Diet products are a “dime a dozen”. Well, actually… they’re usually MUCH more expensive than that. They’re a mega-million dollar business category and some of those companies go to GREAT lengths to protect those business interests – often at what seems to be at the expense of the little things… like truth, safety, etc.
One of the latest products to take the web by storm is a product from Roca Labs that is touting itself as “Gastric Bypass NO Surgery”
This medical innovation is an easy-to-use formula that you can mix with any drink. Take it in the morning and it creates an immediate gastric bypass effect: only 20% of your stomach volume will be available for food/calorie intake, forcing you to eat 50% less and lose weight from day one!
The patented β-Glucan® ingredient regulates your blood sugar levels and eliminates the body’s need for sweets and snacks.
Now, first off… if these claims are true, it would be more accurate to say this “creates an immediate gastric band or vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) effect”. See, the band and VSG are restrictive only procedures… as a tool they help you lose weight by helping you control portion size, they limit the amount of food you can eat at any given time.
Gastric Bypass (RNY), does this as well, but it also has a mal-absorption component…. something this product can not mimic. So right off the bat I think they’re being a bit misleading. They likely went this route because in the US, the bypass is much more well known than the other two surgeries… so I suppose they have to play off that recognition, right?
There is no shortage of videos and other testimonials out there that talk up the benefits of their product… I’m not here to give you a review of it, cause with my own altered anatomy, it’s probably not something I should be taking. My own “stomach” (or rather a pouch) is way too small as it is for me to be ingesting a product that would further reduce it’s function, even if it is GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe).
UPDATE 1/13/2013: Because of a letter I recently received from a law firm that claims to represent Roca Labs, Inc. I would like to add a clarification here. I am NOT reviewing the product and its effectiveness. What I am doing here is giving some reference to the ingredients they state to be using, looking up freely available information to determine what those ingredients are and how they may be applied to a weight loss product. I am not a medical professional, I’m not a chemist. I am relying on sources that are generally regarded as reliable references. As to their claim of needing to protect their brand against casting of their product in a false light – I do not see how I do so here. I make no claim to the product not working as advertised, I simply state I would not personally recommended, but neither do I tell anyone to not do so themselves, I just ask that they check with their doctor… which is sound advice no matter how you wish to choose to lose weight.
In fact, instead of being disparaging, this posting and the comments that I have allowed to be posted here may actually be giving them positive exposure. I have in no way censored any of the comments left, despite my personal opinion of the product.
According to their own website, the product is a “Natural Formula is based on healthy fibers: β-Glucan®, Xanthan Gum, and Guar Gum.” Let’s take a quick look at each of these ingredients… shall we?
Beta Glucans
Basically, WebMD says “Beta glucans are sugars that are found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, lichens, and plants, such as oats and barley. They are sometimes used as medicine.” They go on to say beta glucans can be used topically for treatment of various skin ailments, as a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection as part of some cancer treatments, as muscular injections to boost immune functions and via IV to help prevent infections. When taken orally, it can help block cholesterol absorption from food in the stomach and intestines. And while there are some seemingly minor possible side effects when taken by injection, there don’t seem to be any known side effects when taken orally, and not enough know about when it’s applied topically.
Interestingly enough, it’s also used as a food additive in things like salad dressings, frozen desserts, sour cream, and cheese spreads… which leads me to believe it some how plays a small part in the “thickening” aspects of the product.. and that possibly they’re trying to use it’s possible cholesterol blocking trait as part of their gastric bypass effect claim? Though it seems to work in the same way oatmeal or other fibers do when it comes to blocking cholesterol absorption.
The most common source of this stuff seems to be bakers yeast. So yea, this stuff is 100% natural, and as far as the FDA is concerned it’s GRAS and doesn’t need any sort of pre-market approval – and while they generally don’t have any quantity restrictions, the WebMD site doesn’t recommend taking more than 15g a day orally and to avoid if pregnant or breast-feeding. The Roca Labs website has a standard disclaimer about consulting a physician before using if you’re pregnant or breast feeding.
Xanthan Gum
According to WikiPedia, “One of the most remarkable properties of xanthan gum is its ability to produce a large increase in the viscosity of a liquid by adding a very small quantity of gum, on the order of one percent.” It also is a stabilizer, keeping things like salad dressings from separating.
