Update 3/10/20. Bystrictin is a weight loss supplement that's said to “bypass your appetite” and ” create an “immediate gastric bypass effect” which ” causes people to eat up to “eat 70% less” and “lose weight without surgery.” Wow! These are strong words and it's because of this and the obvious and subtle comparisons to weight loss surgery, I wanted to review Bystrictin to see if it really worked. Let's look at the research on Bystrictin and see if it's right for you.
Bystrictin Ingredients
After looking over the Bystrictin website (Bystrictin.com) I conclude that the product itself has no published clinical evidence that it helps people lose weight or helps people lose weight in a manner that compares to weight loss surgery. The product website lists no research on Bystrictin itself. That doesn't necessarily mean Bystrictin won't help some people lose weight though but I wanted to point this out because of how the product is compared to weight loss surgery. So let's now look at the ingredients in Bystrictin and see what we can figure out.
Serving size = 1 scoop. There are 15 servings per container
| Calories 110 | % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat | 3 g | 5% |
| Saturated fat | 0.5 g | 3% |
| Trans fat | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 5 mg | 0 |
| Sodium | 210 mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 210 mg | 6% |
| Total carbs | 12 g | 4% |
| Fiber | 3 g | 12% |
| Sugars | 1 g | |
| Protein | 10 g |
Bystrictin also contains various vitamins and minerals. Usually, Bystrictin is providing people 30% -40% of their daily value for these nutrients. That said, the vitamins and minerals in Bystrictin do nothing for weight loss, so I won't review them.
The protein in Bystrictin is a combination of whey and soy protein. I'm not sure how much soy is in Bystrictin. Soy is listed first on the ingredients list but since the product also contains both whey isolate and whey concentrate, I'm inclined to think there may be equal parts of both. Protein may help weight loss by helping people feel full, but the protein in Bystrictin is not an active ingredient. Rather, a close look at the ingredients reveals that its real active ingredient is the type of fiber it has.
The product website states that Bystrictin contains “Bariaxin” which is said to be a “gastric fill technology.” Bariaxin is a trademarked name and holds no meaning outside of the world of this product.
As can be seen from the ingredients list on the product website, the Bariaxin weight loss complex is a combination of several fibers. These fibers are:
- Fibersol
- Glucomannan
- Potato extract (also called Slendesta)
It is the fiber in Bystrictin that is the main active weight loss ingredient. Here's a rundown of each fiber.
Glucomannan
Also called Konjac root and “PGX” This is a fiber the swells in size when it comes in contact with water. There is weight loss research on glucomannan and weight loss. These 
Glucomannan fiber is also on Amazon in both pill and powder form for those who want to compare prices.
Fibersol
This is a trademarked name for a fiber that also has some weight loss research. I was not able to find any published clinical evidence that FiberSol itself helped people lose weight. I did locate a 2011 study where a yogurt containing FiberSol helped weight loss but, the yogurt had other things in addition to fibersol.
See my review of the 18 Shake for more on Fibersol.
Slendesta
This is the name given to the potato extract Bystrictin contains. Here is Slendestra on Amazon. It's made by a company called Kemin. According to Slendesta.com the extract is a protein which is said to increase a hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK). Elevated CCK levels, in turn, might help control appetite.
While this sounds good, the proof is lacking if it really works. Also, some research suggests that raising CCK doesn't help weight loss.
Even though I feel the active ingredients in Bystrictin is it's fiber content, it's worth mentioning that a serving of Bystrictin is not providing very much fiber ―only 3 grams per serving. That's less than what's in a half a cup of Quaker oatmeal. It's possible their unique blend of fiber works better but personally, I'd want published clinical proof, considering how much Bystrictin costs.
See my review of the Ideal Shake for more on Slendesta.
Who is Dr. Karen Vieira?
On the product website you may have noticed an endorsement from Dr. Karen Vieria. She's a scientist and has a Ph.D in biomedical sciences. As such, she's very skilled at reading published peer-reviewed research.
With that in mind, I had wonder why, she would call Bystrictin “groundbreaking.” That's a strong word for a product that has never been tested in animals or humans. To her credit, she does mention that the effect of Bystrictin is due to its fiber content, but as far as the “credible medical studies” on its ingredients, she says exists, it's only glucomannan that has the evidence as far as I can see.
Who Makes Bystrictin?
According to the product website, Bystrictin is made by a company called Century Sciences, LLC. They list this address on their website: 3541 Lomita Blvd Torrance, CA 90505. The link shows no building that says “Century Sciences.”
