In May 2011, Dr. Oz said that PGX is a weight loss must have!
Pgx - A Source of High Fibre
Updated Feb. 26th, 2025 | Read Time: 4 Minutes | What You Will Learn:
- PGX As A Source of Fibre
- Discover How PGX Helps With Weight Loss
- The Importance of Blood Sugar Regulation
- Taking PGX Supplements
- Nutritional Information
- Reader Comments (4)
Dr. Oz featured several Weight loss "must haves" on one of his shows, PGX being one of them. It is a supplement he and his family have found effective in achieving and maintaining weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.
PGX As A Source of Fibre
Simply put, PGX is a fibre supplement. Fibre has many benefits for overall health. But sadly, most people rarely reach the recommended daily amount of fibre.
The average adult should be getting anywhere from 25-30 g of fibre, a mix of soluble and insoluble, a day. The average North American probably gets about half this amount. Due to the unique combination and types of fibre contained in PGX, it contains in only 5 grams the equivalent action of close to 20 grams of other fibre sources. Although it is still necessary to maintain a diet high in both soluble and insoluble fibre, using a supplement like PGX helps to significantly increase your fibre intake each day.
Discover How PGX Helps With Weight Loss
PGX stands for PolyGlycopleX, a unique blend of 3 different polysaccharides, the most abundant of which is Konjac Root or Glucomannan. Sodium alginate and xanthan gum are the other polysaccharides that make up the PGX combination.
The ingredients all have one very important action in common with each other, they absorb water as they travel through the intestinal tract. In doing so these fibres expand, not only does this make you feel full sooner, but for longer as well (increasing satiety). For this reason, PGX is considered an appetite suppressant, reducing overall caloric intake without leaving you feeling deprived. This is not the only way in which these supplements help to reduce weight, however.
The Importance of Blood Sugar Regulation
Fibre, like that contained in PGX, helps to regulate blood sugar by slowing down how quickly the sugars in your diet are broken down and absorbed. Similarly, when taken with or before a meal, PGX can lower the glycemic index of a food altering how quickly it is digested and therefore how quickly it gets to the bloodstream.
A diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugars (and low in dietary fibre) causes constant and quick blood sugar spikes followed by a quick and large release of insulin causing a 'crash' or low in blood sugar. This low is a signal to your body that you need more sugar for energy and often causes cravings for high-sugar snacks or baked goods, perpetuating the cycle all over again.
Blood sugar regulation may be especially indicated for individuals who are already diabetic or have been told they are pre-diabetic, meaning that if something doesn't change, a diagnosis of diabetes is soon to follow. That being said, we can all benefit from better blood sugar regulation, both for the prevention of diabetes, as well as for overall weight loss and health maintenance.
High or fluctuating blood sugar levels can suppress the immune system, for several hours, impairing your ability to fight infection, leaving you more susceptible to what should be easy to kill bacteria and viruses. Once insulin is released into the bloodstream causing a rapid decrease in blood sugar, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol, which can decrease cognitive function and if chronically high can lead to many other health concerns, including unhealthy weight gain. High or constant fluctuating blood sugar levels can cause damage to kidney cells, impairing their ability to filter waste products from the blood. Long-term this can lead to kidney failure and the need for dialysis.
Lastly, there is a strong correlation between high or constantly fluctuating blood sugar and high blood pressure. High blood pressure is extremely common in the diabetic community and can significantly increase the risk of several other cardiovascular problems. Fluctuating blood sugar levels can also wreak havoc on mood and energy levels. Simply put the body functions most optimally when there is balance. A diet high in both soluble and insoluble fibre is one very important step in ensuring a healthy and even blood sugar balance.
Taking PGX Supplements
PGX can be purchased in capsule or powder form. The powder can be sprinkled on food or combined with liquid/water. Natural factors recommend that individuals increase their water intake by 8 oz. for every gram of PGX consumed. It is also recommended that individuals do not take PGX within 2-3 hours of bed.
*Dr. Oz has no affiliation with NationalNutrition.ca
This weight loss and blood sugar balancing supplement is actually made by the company Natural Factors and is based on research done at the University of Toronto. While it contains Konjac Root, it’s actually an enhanced version for two reasons: 1. It’s in softgel capsules, which allows it to digest quickly, which is important, because the fibre in PGX acts on food when it’s present in your digestive system. 2. It’s in base of MCT coconut oil, which allows it to work better in the presence of fats. The basic idea behind using this PGX is that it slows down the release of calories, allowing your body more time to burn them off before they can get turned into body fat.
Hello Alyssa,
Thank you for sharing and we're glad you are enjoying PGX. Many enjoy this supplement as well for its advantageous ingredients and formulation. Perhaps you'd like to learn more benefits of MCT oil, we have an article on that too:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/supplement-articles-mct/
Keep healthy & happy!
Wow! PGX is really interesting: as a PhD student studying the human gut microbiome, I found myself having to give this one a close read-I actually had never heard of PGX before this article and thank you for introducing me to it. I can imagine that being a blend of fibers as opposed to a single fiber can benefit the nutritional needs of diverse beneficial gut microbes. And, I was wondering, is PGX 4x as effective as other fibers for particular microbiome benefits such as short chain fatty acid generation as well? It would be interesting if you wrote some more on that!
Hello Rachel,
It's great to hear you discovered something new, like Pgx, through reading our articles. We work hard to provide insightful, thought provoking articles by natural health professionals so it's nice to read comments like yours. Pax is touted for its weight loss benefits, you can learn other natural ways for weight loss here: https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/health-concerns/weight-loss-tips/