Also from WikiPedia: “It is also a preferred method of thickening liquids for those with swallowing disorders, since it does not change the color or flavor of foods or beverages.” So yea, this seems to be a thickening agent at play here.
Xanthan Gum can come from a variety of sources such as corn, soy, dairy, or wheat – they seem to list barley as one of their sources… so folks with food allergies could run into some possible issues there.
Gaur Gum
Checking WikiPedia again, gaur gum is an extract of the gaur bean. Along with the Xanthan Gum, Gaur Gum is supposed to help produce a “pleasant texture”. I haven’t actually tried the product, so I can’t comment on their success here in that regard. Like Xanthan, it’s too is a thickener, but gaur gum is also an emulsifier… so it probably plays a part in keeping all the ingredients playing well together.
Other Stuff
The rest of the ingredients they list include Natural Flavors, Maltodextrin, Vitamins C, B6 and B12. Not much to say here except that the Maltodextrin is likely in there as a sweetener.
A few things that may be a bit mis-leading if you don’t take a moment to really look at them…
“β-Glucan®: an FDA-approved ingredient” – when the FDA labels something as GRAS, it is NOT the same as being FDA Approved. It basically means that there’s no evidence that the FDA needs to do any sort of approval process on it.
“it has been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol levels, and strengthen the immune system” – While the reading I did supports the claims of the possibility of beta glucans lowering cholesterol, which can reduce the risk of heart disease, I think the immune system claim is a bit mis-leading. It seems to get that benefit from the beta glucan, you need to take it by IV or other injection, not by mouth. Unless they’re saying by losing weight and all that you gain some benefits.
I couldn’t find any sort of “nutritional information”, so I’m not sure what percentages the various ingredients are in… but they all are pretty much carbohydrates… except for the added micronutrients… couldn’t find anything that said anything about how many calories or anything the actual product has.
I dunno… I get the concept of how it’s supposed to work… and can even see in theory how it would help… but I fail to see how this will give you any sort of long term results.
So many people look at bariatric surgery as it’s the “easy way out”. It’s not… yes, in the case of RNY, VSG and the DS surgeries, you can and likely will lose a lot of weight rather quickly. And I suppose I could see doing so with a product like this as well.
BUT
If you don’t put in the effort of learning how to eat better, learning how to take some control over your portions, learning how to deal with head hunger and the potential emotional reasons behind your over-eating in the first place… you will likely gain back the weight. And a product like this does absolutely nothing to address any of those aspects… well, except for a passing note at the bottom of one of their FAQ items - “Since you are now eating so much less, it is recommended that the food you do eat be nutritious, low-calorie and supplemented with vitamins. Exercise is not necessary, but will greatly accelerate your weight loss.” and some language in their terms that says “The Diet will assist so long as the diet process depends upon appetite and not invalid psychological reasons (such as depression, boredom, sadness, etc)”
So yea… would I personally recommend trying something like this? No. Especially if you’ve already had some sort of surgically restrictive procedure and are thinking this will help you lose those last few pounds or something. If you do your own due diligence and still want to give it a shot… check with your doctor… look hard for some of the non-corporate produced material out there on this (or any “diet”) before putting down your money on it.
And your C&D will be coming in 3…2…1…
I suppose we could start a betting pool…?
What is a C&D? and isn’t Gastric bypass surgery dangerous? I have a friend who had this surgery, she did lose the weight but now has chronic anemia. She is now temporarily disabled. This scares me. I would like to try this formula first to see if it will work before I try something as drastic as GBS. I thought about lap band surgery, I understand there are risks with this type of surgery also. What are your thoughts
Suzanne, C&D is “Cease & Desist”. As for Gastric Bypass being dangerous? Any surgery is dangerous, but the rate of problems at a “center of excellence” rated surgery center is so statistically insignificant that when I weighed the risk vs the risk of me remaining at over 380 pounds, well, the surgery was a no-brainer. But it is not something I recommend for everyone, even as little as a year before I made the decision I would not have recommended it for myself as I was not in a place mentally where I would have been able to deal with the changes.
And without knowing more information about your “friend” and what they’ve done as far as their own self-care and such… there is no way for me to comment on her situation. Yes, there are a significant number of people with vitamin deficiencies after surgery such as this, but more often than not is because they fail to follow their surgeons direction when it comes to taking supplements after surgery.