Bystrictin Auto-Renew Policy
Bystrictin has an auto-renew policy where they will automatically send you 2 canisters of Bystrictin (a month supply) every 30 days for $79.95. The product website says people automatically will not be enrolled in the auto-renew policy but double-check on this if you order.Compare this to the price of glucomannan on Amazon.
How To Return Bystrictin
Bystrictin comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, the Terms and Conditions page of Bystricton.com clearly states that if you are not happy, “you may return your unopened canisters for a full refund.” I could be wrong but I take this to mean that they will only take back unopened bottles.
Also, people will have to pay shipping and handling to return it. I think the return policy for a single bottle that is opened is vague and because of this, I recommend you call the company and ask how to return one opened bottle if you are not satisfied.
To return Bystrictin follow these instructions:
1. Call their customer support number at 800-497-6216 and obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization number (RMA #)
2. Put the RMA # on the outside of the package and send to :
Century Sciences, LLC
BYSTRICTIN / RETURN
3541 Lomita Blvd
Torrance, CA 90505
The Terms and Conditions page of Bystrictin.com also states that people waive their rights to a court trial, including a judge or jury trial if they order Bystrictin. Instead, people will have to go through arbitration. Read the Terms and Conditions page of Bystrictin.com for more information.
Bystrictin Side Effects
I'm not aware of any side effects of Bystrictin at this time.
Does Bystrictin Work?
I feel Bystrictin is a fiber supplement., The key ingredients, glucomannan (also called konjac fiber) has some weight loss studies. That is the ingredient worth taking a look at.
What do you think?
I found the product at a local store for $5.99… I’ll use it with my green smoothie detox .. So we shall c what it does. I would never pay $80 for meal replacement no matter it’s reviews.
MJ, I hope it helps. Let me know.
Hi I’m curious if you have an opinion on slimfy? Thank you
Kim, I looked up Slimfy for you. I say save your money. It contains raspberry ketones green coffee bean and caraulla fimbrita. If you search my website for those words, you will see my reviews and know why I have this opinion.
I have lost 60 pounds, and my wife also. There is a reason people can’t lose weight. If you follow the “based on a 2000 calorie a day” diet, you’ll be huge and get larger. Those statistics were based on a study from back in WWII or shortly there-after. The military studied how many calories does it take to keep a soldier healthy during combat and combat training. The problem is that soldiers are carrying heavy clothes, generally a 80-100 lb rucksack, a rifle, a heavy helmet, plus various ammo pouches, canteens, radios and the like. They ARE burning 2000 calories a day. You are not.
I gained a lot of weight as an over-the-road truck driver. No exercise for me! After many months of counting calories, I realized that 700 was the magic number for me. Over that, I gained weight. Under that, I lost weight. Our modern lifestyle, we sit in an office all day, come home and watch t.v., eat 2-3 meals a day and get fatter and fatter. Imagine that.
My wife tried everything to lose weight and GAINED weight. I never harassed her, I just let reality take its course. She finally said enough was enough. Her caloric intake is 500 calories a day (plus vitamins). Pounds come off every week. The caloric system we use is just not applicable to most Americans. Period. I hear people who “count” calories, and drop to the “magic” 1200 calories a day and lo-and-behold, they gain weight! Then they think it’s a thyroid problem or some other gland problem. No, you’re eating DOUBLE the calories you really need. Of course you won’t lose weight.
Few people have a “gland problem”, they have a calorie problem. Don’t doubt me, prove me wrong. Try it…but don’t cheat. My wife’s diet is mostly vegetables….and popcorn for an evening snack. Your next question is “do you know how little food 500 calories is in our modern American diet?” The answer is yes. VERY little. We have so conditioned ourselves into thinking that we NEED that much food to survive. We don’t. If you doubt me, then step on your scale. Reality always wins, math always wins. Calories is math. Do the math and you’ll win too.
Alan, I found this review of how many calories we need per day on webmd http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/estimated-calorie-requirement which states that the stats on calories needed stem from the institute of medicine in 2002. where they got their #s Im not sure but I’d hope they are not relying on 1940s values.
While driving, I listened to a talk show late one night and they were discussing this very subject. I’m thinking, “I’m sure all this data has NEVER been updated.” All the dietary research, all the weight loss programs….are all wrong? I am a complete skeptic and went about to prove this lady wrong. So, maybe not the most healthy approach, I bought food based on the calories listed on the package. I bought one week of food at a time.
I went out 4 weeks at a time, came home and weighed myself. (apx. once per month) After about a year of adjusting the calories down, I hit 700. That is when i stopped gaining and maintained my weight. I left it there for 2 months with no change. That is when i lowered it to 500 calories and proceeded to lose 4-5 pounds per month. Like I said, i’m sure pre-packaged food wasn’t the healthiest way of doing it, but it made the math simple.
