White Bean

White bean extract Phaseolus vulgaris, is a supplement comes from white beans and is generally marketed as a "starch blocker" or "starch neutralizer".

Proponents claim that white bean extract can combat the effects of alpha-amylase, an enzyme involved in breaking down carbohydrates into sugar. By slowing down the activity of alpha-amylase, white bean extract is believed to prevent the body from turning excess sugar (glucose) into fat.

In addition to facilitating weight loss, white bean extract is supposed to prevent obesity and directly affect and reduce abdominal fat.

In addition, white bean extract is said to fight insulin resistance, increase energy, improve athletic performance, relieve arthritis symptoms, and reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and colon cancer. Some of these claims are better supported by research than others.

Health Benefits from the White Bean

To date, there is limited evidence on the benefits of white bean extract in treating any of the conditions listed above. Of these, weight loss remains the primary focus of research.

Weight Loss

White bean extract is actively promoted as a weight loss aid. The presumption is that a substance known as alpha-amylase inhibitor isoform 1 (alpha-AI1) binds to long-chain carbohydrates (a.k.a. starch) and prevents their absorption in the gut.

A 2011 review of previous clinical studies involving white bean extract in a product called Phase 2 Starch Neutralizer found that taking white bean extract reduced carbohydrate absorption in study participants. The authors concluded that taking white bean extract could promote weight loss when taken with meals

Glycemic control

White bean extract may play a role in helping people with diabetes or prediabetes better control their blood sugar. But even this is something of a double-edged sword.

Lower doses of P. vulgaris powder did not alter GI. (Oddly enough, neither did a 1,500-, 2,000-, or 3,000-mg P. vulgaris tablet.) Despite the potential benefit, most manufacturers advise against using more than 2,000 mg per day.2

Other Benefits

Most of the other health benefits cited by alternative practitioners are not so much related to the effects of white bean extract, but rather to the secondary benefits of weight loss in general.

What affects all of these conditions is obesity, the condition for which white bean extract aims to treat. As such, it is weight loss, and not white bean extract in particular, that can potentially treat or prevent diabetes, arthritis, high cholesterol, and all of these other adverse health conditions.

Possible Side Effects

White bean extract is considered safe when taken as prescribed. It is not intended for long-term or continuous use. White bean extract may trigger minor side effects in some, including nausea, bloating, gas, and diarrhea. People with allergies to beans should avoid white bean extracts.

White bean extract should not be used in children due to a lack of relevant research. If you're trying to manage your weight or your children's weight, the National Institutes of Health suggests following a plan that combines a balanced diet with regular exercise.

If you're considering using white bean extract, be sure to talk to your doctor first to discuss whether it's appropriate for you.