← All supplements

White kidney bean extract

Supplement botanical general nutrition
Aka: Phaseolus vulgaris, carb blocker, phaseolamin
Brands seen in Singapore: NOW Foods, Nutricost, Futurebiotics, Source Naturals, Swanson Vitamins
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
Sold as a starch blocker · trial results are inconsistent
When to take
Trials dosed it before carbohydrate-rich meals
Pros & cons
Pros
  • A 2011 review of 6 trials saw body fat fall 1.86 kg
  • Few safety concerns up to 3,000 mg/day for 12 weeks
  • Reported adverse effects in trials were minor
Cons
  • That SAMe review rated the trial quality poor
  • No significant effect on weight in that review
  • No trial has run longer than 13 weeks
Sources
  1. NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional), updated 18 May 2022; read via the archive.org capture of 26 Aug 2026 because ods.od.nih.gov returns HTTP 403 to direct fetches — White Kidney Bean/Bean Pod (Phaseolus vulgaris), mechanism · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Phaseolus vulgaris extract is an ingredient in some weight-loss dietary supplements marketed as carbohydrate- or starch-absorption blockers … inhibits alpha-amylase activity, so experts have hypothesized that the plant interferes with the breakdown and absorption of carbohydrates”
  2. NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional), updated 18 May 2022; read via the archive.org capture of 26 Aug 2026 because ods.od.nih.gov returns HTTP 403 to direct fetches — Table 1 summary row for white kidney bean · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “White kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) … Research findings: Possible modest effect on body weight and body fat … Few safety concerns reported for up to 3,000 mg/day for as long as 12 weeks”
  3. NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional), updated 18 May 2022; read via the archive.org capture of 26 Aug 2026 because ods.od.nih.gov returns HTTP 403 to direct fetches — 2011 review of six trials · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The authors of a 2011 review of six trials … concluded that 445 to 1,500 mg/day Phaseolus vulgaris for 4–13 weeks significantly reduced body fat (mean difference 1.86 kg compared to placebo) but did not significantly affect weight loss”
  4. NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional), updated 18 May 2022; read via the archive.org capture of 26 Aug 2026 because ods.od.nih.gov returns HTTP 403 to direct fetches — trial quality and trial duration · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “the authors noted that the quality of the trials included in their review was poor, making it impossible to draw firm conclusions … no trials have lasted longer than 13 weeks”
  5. NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional), updated 18 May 2022; read via the archive.org capture of 26 Aug 2026 because ods.od.nih.gov returns HTTP 403 to direct fetches — reported adverse effects · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Reported adverse effects for Phaseolus vulgaris are minor and include headaches, soft stools, flatulence, and constipation … No serious adverse effects of Phaseolus vulgaris have been reported in clinical trials”
  6. NIH ODS — Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (Health Professional), updated 18 May 2022; read via the archive.org capture of 26 Aug 2026 because ods.od.nih.gov returns HTTP 403 to direct fetches — how the trials dosed it · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “took a tablet containing approximately 445 mg dried aqueous extract of Phaseolus vulgaris … once daily before eating a carbohydrate-rich meal … 1,000 mg Phaseolus vulgaris … three times per day before meals”
  7. HSA Singapore — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev. No. 001 (October 2025) — Annex A (118 rows) and Annex B (4 rows): Phaseolus vulgaris / white kidney bean is NOT LISTED in either; Annex A runs 77. Papaver spp. then 78. Phosphorus, with no Phaseolus between them · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The objective of this guideline is to highlight the substances of concern when used in HS and TM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list.”
  8. HSA Singapore — Health Supplements Guidelines GL-CHPB-3-001 (January 2026), clause 4.8 with Tables 4–5, which list vitamins and minerals only — no botanical or fibre rows · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “4.8 HS for use by the general adult population should not contain vitamins and minerals exceeding the stipulated limits stated in Tables 4 and 5.”
  9. iHerb Singapore — White Kidney Bean Extract category page, default listing order, 27 Aug 2026 · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “1 - 13 of 13 results: NOW Foods, Phase 2 Starch Neutralizer; Nutricost, White Kidney Bean; Futurebiotics, White Kidney Bean Extract; Source Naturals, Phase 2 Carbohydrate Blocker; Swanson Vitamins, White Kidney Bean Extract”
Report a correction View as JSON

Updated 2026-08-29. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.