My wife went gluten free and lost 25 pounds (she found out that she was gluten intolerant), but the weight loss stopped. She started eating very healthy but did not lose any more weight until she dropped her calories to 500. I don’t know if Medifast is a national weight loss institution or just a local one here, but I’ve heard their program is dropping to 800 calories with an exercise regimen (probably the same as 500 calories with no exercise) and charging the customer $3200. I think I saved a lot of money.
I guess I can’t compete with some dietary institutions web site, although my wife and I look at each other when we hear these statistics announced and just laugh at the numbers. With their doctors permission, I wish everyone would try calorie counting for 6 months and see what they come up with. If all these dietary statistics are correct that are published and many people follow them to the letter, why are they still overweight? Just a thought.
Thanks
Alan, that is quite an experiment you did!
I was able to return mine. I had ordered only 3 canisters and sent 2 back yesterday. Hope I actually get the credit. They offered the choice to keep it for 50% off, though. I found that like with everything, it’s mind over matter. Initially, I thought, “oh, too full to eat? Watch this!” But then on the days I was busy with other things, and had had a shake early, I actually was not hungry.
But I think that would have been true after a sensible breakfast, too. Back to Weight Watchers and working out for these 10 pounds I need to lose. I am going to sign up for your newsletter, Joe. Glad to find this link.
Linda thanks for your feedback and I hope you like my newsletter 🙂 That’s interesting they are willing to let you have it for 50% off if you dont return it. They still make profit on it by only returning 50% of the money paid initially.
I wish I had read this before I bought the product. Not only did it not work as advertised but it gave me a false sense of security that I could eat freely, I gained 5 pounds before I stopped.
After they sent me another shipment I requested they cancel my account. I wanted to return the unused product but they flat-out refused citing their terms and conditions. Guess I should’ve read better. Anyway, buyer be ware…
Kerry, so sorry that happened to you.
This product did not work for me either. In addition. they had me set up on auto ship, which I was very clear with them that I did not want. I had also mentioned in one of my many emails that I had seen some reviews stating that is was hard to get a refund on their product. This is the response that I got when I tried to get a refund for my 3 unopened cans.
“There are many “reviews” for Bystrictin online, most of which are placed by competitors searching for our customer base.
We refund readily on a daily basis, and we have no problem doing that. It is the basis of our company. Perhaps instead of researching reviews that may be bogus, you could research the detailed information included with any of your purchases so that you are able to understand the return/refund guidelines for the companies you are doing business with.”
They are not very helpful and I have yet to receive any refund at all. I am also out the original shipping for both orders and the return shipping. Please do not fall for their promises.
Antoinette, sorry you are having trouble getting a refund from Bystrictin. While I do feel there are bogus reviews of many supplements online, getting a refund should not be difficult. Please keep me posted on what happens with getting the refund.
I am so glad I found this site. I was about 5 minutes from ordering. Thank you everyone for the comments and Joe thanks for the review
Janet, really glad you were able to find me. Please share my site with your friends 🙂
Joe,
Thank you for this review, it saved me the large financial investment. I am diabetic and the research you posted on Glucomannan was helpful. I was wondering if you knew how many mg of Glucomannan is in each serving of Bystrictin? I am taking 600 mg of Glucomannan 3 times a day, but I don’t feel super full, I still feel hungry. I am considering adding Alpha Lipoic Acid to the Glucomannan and Cinnamon I take to hep get my blood sugars under control. What is a safe amount of each of these and can they be mixed without concerns?
I have seen my doctor about weight loss and am desperate to lose the weight. My last A1C was 9.4 and they gave me 3 months to get it down or they are putting me on insulin. My wife and I also began a workout program called The Home Workout Revolution and it is helping me with more energy and I am gaining strength and I don’t have to go to the gym.
Maybe you could do a review on Craig Ballentyne and his Turbulence Training (the home workout revolution) He talks all the type about research on thes short burst metabolic exercises.
Anywho. Thanks for listening to my ramblings.
Hi Warren, I looked into this and it appears you are in the ballpark with of glucomannan. Most of the studies I saw used between 1-3 grams a day. Are you taking it an hour before eating with a full glass of water? That might help. If you are going to add alpha lipoic acid and cinnamon , I’d add them in one at a time, using less than is recommended for the first week, just to see if any side effects occur. If you search my site for alpha lipoic acid you’ll see I covered it in other products also.
