Atkins Accel - not just for Atkins, it works!
Written: Aug 14 '04 (Updated Aug 14 '04)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: I lost pounds and inches over a 15 day trial
Cons: You have to plan what time you eat in advance
The Bottom Line: Not just for Atkins, for anyone wanting to lose weight, but they're not designed for permanent use.
|
|
|
| leopard79's Full Review: Atkins Diet Accel Dietary Supplement, Capsules |
Atkins Accel is a diet supplement, primarily for the Atkins diet and low carbohydrate lifestyles, one of the Core 4 supplements produced by Atkins. It is described as Amino Acids with Botanical Extracts which aid fat metabolism and is ideal for those who have reached a weight-loss plateau. It is not intended for induction of the Atkins diet or as a long term solution, it is designed to be a bit of a kick start if your weight loss has slowed or stopped.
Each box contains 45 tablets which is a 15 day supply; you need to take one tablet with 250ml of water an hour before each meal, eating three meals a day.
Packaging
The tablets are in a sealed bottle within a cardboard outer box with the Atkins logo and Accel written in a blue font, on a yellow and white background with a picture of a happy young slim couple! It is easily identifiable with the Atkins brand. The tablets are about 10mm by 4mm by 3mm and are a brown colour.
What are the active ingredients and what do they do in terms of diet?
Increase Metabolism
Niacin (as Nicotinamide), also known as vitamin B3, assists in the functioning of the digestive system and is important for the conversion of food to energy.
Chromium is important in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates and stimulates fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis, which are important for brain function and other body processes.
Essential Amino Acids
These are amino acids that the body can't make itself but are needed by the body to make proteins
L-Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid, and Tyrosine precursor that works with vitamin B6 on the central nervous system as an anti-depressant and mood elevator.
L-Tyrosine acts as a mood elevator and aids in the production of melanin (the pigment responsible for skin and hair colour). Tyrosine suppresses the appetite and helps reduce body fat.
L-Carnatine Tartrate facilitates production of energy from fat.
Antioxidants
CoEnzyme Q10 is used by the body to transform food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy on which the body runs.
Green Tea Extract. Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) is the Polyphenolic constituent of green tea that possesses potent anti-tumour, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Stimulants/Diuretics
Cola Nut Extract contains caffeine and so tends to stimulate the digestive system, speed up the heart, and flush excess fluid from the body.
Yerba Mate leaf Extract a centrally acting stimulant and as a diuretic also containing caffeine.
Guarana Seed Extract contains tetra methylxanthine, a compound almost identical to caffeine. It is released slowly, over 6 hours, rather than a quick burst like coffee so provides more balanced energy.
So the science of the tablets is sound. The extracts should produce a faster metabolism to break down the food you eat, should remove excess water and toxins from your body and should provide you with more energy.
Firstly I must note that I am not on the Atkins diet; I am dieting however, I attend Slimming World which is a bit like Weight Watchers, a UK slimming club, which in very basic terms has carbohydrates without meats and fish on some days, and meats and fish without carbohydrates on other days. There is some similarity but I wanted to trial this as a general weight loss supplement, that is not restricted to a particular diet. The science of the product suggests that it shouldn't matter what diet you follow. Other Atkins supplements are designed specifically for the diet and block carbohydrate uptake, these would only be suitable for a low carbohydrate diet.
In order to carry out a fair review I have taken the tablets for the full 15 days supply provided in one box. For the purposes of the review I'm going to begrudgingly confess my weight and measurements at the start and end of the trial along with the average weight lost while following the slimming world plan that I have achieved for the two weeks before and after the trial.
Cost
£10.39 for a 15 day supply from Boots. It's available online for similar prices but if you have a Boots Advantage card you get an extra 41p off! This works out at about £5 per week which may sound like a lot, especially if you attend a slimming class where you already pay fees, but in comparison to other weight loss pills it's actually quite reasonable. For US readers it's around $19.14 per bottle of 15 tablets (2 week supply).
