Bally Total Fitness B-Lean – You Mean This Is Formulated For Men?
Written: Apr 01 '03 (Updated Aug 21 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 180 capsules per bottle, ephedra free, money back guarantee.
Cons: High price for the results you could get, dosage is three capsules twice a day.
The Bottom Line: Strong Enough For A Woman [barely] But Made For A Man?
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| Freak369's Full Review: Bally Total Fitness B-Lean - Mens Formula |
My brother is a procrastinator. He has a huge heart, is a great person and I love him to death but he starts a thousand projects and never finishes any of them. About a year ago he started back at the gym and spent an obscene amount of money on a club membership, supplements and a variety of post work out drinks. Not even two months later there was a thick layer of dust on the protein canisters and supplement bottles, the membership card was taped up on the wall in the kitchen and the post work out drinks were pitched in the garbage. One of the many products he purchased was the Bally Total Fitness B-Lean Men’s Formulation. With a marketing line like Provides Absorbalean to help the body eliminate excess dietary fat he assumed that he could still eat like a pig and lose body fat. Sadly, that’s just not the case – with this or any weight loss supplement..
The Bally Total Fitness B-Lean Men’s Formulation is a rather misleading product because in order for it be completely effective as a fat burning catalyst [in order to lose weight] it needs to be combined with other agents. As it stands this is more like Chitosan [a supplement that attaches to fat in the stomach prior to digestion and body absorption] than a fat burner. On the label it says “Should be used in conjunction with Bally total Fitness Plan, Fat Burning Complex and Trim Fat to help weight management.” To me this sounds like clever marketing – kind of like they are trying to squeeze every penny out of your pocket selling you a variety of products that can easily, and more affordably, be found elsewhere – and with a lower daily dosage. When taking this, your dosage is three capsules in the morning and three in the evening with 8 ounces of water. Doing the math that means one container will last you thirty days. My brother remembers paying somewhere in the neighborhood of about $30.00 for a bottle – which isn’t a bad price but when you factor in that you will have to purchase other Bally products to get the best results – you are looking at a pretty big monthly supplement bill.
Bally Total Fitness B-Lean Men’s Formulation
Marketed as a ‘men’s supplement’ I read over the label and decided that I might as well give it a try before the bottle expired. To took it for about three weeks combined with a low carbohydrate diet, exercise and proper hydration and didn’t really notice any different in my weight or body fat percentage. I won’t go so far as to say that this is useless, just that it didn’t work for me. Now, I know what you might be saying It’s made for a man so that’s why it didn’t work. I had no qualms taking this even though it is labeled as a “men’s formulation”. The two key ingredients that are listed that are “specifically formulated for men’s health” are Siberian Ginseng and Saw Palmetto. This is followed by a Bally statement “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease”. So what is a consumer supposed to think in this regard? They are saying that these two ingredients are included to “provide maximum nutritional support for men” but they don’t tell you what they do for you or why exactly they are included. Saw Palmetto is usually taken to ‘treat’ an enlarged prostate however several studies have shown that when used by women it can increase the bust size. These claims have not been proven by the FDA however there are several clinical trials taking in regards to Saw Palmetto [combined with other natural drugs] as an alternative to breast implants.
The Bally Total Fitness B-Lean Men’s Formulation only contains 100 milligrams per 3 capsule dose however clinical trial doses are almost double that. Even if you are taking the recommended dose of 3 capsules per day, you are still only getting less than half of what the females in clinical trials are taking so don’t run out investing in new sport bras just yet. The Siberian Ginseng seems to be there just as a marketing tool since you are only given 100 milligrams per 3 capsule dose. When packaged as a stand-alone supplement you can generally find this in the 250 – 500 mg range. Siberian Ginseng is most commonly used as a natural booster for energy and when you need a little extra pep. Given that there is such a small amount in the suggested dose, it hardly warrants a mention.
The rest of the ingredients are as follows: Garcinia Cambogia Extract, Taurine, Soybean Fiber, Siberian Ginseng, Saw Palmetto, Bromalain, Psylium Fiber Powder, Guggul, Ginger Root, Oats Powder, Leaf of Damiana, Ecuadoran Sarsaparilla, Trihala Compound [Terminalia Chebula, Terminalia Bellerica, Emblica Officinalis], L-Tyrosine, Barley Bran, Goto Kola, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Sugar Beat Fiber, Tribulus, Pumpkin [seed extract], L-Carnitine, Green Tea Polyphenol Catechin Extract, Oriental Ginseng Root, Papain, Absorbalean [see below], Long Pepper [fruit extract], Capsicum, Carrageenan, Magnesium Alpha Ketoglutarate, Quercetin, Bacopin, Curcumin, Citrus Seed Extract, Stabilized Rice Bran, Flaxseed Powder, Vanadium.