As a medical student and one who has been highly interested and following the latest trend of bariatric surgery in journals, I must say I agree with Rob
Been hoping somebody would take a serious look at the so called mini gastric bypass. Many many good points in your article, Rob.
Thanks… I was just trying to counter the advertising tact taken, then try to take an objective look at the ingredients they say are used. If someone wishes to try this out, go for it. But I hope it is because of an informed decision (ideally with under direction of a medical doctor) and not just based on marketing hype.
Are you looking at going in to the bariatric care field?
Here, I will give you mine, pretend it’s yours, cause it’s on the way….
Lovely….. May you have the strength to resist the C&D that is even now zooming it’s way through the misty hollows of the ethernet. (I’m still waiting for mine, but since MY post about Roca is on an ART website, a lot of their arguments don’t hold water)
hey! wow! detailed post! thank you for sharing your thoughts! I am currently taking my Roca and I think I’m doing good with it. Been weeks that I’m taking the formula and i see good results with it. 10 lbs in two weeks not bad! arggh! i wish im gonna lose more of it! im 215 lbs and down to 205 this week. the ingredients are working fine with me though a bit slow pace for me but beta-glucan did lower down my blood sugar level. its a matter of adjusting to the formula’s ingredients. hope to hear more from you guys!
5lbs a week and you’re thinking that’s slow??
I dontthat anything to get excited abut. I can do that on my own.
Hi Lisa I’m using the RocaLabs formula for around 4 months now and the Roca really works for me just fine I used to weighed 190+lbs but now I’m down to 138lbs I’m really satisfied with the product and sometimes I’m not using the formula I dont eat that much anymore and I’m eating healthy and maintaining my current weight hope I can lose few more lbs. So don’t worry I know you can do it hope you will be able to reach your goal. Goodluck Lisa
Sandra are you taking it any special way. I want to order it, would you recommend it? I believe alot of people just can’t take drinking/eating it that is why it isn’t working for them, but that could just be my thoughts.
OK thats 13lbs per mth roughly? You lost 52 bs over 4 mths? I used to do Nutra System and did 25 per mth!
It’s nice to see that other people are losing weight with Roca Labs Formula as well. My aunt tried the Formula last month and has lost 17lbs so far. She is trying to lose a total of 30lbs and has almost reached her goal. Her blood sugar levels are more balanced and she’s happier and healthier than she has ever been before.
I have been on the Rocalabs gastric bypass formula for 4 days, and I can already tell you that it works, I feel full after the first dose in the morning and I could care less about food. It really works, we think if it is simple something is wrong, when in fact the proof is in the countless people who will tell you how pleased they are with this product. I decided to try it based on the fact, that it is natural and healthy.
I have a great new way to mix the RocaLabs Gastric BYpass Without Surgery formula, fill the shaker up to the 300mil. mark with Ocean Spray Blueberry Juice, then add 1 scoop of the formula, add 3/4 of a small cup of blueberry yogurt, blend well, allow the mixture to thicken about 2 minutes, then top with the remaining yogurt, add fruit (optional) AS ALWAYS DRINK PLENTY OF WATER!
Well my week 2 results are in on the RocaLabs Gastric Bypass Without Surgery Formula, and I love it, although I did not lose as much weight as Week 1 I lost 4 pounds and that is a combined total for week1 and week2 of 12 pounds, and I feel great, my next weigh in is on Saturday December10 2011, I will keep you posted.
Vicki,
I would like to talk to you further about this product as I am thinking about ordering it. I called Rocalabs but was not very impressed with the person who I talked with on the phone. I sure would appreciate hearing from you. My email is peggyandeduardo@comcast.net
Thanks
I’ve been using the mini gastric by-pass formula and it really works best for me and I was able to gain my confidence back..
So how is the product working for you since November? Do you endorse it?
Guys, lose weight is not easy and there are no miracles, but you can always get an aid. I am 5’6 290 pounds…yes, i know, huge…and I decided to try this Roca Labs product before surgery. I’ve lost 22 pounds in the last 7 weeks, I do my daily 30 min walk but I don’t crave food as much anymore…Hopefully I will keep losing…Lisa, do you take once a day or twice? Are you having any issues with the taste? I mix with apple juice, but I am getting tired of the taste…any tips??
