 hours in typical overweight, nondiabetic patient before the Hunger Free Forever program. Patient has elevated glycemic volatility (she is on the blood sugar roller coaster). Monitoring for several days showed that this was her consistent pattern even when she ate healthy food. Frequent food cravings were reported to occur at times when blood sugar rapidly dropped over short periods of time. This amounted to several significant food cravings per day. Feelings of hypoglycemia also occurred when blood sugar dropped rapidly, even when blood sugar was above the normal range (i.e., between 70 and 100 mg/dl). This patient was spending most of the day outside this ideal range.

Figure 2 - Continuous glucose graph over 24 hours in same patient four weeks into Hunger Free Forever program. Patient now has nearly normalized glycemic volatility. Appetite and food cravings have dramatically diminished. Hypoglycemic symptoms no longer occur at all. As well, patient has more energy and mental clarity. Weight loss is progressing on target and with no discomfort. This type of change is very typical with the Hunger Free Forever program and it dramatically illustrates the remarkable changes that can occur.

The Evolution of PGX

PGX is available in capsules (either hard or soft gelatin), as a zero calorie drink mix, as granules to be added into food and beverages, and in a sophisticated low carbohydrate, very low glycemic index meal replacement drink containing undenatured whey protein, natural flavors, and sweeteners along with vitamins and minerals. The primary supplier of PGX is Natural Factors, who offers PGX in their SlimStyles family of products for weight loss. These products can be found in health food stores throughout North America or via a number of e-tailers on the Internet. Here are the key points that we now make with our patients:

• Take SlimStyles Weight Loss Drink Mix with PGX at least once per day as a meal replacement. This meal replacement mix comes in 8 flavors.
  
• For meals when you are not using SlimStyles Weight Loss Drink Mix with PGX as a meal replacement, we now recommend taking 3 to 6 capsules of the new PGX Daily with a glass of water 10 to 15 minutes before that meal.

PGX Daily represents the most advanced form of PGX. This product is available in soft gelatin capsules and provides pure PGX emulsified with medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) from coconut oil to form a very interesting ultramatrix. Our research indicates that this ultramatrix form of PGX is more easily dispersible in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. As a result, it more quickly and efficiently binds water in the stomach producing a greater degree of viscosity compared to the other forms of PGX. Early research with PGX by researchers at the University of Toronto indicated that mixing it with fatty acids greatly enhanced the ability of PGX to reduce the glycemic index of a food. Our research supports this finding.

We are currently in the midst of a more elaborate study of PGX Daily in weight loss looking at other important aspects of blood sugar and appetite control, but our preliminary impression is that lower dosages of PGX may be are required when using this form.

Final Comments

Dr. Lyon and I dedicated our book to everyone who has sincerely tried to lose weight and failed. It has been very gratifying to see people who have battled their weight throughout their lives finally have the tools to achieve their ideal body. Our program works because it:

• Corrects the body’s attempt to hold on to fat in response to reduced calorie intake.
  
• Focuses on eating strategies, specific foods, and dietary supplements that improve blood sugar control and increase the natural release of satiety-inducing hormones.
  
• Utilizes measures to effectively increase the burning of fat and preserve metabolic rate even when cutting calories.
  
• Increases lean body mass (muscle) while burning large amounts of fat.
  
• Can be easily followed and adhered to as a permanent and pleasurable way of life.
  
• Provides clear direction, recipes, menu plans, and methods to keep to the program when traveling or eating out.

Please check out www.hungerfreeforever.com and please forward this newsletter to anyone you know who sincerely wants to achieve their ideal body weight.

Key references:

Breitman P, Vuksan V, Lyon, M. Impact of meal replacement viscosity on appetite and ad-libitum food consumption in normal weight adolescents. Presented at the 8th Annual Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA)/Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (CSEM) Professional Conference, Quebec City, October, 2004.

Brynes AE, Lee JL, Brighton RE, Leeds AR, Dornhorst A, Frost GS. 2003. A low glycemic diet significantly improves 24-h blood glucose profile in people with type 2 diabetes, as assessed using the continuous glucose MiniMed monitor [Letter to the Editor]. Diabetes Care 26:548-549.

Glycemic Index Laboratories. Report: Determination of glycemic index lowering potential of PGX in liquid and solid food formulations. August 2, 2006.

Gross TM, Mastrototaro JJ. Efficacy and reliability of the continuous glucose monitoring system. Diabetes Technol Therapeu. 2000;2 Suppl.1:S19-26.

Jenkins AL, Morgan L, Zdravkovic U, Sievenpiper J, Vuksan V. Importance of administration mode of viscous fiber (VF) on postprandial glycemia. Presented at the 8th Annual Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA)/Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (CSEM) Professional Conference, Quebec City, October 2004, poster #93.

Rogovik A, Jenkins AL, Breitman P, Vuksan V. A blend of highly viscous polysaccharides decreases relative CVD risk in three population groups. Natural Health Product Research Conference, Toronto 2006.

Sabbah H, McCulloch K, Frederickson L, et al. Detailed Data from a Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS) Facilitates Comprehensive Diabetes Management Recommendations. Diabetes. 2000;49(Suppl. 1):718.

Vuksan V, Jenkins DJ, Spadafora P, Sievenpiper JL, Owen R, Vidgen E, Brighenti F, Josse R, Leiter LA, Bruce-Thompson C, Konjac-mannan (glucomannan) improves glycemia and other associated risk factors for coronary heart disease in Type 2 diabetes. A randomized controlled metabolic trial. Diabetes Care 1999; 22 (6): 913-919.

Vuksan V, Sievenpiper JL, Owen R, Swilley JA, Spadafora P, Jenkins DJ, Vidgen E, Brighenti F, Josse RG, Leiter LA, Xu Z, Novokmet R. Beneficial effects of viscous dietary fiber from Konjac-mannan in subjects with the insulin resistance syndrome: results of a controlled metabolic trial. Diabetes Care 2000; 23 (1): 9-14.

Vuksan V; Lyon M; Breitman P; Sievenpiper J. 3-Week consumption of a highly viscous dietary fiber blend results in improvements in insulin sensitivity and reductions in body fat: Results of a double blind, placebo controlled trial. Presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Diabetes Association. Orlando, Florida; June 4-8, 2004