Taste
You're not supposed to taste them particularly as they have to be swallowed with a glass of water but for your information they don't taste horrific, they have a typical health food supplement taste but it's not very strong.
Difficulties or Side Effects?
I found it difficult to take the tablets exactly one hour before each meal. Having to wait an hour from waking up in the morning before eating breakfast was irritating, and that's if I remembered to take it immediately, I had a couple of days where breakfast was virtually lunchtime! You get used to it though and by the second week I was in a good routine of carrying them with me in case I ended up at someone else's house for a meal.
If you take the tablet and don't eat an hour later you get a pretty rumbly tummy, you feel hungry, not sick or painful, just a little uncomfortable.
I also had a couple of headaches on days 2 and 3 which may be from the increase in caffeine, I don't drink coffee and usually only have a couple of cups of tea per day but there's no way of knowing whether the headaches were directly related or not.
Results
Starting weight: 12 st 11 lb (179 lbs or 81 kg)
End Weight: 12 st 6 lb (174 lbs or 79 kg)
Measurements before (in inches): Chest 46, Waist 36, Hips 43
Measurements after (in inches): Chest 43, Waist 34, Hips 41
(that's about 7.5 cm off my hips, 5cm off my waist and 5cm off my chest)
Average weight loss per week with the tablets: 2 ½ lb (1.13 kg)
Average weight loss per week without the tablets: ½ lb (0.23kg)
Conclusion
Well, I have to say it provided results. I lost 5lb (2.27 kg) over the 15 days as opposed to 1lb (0.45 lg) following my normal diet and in those 15 days I wasn't exactly a saint. There were three visits to McDonalds, a trip to Burger King and an all you can eat Pizza Hut buffet over those two weeks due to exceptional circumstances (that's my excuse). I did have chicken salads at McDonalds and Burger King so I tried to be good, but that Pizza Hut buffet was definitely off the diet, so to lose 5lb (2.27 kg) was very pleasing and surprising. I have to admit that I'm usually very sceptical about things like this but it worked and I can't deny that! I lost a good two inches of fat which cheered me up no end!
Obviously I'd like to have been 10st (140lb or 63.5 kg) by the end of the two weeks but this was a realistic healthy weight loss and it was a good additive to my diet. It is designed for those who've reached a weight loss plateau and it did increase my weight loss. Sadly once I stopped taking the tablets I went back to only losing half a pound a week so it was only a temporary fix but then it would be dangerous if I just kept on losing weight from then on!
Overall I would recommend these to aid dieters but please read the section below to make sure they are suitable for you. They did what they said they would and I can't ask for more than that!
Other Concerns or Notes
L-Phenylalanine can be a danger area for people as there is a condition called PKU (phenylketonuria) whereby the body lacks the enzyme needed to break down this amino acid. Most newborns are screened for this in a heel prick test, the most severe cases can lead to mental retardation, so it's likely that if you need to avoid phenylalanine you already know! Aspartame is a source of phenylalanine so if you like diet soft drinks you'll already be taking it in your diet.
Taking three tablets per day as advised provides two and a half times the recommended daily allowance of niacin. Large doses of niacin can cause liver damage, peptic ulcers and skin rashes. Normal doses can be associated with skin flushing and therefore it is normally recommended that it should be used with medical supervision. I personally had no skin flushing or rashes during the time I was taking these tablets but it is something to bear in mind.
On label warnings:
This product contains naturally occurring caffeine, approximately equal to 250ml of coffee per serving. Consult your doctor before using if you are on a caffeine-restricted diet.
This product may contain traces of nuts.
This product contains L-Phenylalanine
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet.
Do not exceed the recommended daily intake.
Not suitable for children under 12 years.
Consult your doctor prior to using any food supplement if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, breast feeding, have a medical condition or are taking any medication.
(Thanks to Medline Plus, evitamins.com and health-pages.com for health information.)
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
leopard79
|
|
Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.