Hello Kayla13,
I am glad to know other people who are losing weight with RocaLabs, I love it and as far as taste I have a new way to use it, my invention, buy V8 Smothie, Strawberry Banana flavored drink it is found in the juice isle of your grocery store. I fill the mixer up to 300, with the V8, then I put a heaping spoon of the RocaLabs formula and shake as you normally would, put a 1/4 th cup of strawberry and banana flavored yogart, then eat it like a cup of yogart, it is good.
I know that losing weight is not that easy and I almost lose hope since I already tried everything in the market. When I went to my Facebook Account I saw this ads about a formula which they called mini gastric by-pass, but surprisingly, it does not require any surgery at all but it will still help you lose weight. I did some research about the formula and I was able to find and gather many information and watched some videos of those successful stories and I was really convinced that it really works. It’s a great help for me and it’s a blessing that I went to my Facebook account and I was able to find this formula that works best for me and helps me a lot.
Hey there! So yeah, there’s a lot of diet fads out there and none of them ever seem to actually work. However Roca Labs has tons and tons testimonials from people that say it has. My sister bought the formula about a year ago and at first i thought she was wasting her money but she actually started loosing weight so I looked into it for myself because since I had my daughter I’ve been having troubles shedding the weight. So I got the formula and I can tell you I really don’t get hungry all the time anymore and I don’t have those cravings for chocolate or icecream like before haha.
what’s great is the formula is supposed to make it so after 4 or 5 months on it, your stomach shrinks and that’s how you get long-term results.
it’s been almost a year now, i just read your post about roca lab. how do you feel about it one year later. thank you, deb
Hey! glad to hear different insights from people.. I’m vigilant of what I take. I saw several blogs saying RocaLabs is a scam until a friend of mine I didn’t get to see for a long time told me she used to take this formula for about four months and stopped when she went down to 150 from 195. I was so surprised when I saw the result. She told me that she no longer take the formula but she managed to control her food intake. I hope this works for me, too. This may or may not work but I wouldn’t know if I won’t try. I just started with mine so hoping to get some support.
I have used it too and it helped me lose weight.. I don’t see why the negative comments after all the research. I mean, he was able to research that info but what he didn’t do is go to roca labs website. There is a portion that tells you to check with your dr first.
I mean this is the only product that actually worked for me, I have tried everything but I was too afraid to go undergo gastric bypass. Good thing this product came and helped me.
If you have the time to research on the ingredients maybe you can have the time to read everything on the website too.
As far as I know it worked for me and nothing else matters.
I can see nothing but good in this company and as for all of those nice in customer service, when I call they treat me like they have known me all of my life, and I feel welcome to talk to them about all of my problems with my weight and I am not being judged, or chastised for my weight problem, when I get off of the phone I feel encouraged and motivated, and that is another reason why I love the RocaLabs product, not only does it work and after years of put-downs and ugly remarks I finally have a support group that cares.
hi I had gastric baypass in 2007 and lost 80poun but for last year i put 20 pound on I was thinking to ordar Roca formula but not sure if it realy works is a lot of money my husband is home as he has cancar and I do not want to west the money if it dosent work but would like to lose 50-80 pounds it would me happy and he be delighted for me. Please let me know if it would be good for me? looking forword hering from you. Good luck to all of you and thanks
Ok, first of all… in a word… “NO!”. You have a tiny-tiny pouch of a stomach and you want to put something in there that swells up like this? You have everything you need to lose the weight in your RNY surgery. You likely just need to go back to basics in making sure you are using it the way it is supposed to be. No drinking with/after meals, being mindful of your eating – watching portions, not eating junk, not grazing between meals, etc. If you are following the basic rules and still not losing weight there is a possibility your stoma (the opening from the pouch to the intestines) is enlarged and you could get that checked… but no, while a product like this may be harmless at best for someone with a normal stomach, there is no way someone with altered anatomy should be considering something like this.
I have been looking at this product for some time. I have literally tried EVERYTHING out there and have considered a trip to Mexico to have the lap band. I don’t qualify in the US because as my doctor but it “You’re not obese enough”. 5’7″ and 225 is not obese “enough”. Lovely, anyway reading your comments have pursuaded me to try it. Thanks for the input.
Well… at that height/weight your BMI is 35.2 – so under the guidelines currently set by pretty much all insurance companies, unless you have a couple of co-morbidities (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea), then your doctor is mostly correct.. you wouldn’t qualify for insurance reimbursement for the procedure. Without co-morbidities your BMI would have be 40 or above.