Absorbalean: Guar Gun Extract, Rice Fiber Powder, Apple Pulp & Fiber, Oat Fiber, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Arabinogalactan, Locust Bean Gum, Amorphophallus Konjac Root, Inulin, Date fiber Powder, Prune Powder, Dahlia Root Powder, Jerusalem Artichoke, Citrus Pectin.
The effectiveness of Absorbalean [A trademark of Natural Alternatives International, Inc.] is questionable in my opinion, especially when it claims that it is “a dietary fiber compound designed to help your body absorb and eliminate excess dietary fat”. This simply means that it is helping remove dietary fat [from food, not stored fat] from your system. There is nothing wrong with this however people that don’t to the research on these products are often mislead by the claims on the bottle. I mentioned the product Chitosan earlier and thought I would throw in this information for those that are interested. Chitosan is an extract from certain shellfish that has been cleverly marketed as a fat blocker and fat removal system. The studies that have been done on humans haven’t given any conclusive results about the effectiveness of it attaching to fat and removing it from the body and some studies showed that it was potentially dangerous to humans since it also attached to the good fats as well as several vitamins. While it may have some redeeming qualities in lowering cholesterol levels, I wouldn’t take it unless it was approved by the FDA to show that it doesn’t work against the good fats that are needed for the body to properly function. Since it is marketed as a dietary supplement the FDA is basically powerless over the sale and distribution of it. If you are allergic to any shellfish do not take Chitosan or any of the other names it is marketed under.
I only mention this because, like Chitosan, this product claims to remove fat from your body before it is digested or absorbed into your body. Since the Absorbalean product isn’t regulated, they aren’t required to disclose the findings of testings or clinical trials. It makes me question what exactly is being removed from the human body, the levels that are being removed and if it is wise to even attempt to remove certain types of fat when others [non damaging] can also be removed in the process. At the end of the day you have to ask yourself if you are willing to give up an order of french fries or indulge and take a few ‘magic pills to get rid of the “bad fat”. Too many online sites are saying that you shouldn’t fight your body’s natural cravings – but rather indulge them and take a supplement that will help cleanse your body of the “bad foods”. If it were that simple, we would all be eating chocolate with every meal [or as a meal for that matter] and wearing a size four.
Things To Know
None of the claims on the bottle have been validated by the FDA so it is in your best interest to read the ingredients, talk with qualified health care professionals and do some research before you take this – or any – supplement. Several of the claims on the bottle carry a footnote that I mentioned above about the FDA not evaluating the statements or claims. Even though this is an ephedra free product it does not mean that it can’t hurt you if you exceed the recommended dose of three capsules twice a day.
Even though this is marketed as a “male supplement” I can see no reason why a woman cannot take this. I have taken it and I haven’t grown a penis, developed unsightly patches of hair, experienced a lower vocal range or had the desire to sit on the couch all day and hog the remote control [slight exaggeration]. The two additives that are included and designated for “maximum nutritional support for men” can safely be taken by women without any danger or concern.
The Bottom Line
I really didn’t see any results from this product and that could be due to several things – I may not have taken it long enough [I took it for about three weeks] or the fact that I didn’t spring for other Bally products that are suggested on the label. Since I eat a low carbohydrate diet that is higher than most diets in fat and protein I thought that this might help remove some of the dietary fats from my diet. Given that I don’t have a laboratory in my house it was hard to tell if Bally Total Fitness B-Lean Men’s Formulation actually removed any of the dietary fat from my body. As I said, I didn’t notice any chance in my weight or body fat level.
I’m glad that I had the chance to try this out and even though I didn’t get any real world results from it I can’t say that it is completely worthless. If this sounds like a product that you might be interested in take, make sure that you do the proper research needed before purchasing or taking any supplement. Just because something says that it contains “all natural ingredients” or is “ephedra free” doesn’t mean that it is for everyone. I am sure that if this is taken for a short period of time [one month] in conjunction with other Bally products it will have some type of result on people who are more than a few pounds overweight. Without having tried the Bally Fat Burning Complex and Bally Fat Trim I can’t say how these work as stand alone product or in conjunction with the Bally Total Fitness B-Lean Men’s Formulation.
Rather than marketing this as a weight loss product, it should be classified as a straightforward advertisement for Absorbalean. The bottom line – if you don’t know what it is, what it is made of or how it will affect you - chances are you shouldn’t be putting it in your mouth.
For more information, visit the Bally’s website at www.ballynutritionals.com or call the toll free number for help locating an official sales representative [800] 876-4446.
As always, thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
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