I’ve written about weight loss supplements and tips on weight loss at my personal site here is the link:
http://www.joe-cannon.com/what-weight-loss-supplements-work/
Supplements aside, I know exercise will help your A1C levels. As far as the turbulence training is concerned, the best thing I can say about exercise is that any type of exercise will help lower your A1C and blood sugar levels. There is nothing special about turbulence training (except that it has a cool name). If you enjoy doing it, then its great for you. If you dont like doing it then its not right for you. The best exercise is what you enjoy doing. I agree you dont have to go to the gym to get exercise, you can get a great workout at home and it sounds like you are making some good progress doing this already.
I once worked with an overweight man who had type II diabetes who had an A1C about 9 and after a few months of only walking 20 minutes per day on a treadmill and doing some light resistance band work, he told me his doctor commented that his A1C was lower than it had been in many years (I forget the actual # change). He wasn’t doing a lot of exercise because he was so out of shape – but the little bit he was doing shows that a little exercise can go a long way. If you combine this with cutting back on a few calories (not a lot, just a few) then this effect is magnified.
The best exercise is what you like doing. If you like, try turbulance training and see if you like it. I have no doubt that it will help, because it is exercise. Or, just keep doing what you and your wife are doing now since you are seeing benefits from that. I also would recommend you and your wife go for a 30-60 minute walk at least 3-4 days per week (work up to this).
Also try eating according to the food plate http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ I actually like this because it reminds us to eat more fruits and veggies with each meal. Fruits and veggies have fiber, which helps us stay full longer. The fiber also has magnesium that helps lower blood sugar levels. These foods are also low in calories and the different colors in the foods are actually antioxidants that help protect us in many ways.
Another idea would be the DASH Diet http://dashdiet.org/ it was designed to help people with high blood pressure but it is a healthy overall way to eat for most of us too.
Some people advocate a low glycemic index (GI) diet as a way to reduce A1C levels. While there is evidence this eating way can help, I think it can get overly complicated so if you are going to do this, just remember that most fruits and veggies have a low glycemic index. So if you eat more fruits and veggies you are also you eating a low GI diet.
It takes time but I am confident that if you eat a few less calories and exercise more regularly, then you will see an improvement in your A1C when you go back to your doctors in a few months. Exercise and weight loss are the “cures” for type II diabetes. Supplements may help but they should “supplement” exercise and eating healthy/less calories.
I hope some of this helps. Feel free to let me know if I can be of any other help too!
BTW, I love what you are doing with your website! What you do is SOOO NEEDED for our veterans. Most of us can’t imagine what you and other service people have gone through. I’m glad people like you are out there!
Thank you so much Joe for your timely response. I’ve spent too much of my life overweight and as a result out of life, or at lease not living life to the fullest. A lot of other disabled veterans in are my same situation and the first thing most VA doctors do is prescribe another pill.
Thank you for taking the time to read our website. We are hoping to incorporate classes in our retreats on healthy eating, and eventually teaching veterans and their families to grow their own organic fruits and vegetables at home.
We are actually planning a fundraiser on December 7th called the Disabled Veteran’s Duck Derby. We have over 3800 rubber duckie toys we are hoping people will sponsor for Five Bucks a Duck to help us raise money for programming in 2014. There is no limit to how many ducks a person or organization can sponsor, They do not need to be present to win, and all that we raise will go directly into programming. All services and therapy is donated by volunteers.
The winning ducks in the races are all numbered and the winners have chances to win prizes, ranging from massage, golf, dinner for two, and the grand prize will be an iPad or Tablet (depending on which one I get a better deal on Black Friday).
If you could help us spread the word that would be a tremendous help.
Thank you so much!
Warren
Warren, is there a website where people can donate or volunteer to the duck derby?
I was thinking you may want to add a part to your site that is devoted to health, wellness and weight loss for veterans. You could blog about your journey, what worked for you and didn’t, interview doctors etc. I think this might compliments your other thoughts on helping veterans get healthy. If you made your site with WordPress this isnt hard. You could even make a whole different website and link it to your freedom families site. For wht its worth, here is how I made my websites
http://www.joe-cannon.com/install-wordpress-register-domain-name-tutorial-step-by-step/
Hi Joe,
Yes, there is a website people can donate. it’s freedomsfamilies.org and the donate button is on the front page. We just ask that they put the word “ducks” in the memo so we can assign them numbers, and that they leave enough information we can contact them with if they win.
Thank you for helping out!
Warren
Thanks Warren, I hope it helps you 🙂
First time that I have read one of your reviews, and I wanted to let you know that it was very informative and well written. I will check back anytime I have a question regarding a product or supplement.