The FDA recently approved a lowering of those to 30 with co-morbidities, 35 without. However I don’t know that any insurance company has adopted those guidelines as of yet.
That said, have you talked to a bariatric surgeon in your area or just your general physician? Your regular doctor may or may not be fully aware of all the criteria needed for qualification and I would suggest you visit with a QUALIFIED bariatric surgeon. Look for one that is a Center of Excellence. I don’t know of any bariatric center that does not offer free informational sessions, and some may even offer a free or low-cost initial consultation with a nurse… or maybe you can convince your doctor to at least give you a referral to consult with a bariatric surgeon so insurance will help pay for that.
I think you should explore this option further before considering such a product.
Medicaid and Medicare has
Im curious to know…have you started the formula yet? If so, are you loosing weight? Thx!
So Lisa, Did you try it? I am curious if you had any side affects. I did the research and have looked at this a while now. I just placed my order and will start at the end of the month went it comes. I too have tried everything, know friends and family that has had surgery and do not want that. I am motivated and just need something that will work so I can see results. I know I can change my life, I have already started but I just need to get this weight off my body. I’ll let you know how it works.
A Susan
How is it going?
Rob- I had RNY in 2003 and have been researching this for a while now. I have been told by my doctor that I can use this just have to use less than a regular person. After testing, they found that my pouch now is the size of a normal stomach, is it your opinion that I can do certain things to get my original pouch size back? If so, can you share that with me? I have gained 45 of the 150 lbs. that I originally lost and am desperate. I am hungry all the time (not head hunger real hunger) and I can eat as much or more than a person without RNY.
Thank you!
Ok, I’m not sure of the logic here. If your pouch has stretched out so as to be the same size as a normal stomach, why would it be necessary to use less of this product?
Also, I don’t know that it’s physically possible for an rny pouch to stretch out that much… I’ll have to check I guess… but I’m doubtful.
Even though you have been surgically altered, my message for you is the same as anyone – it’s less and less about what one can or cannot eat, it’s more about one chooses to eat. For me, my surgery is simply a tool to help me limit how much food I can eat at any given time. A safe tool. I’m not convinced this product is.
If you truly do have a pouch that has stretched out however, the only way I know of fixing that is a revision surgery.
But of course… I am not a medical professional. Nothing I say here can or should be interpreted as medical advice.
Can someone please email me at Tmygrl4564@yahoo.com I am interested in hearing more about ya’lls stories about this RocaLab mini gastric bypass no surgery . I have the money to get it but I am still 50/50 on getting it. I want to loose the weight and I just don’t want to waste my money on it if it won’t do anything. does anyone know what I mean by that? Is it only me who is scared to try this product?
If you are scared, I think that’s a good thing. If you have serious questions about this, take the information to your doctor and ask them what they think… don’t rely on the testimony of others. Especially others online, as you are just as likely to get contacted by someone who is more interested than making money off a specific product than they are about your health.
I am not real scared.. I am just more like do I wanna dish out this money and then it not work. But I was looking on youtube and found a lot of people that been doing it and they will do a live journal week by week and you can tell by their looks that it works.
was wandering did you orderd it and your results still on fence about it please contact me
Did I? No, and have no plans to.
Hi Kristy,
I was wondering if you ever heard from anyone. I’d like to get some unedited information as well as I am also on the fence. Can you email me to let me know? izbtracy@yahoo.com, I’d really appreciate it.
To Kristy M, I was looking for a way that i hadn’t already tried to loose weight, when I stumbled across a you tube of a women that said she used the product and had great results. I just order mine last night and there is a 14 day wait. I will let you know how it goes, counting down the days.
I really want to try the Mini Bypass with out surgery product but $480 is a lot to pay if the product is a sham. I have been reading the post and I’m more convinced that I should try it. Could someone who has current results or lasting results post something that will help me make my decision. Thanks
Thank you! Every site I could find when trying to research their product was another add, or something clearly related to them. It was great to get some outside information/opinion.
PS – the more I read of your responses to comments, the more I like the! It’s refreshing to see someone actually read and research information, rather than the normal internet knee-jerk reactions I normally encounter.
Hi,
I am the programmer who created websites for RocaLabs and they didn’t paid me they took my $3700. This is the worst company i ever worked with. They sent me $2700 to my account and after 2 days they requested to my bank that the payment was a mistake and i lost it. For every employee they are doing like this they don’t have money to pay their employees how can they run their business.
