Health: Fullbars To Help People Lose Weight

By Stephanie Stahl

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Craving sweets? Feeling hungry? A new diet aid claims to fix them both. Sound too good to be true, 3 On Your Side finds out. Health Reporter Stephanie Stahl followed two New Jersey women who tested the new product.

Gena Ruff hopes to lose weight to slim down some problem areas, and so does Claudia Farnace.

"I'd like to lose my center around the mid section of my body, my arms," said Claudia.

Could Fullbars help Claudia and Gena?

The maker says they're clinically proven to help you lose weight, on average two pounds a week.

"I would love to at least find a way that I can curb my appetite from eating the snacks.

Fullbars were developed by Dr. Michael Snyder, a bariatric surgeon, who was looking for a non-surgical way to make people fuller, longer, so they eat less.

"I'm all about making it simple and effective," said Dr. Snyder.

Fullbars are formulated with a combination of fiber and protein, and now have a new added ingredient called Slendesta, made from a potato protein. That's supposed to release a peptide called cholecystokinin, or CCK, signaling the brain to feel full.

"I can show that by eating the Slendesta in my Fullbar, 300 milligrams you increase your CCK. Makes you more full," said Dr. Snyder.

"It tastes very good," said Claudia.

3 On Your Side bought a months supply of Fullbars for Claudia and Gena to see if they work. Directions say to eat two bars a day, one half hour before lunch, another before dinner, each with a pint of water.

Stahl asked Gena, "So a half an hour later do you feel full?"

Gena replied, "I feel like I don't want to eat anything else."

The maker says they work right away, and it doesn't matter what kind of weight loss plan you follow, exercise helps.

Gena is doing a basic low fat, protein diet, and working out. So is Claudia, who's sticking to 1,200 calories a day.

We checked in with both Fullbar testers half way through the month. They said they were following the instructions and not cheating.

After four weeks, Gena is disappointed. And says the Fullbars didn't make her feel any fuller. She only lost three pounds and won't be using the bars anymore.

"I don't feel any different. I didn't lose a lot of weight," said Gena.

"I know if someone uses the bar the way we recommend with the diet and life changes that are commensurate with the process you can expect a reasonable weight loss," said Dr. Snyder.

But the Fullbar did work for Claudia. She lost 10 pounds in a month. She says they helped reduce her appetite.

"It got rid of my craving for sweets, as well as the fullness," said Claudia.

Claudia says now that she's stopped eating the Fullbars, she feels hungry. She's thinking about using them again.

They cost about 102 dollars for a months supply, and come in a variety of flavors. Each bar has about 170 calories.

RELATED LINK:

Fullbar - http://www.fullbar.com/