Ron, thanks I appreciate that 🙂
First of all, it is a SCAM! Their advertisement indicated a free trial, & because of their stupendous CLAIMS, I called them to take advantage of that offer. NO GO! To get the free trial would cost me $70 !!! What? Can you say “Con Artist”.
Secondly, the sales rep I talked to was Extremely Rude & Very High Pressure. I told him that I needed to discuss the offer with a friend. He became argumentative & abusive and HUNG UP ON ME!!! Wow! Great business practice!
In summary, they make money by FRAUD & deception. And yet people are interested because the product claims are the Dreams of many people.
A BIG FAT SCAM & RIP-OFF by Rude & Unscrupulous SCAMMERS.
Chuck, I’ve been hung up on by customer service reps also with other products. I’m starting to think some customer service reps get commissions based on orders they generate.
Great post, I wish I would have seen it before I purchased it. It was a total waste of money. It never created the full feeling and seems to be just a meal replacement shake like slimfast.
sharonk2966, Thanks for writing and for sharing your thoughts. Much success with your website also. looks like you are off to a great start. On my personal site, I have a link on how to make a website, you might be interested in. It’s at Joe-Cannon.com
Thanks, Joe. I will check it out. I am all new to this but wanted to share some of my experiences, thoughts,research and my own struggles with other women out there. 🙂
other than doing research on the internet about the ingredients, reading the website, in reading what’s on the bottle, how do you know that this works or doesn’t work? Did you try it for a month? Isn’t that would reduce come here to find out? Whether or not things really work and if you have tried them for real?
Researchers at MIT I have also worked on such a product that is all natural and expands in your stomach. It has not been released yet as far as I know, but allegedly the website has much scientific information about the chemical composition. I would suggest looking that up as well.
pepperfish, Its really not possible to try everything I review because there might there be supplement-supplement interactions If I didn’t space them out enough, and also because some things don’t apply to me, as a man (such as menopause supplements). I hear what you are saying but the internet is full of “I tried it” review sites (which may or may not be legit) so that is one reason why I prefer to focus on the research.
If you know the name of the product you mentioned and if its sold I can try to add it to my list of things to take a look at.
Number one this product does not work. Number 2 I called to cancel and return unopened product and they said because it was on auto ship I could not return it for a refund. Do not waste your money on this product.
Kelly, if what you said is true – about Bystrictin not honoring their guarantee – try filing a complaint with the better business bureau. The company that makes it is Century Sciences, LLC. I linked to their BBB file in my review.
I am about 40 lbs overweight and am a volume eater. I ordered this product and am hoping it comes today. If it works I will certainly let you know. If it doesn’t, I have certainly wasted more money on all the calories I eat in a day. Evidentially, I crave the miserable feeling I get when I overeat each meal. This product is supposed to give you that overfull feeling for five to six hours….we will see.
Vicki, I will say a prayer that Bystrictin gives you the help you are looking for.
Heard the commercial for the first time the other day and thought maybe this could work. Makes sense right? Drink something that expands in your stomach causing you to feel full and therefore eat less…glad I stumbled across your website! Thanks for doing what you do and saving me some green…
Thanks Corey, Im glad you were able to find me and I could help some.
The radio commercials for this product really turns me off, in my opinion it sounds like a scam. Anytime you hear you can lose weight without even trying is a danger sign. I would never spend money on this product…remember these hucksters know a sucker is born every minute.
DC, its been a while since I heard the Bystrictin radio commercials. I’ll have to have a listen and check them out.
I almost purchased it because it sounded like you could lose significant weight in weeks. However after reading this it seems like its the Glucomannan turned into a milk shake with vague protien and vitamins tossed in. I already take vitamins but am going to look into this Glucomannan and see how that works.
I concur with the previous comments. I’m near the end of my second canister and have not lost any significant weight. Guess they made me out to be a fool. Just for grins and giggles I recently purchase Hip hop abs b4 I bought bystricktin and it was a great work out where you don’t pay attention to the time and I was losing weight. I’m going to finish what I started and go back to excercising and eating healthy.
Rob in Alabama
Thanks for the info, Joe. Add me to your info list…
Jonathan Buth
Thanks Johathan, I do have a health and fitness newsletter you can sign up to at my personal site Joe-Cannon.com.
Thanks for the information Joe. I called them yesterday and when I asked the customer rep if they had a website, she didn’t know. I asked for the spelling of the product and told her I needed to do some research and check up on the BBB webpage; she was very insistent about me getting this great deal now. You have affirmed my thoughts about this product. I will be signing up for your email blast if you have one.
Helena, thanks. I do have a health and fitness/wellness newsletter I sent out each month with links to interesting articles I read each month. You can sign up at my personal site Joe-cannon.com