Sorry for the English Mistakes.
Regards,
Vishal Sidhwani
Thats awful!!!!!!!!
So did yo creat all these testimonies
Curious to know if the people that commented in 2011 ever reached their goals on this product?
Interested in starting….hhhmmmm
I’m skeptic of all those rave reviews. No doubt some of them are true, but from what I understand the only way to get a partial refund is to submit a glowing video testimonal to Roca Labs. Also, they apparently threaten to sue anyone who does a negative review so one hand they have an incentive to falsely inflate the amount of positive reviews, and on the other the suppress any unflattering reviews. Most consumers put some faith in reviews so it’s a shame for Roca Labs to manipulate reviews like this. I thought about purchasing their product but decided not to. The customer service on the online chat supprt could barely answer my questions about warranty and the different types of product (diabetic, strong, etc.), and — get this — when I saved my chat transcript, everything the Roca Labs person had typed came out as gibberish characters, and everything I had typed was fine. So they don’t want to be held accountable for what they said on the online chat support. HMMMMM.
I wanted to order the Roca Labs formula but would not spend the money. Was looking for alternatives. A chef had re-created the recipe of Roca Labs, but they have pulled her book from Amazon Kindle. There, however is a book on Amazon for Kindle……you can get Kindle for your PC, that is called the Xanathan Guar Gum Diet by Olivia Wilde. That one I JUST purchased and will try the recipe. This way I only lose $9.99, the cost of the booklet, plus the cost of the ingredients.
Hi Lene,
I don’t see any listing on Amazon for that book by Olivia Wilde. There is one with the same name but the author is Jada Sachs. Is this what you meant?
Thanks!
HI
DID YOU TRY
the Xanathan Guar Gum Diet by Olivia Wilde
AND DID IT WORK. I CAN NOT FIND THE BOOK.
I AM ON A VERY TIGHT INCOME.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.
THANK YOU
CINDY
I bought the book, ordered the ingredients and made the drink. I could not get the first gulp down! It is horrendous!! Any tricks or suggestions to make it taste better?
I was afraid of the possible complications, most especially the pain after surgery. I have searched the internet and found this Roca Labs gastric bypass surgery which is an alternative for surgery. I tried the product and luckily, I lost 16 lbs off my weight in just one month. I am still on it and will continue until I reach my goal.
And do you have a plan for sustaining your loss, or are you planning on using this product the rest of your life?
Rob! I am over 70 and want to try non-surgical bypass. I am in good health work full time. I need to lose 100lbs. Is there any age restrications that you are aware of.
I am not aware of any age restriction. But again, check with a physician before tackling any weight loss plan.
Thank U This was very helpful
I bought this and its basically the same recipe but better because it eliminates the chemicals and alternative sugars and gives you something that works that is safer and natural. It works. I lost weight almost immediately. Amazon’s Xanthan Guar Gum Diet Recipe by Jada Sachs.
http://www.amazon.com/Xanthan-Guar-Diet-Recipe-ebook/dp/B0089IB93M%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJH6GPQMUOJBOMWHQ%26tag%3Drhinoplasty-news-central-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0089IB93M
Even with the actual surgery, most patients regain their weight if they are not able to control their eating habits.
I learned to do lose weight in a natural way without the surgery and have kept the weight off. I use Roca Labs Formula as a tool and not a magic to lose weight. It’s my tool which helps improve my lifestyle.
Martha… yes, if eating habits are not controlled, it doesn’t matter how you lose the weight you will have difficulty in keeping it off. When it come to my personal experience, I tell people the only thing the surgery does for me at this point is help control how much I can eat at any given time. It does nothing to help me choose what I do or do not eat.
I would love to give this mini bypass without surgery a try. Like many of you I have tried just about everything. After my 45th birthday, seems like no matter what I do the pounds keep stacking on around my middle. I feel like I am carry around an innertube. The problem is probably horomon imbalances, but most doctors ignore that fact & do not feel it is worth testing for to find out. Are any of you who have tried this over the age of 50? I am 5’4 & up to 197 lbs. I love to walk, but have had to cut back due to foot problems. If I can lose about 30+ pounds, maybe my feet would not bother me & I could walk more to accelerate the weight loss. Please let me know what you have experienced, the cost is abit un-nerving, but if this really works, I would be willing to give it a try.
V. If you are able to find a personal trainer to work with, even for a few sessions, they could likely recommend some “low impact” exercises that can aid you in your weight loss. There are many exercises you could do while seated in a chair or at seated equipment, such as rowing for example, that can get you started.
Good luck!
Thank You Rob,
A personal Trainer in a rural area is not an option for me, but I appreciate the advice. There are some things I can do from home & will start slow, because I am out of shape.
Did I detect that you may not be an advocate for the Roca Labs gastric bypass w/o surgery?
Thanks,
V.
I am an advocate for making informed decisions.
I am an advocate for eating whole foods.
For someone that has already had a form of gastric surgery, no, I wouldn’t recommend taking any product that would “expand” in an already reduced stomach area. But if you are curious about this product I hope I gave you some information (from various publicly available sources) about the listed ingredients so you can have an informed discussion with your doctor.
You can purchases the Beta Glucan, Xanthan and Guar Gum fron Swanson Vitamins and make you own smoothies… I just started today and see just how it work. I’ve purchased Organic Oat Bran Fiber (a form of Beta Glucan) for 5.99, Xanthan Gum for 5.35 and Guar Gum for only 5.06… Compare to $480 to $640… I am on disablitiy and can’t afford to pay that much money on a diet program that may not work.
Thank You Melinda,
I have ordered the items you mentioned plus spurlina. I began on Sunday with the Xthanium 8oz & Guar Gum 8oz mix together in an sealed air tight container. I take 5 spurlina tabs, wait 5 to 10 min or longer & then in a well made shaker I add 1-1/2 cups of water, about 1/2 packet of the “Take as you go” flavor packets to add some flavor & then add 2tbs or 2-1/2 tbs of the mixture & shake for a few seconds, then drink down until all is gone, it has a thick slimmy consistancy with not much taste. You can adjust the water more if it is to thick or hard to swallow. It does keep your stomach full, I drink a lot of water throughout the day about a gal more or less. You have to drink water & limit the caffeine, it will dehydrate you. I eat something about every 3 hrs but no more than a cup full, or you will feel uncomfortable. So far I do not get hungry & do not crave anything. I weighed myself on Sunday, so I am curious to see what next Sunday on the scales reveal. I try to pick Nutritious snacks or smoothies & eat a normal dinner, but no more than a cupful of anything & drink, drink, drink.
V.P.
Hi Venessa,
Since it has been over three weeks… how is this going for you?
V,
How is this working for you? It is alot cheaper, just wondered if it was good.. Thanks
The information in that book sold on Amazon has a copyright on it. By you publishing the recipe you are violating that and can be sued by the author.
Melinda & Venesa , I am curious how is it going after a couple months?
Has this worked for you?
If you are asking me, I never tried the product. Sorry.
I have been thinking about trying Roca Labs however it is very expensive. And I am not sure how my body will react to the formula. Dose anyone know if Roca Labs gives free samples. Or will offer a smaller amount for someone like myself who is unsure.. I am ready to loss weight and take control of tomorrow. Thank you for your time.
From everything I have seen, they do not offer any sort of trial size.
I made my own blend of the formula also. I had the gastric bypass 17 yrs ago and only lost 45 lbs and i was 335. What a waste my mother and sister did also with poor results. My stomach has enlarged but I still not always able to eat a full meal. Now I’m diabetic and four kids later and at 317 lbs. So I decided to try this but wasn’t willing to buy it at such a high cost. I did add spirulina and chlorella to it as well as green coffee beans and garcenia cambogia. I am drinking slim fast shakes and pro fast meals protein bars. I drink a lot of water. Yesterday was my first day. I was at the ER all day with my son I brought us McDonald because I wasn’t prepared but I purchased a lg fish nuggets, side salad and yogurt parfait it took me 6 hours to eat it and when i got home I ate a small Tyson chicken salad with 5 small crackers I did have a shake for breakfast and drank a lot of water through out the day . I was perfectly fine but my greedy mind wanted some Ice cream cake I had brought and I had some. But this morning my fasting blood sugar was 187 its been 250 and that’s if I don’t eat anything sweet at night. kind of good. You will move your bowels alot which is good. i just need to get over the mind thing. And my cravings aren’t to bad but my mind is the problem. I just had a shake for breakfast since 7am and I’m just getting a little hungry. I formula I made is gagging at times because its slim-my but i added a sugar free hi c packet. Any ways it’s not the worse the texture is just bad. I stay posted at least weekly. This should be fun.
Hi, can you tell me how you are doing ?
Hi Rob. I am an extremely obese person (5′ 2″+365lb) that has been contemplating bypass surgery for the past year. I have been to the clinic interviews, Drs, social workers and nutritionists. They have been assessing me to see if I am a candidate while I sit and mull over the decision to completely go through with the procedure. I have been reading a lot of info for and against the surgery and also about these “cheaper-easy fix additives” one takes ie-different fruit-ketones, coffee bean, Roca Labs, and so on. I have even done the Green Matcha Tea+Chia seeds+Marainga powder 3x a day cocktail (it does help to keep one full but tastes like a mowed lawn..LOL). I have seen no info as to how long one must take these “suppliments” and keep forking over money. I have always drunk a lot of water 2-3 2liter jugs daily. But my problem is that I am single, 55yrs old, off work on disability and have become lazy. I am a depression+eat until its gone+up all nite/sleep all day snacker who detests exercising. I would rather read a book or search stuff on my laptop than make a meal. I make a few sandwiches or grab some cookies, fruit, cheese and crackers and maaaaybe pop a meal in the microwave. I think like most I am looking for an easy quick fix that this “non-surgical by-pass” alternative claims to provide. I thank you and the others for your honest input and comments. I think I will expand my search more before I take a plunge in to any surgical procedures either to my body or my wallet.
Cheers Netasha
Netasha… first off, the fact that you are doing your homework before proceeding with whatever you end up doing is a good thing. Especially if you decide the surgical route. It is a decision you will have to live with the rest of your life, so you need to make an informed decision.
As part of the process for surgery, have you worked with a psychologist at all? Some work in that area may be a good next step for you.
If you have questions about surgery and my experience, feel free to drop me a note via the Contact page.
Good luck.
My 13 yr old weighs 153 pounds at 5’0. Doc just says she needs to eat less. She has tried dieting, down to 1000 calories and day and it makes absolutely no difference in her weight. She is ambidextrous, so extremely uncoordinated and really can’t play sports without certain ridicule. I think that life is not fair and she will have to reduce her intake to 500 calories a day in order to make a difference, which of course will be very difficult because this is certainly not a natural thing to do, so will need something to help maintain such a diet. She is becoming scarily despondent about her weight, so I am now desperate. I worry about what is in this Roca lab and long term effects… but then what does that matter when she is miserable and scarily depressed??? It can’t be any worse than putting her on some chemical anti-depressant so she can be numb enough to live with the self she hates. Can you tell me if any ingredient is really all that horrible for you?
Kathie, my first suggestion would be to take her to a different doctor. It sounds like this doctor may have no real clue when it comes to working with folks that are obese. It is not as simple as just eating less and exercising more, and there may be other medical issues that need to be explored.
At the very least, maybe try to find a registered dietian, they are trained in nutrition and you can likely find one that specializes in working with the obese and even more specifically with kids. Besides dealing with dietary issues, they may be able to help figure out if there are other medical issues that may need looking in to.
If you can let me know what area you are in, I can probably help you find an RD in your area… I also know of a number that may be able to help in other ways.
Good luck to you and your daughter.
Yes, I agree, take your daughter to a different doctor. Also, lowering her calories will deprive her of nutrition she needs and I believe will only make her body store more fat. I have gone down to 500 calories before and it is not the answer. Taking in more protein always works better for me. I tend to not eat enough “good” calories.
I was going to try the Roca Lab and actually ordered it but canceled within the first 24 hours so wasn’t charged. I just had a feeling that all that fiber was going to bother my system so much that it wouldnt be worth it. I cant even eat two fiber one bars in one day. So I am going to try to detox the “junk” out of my body by eating high protein and no carbs, no sugar and more fiber on my own. And then really start eating better and going for walks…maybe I could get to where I can ride a bike too. I am 5’1″ and weight 208 right now…I have got to get this weight off me but surgery or filling my body up with un-natural stuff just doesnt seem to be the way to go.
Good luck and I hope you do take your daughter to a nutritionist.
Susan, good luck as you work towards changing your diet!
While I do advocate for surgery as an option, I’ve never been one to say it is THE option for everyone.
One quick suggestion… increase your fiber intake slowly… give your body time to adjust to it.
I want to try this product because I can not afford surgery and I’m not sure how to go about getting it