AntaGolin

We take an in-depth look into AntaGolin, to see whether this insulin-focused approach has merit or is simply based in meaningless jargon.

AntaGolin Overview

What you need to know about AntaGolin

AntaGolin is a tablet that promises to help lessen the body’s resistance to insulin. This process is then said to help regulate blood sugar levels and ultimately help to reduce excess body fat. Although insulin and blood sugar levels are concepts that are typically associated with diabetes, AntaGolin markets itself toward obese people, essentially positioning itself as a simple weight loss cure.

The product is manufactured by the Medical Nutritional Institute, a company that has been landed in trouble in its native South Africa for the false advertising of AntaGolin. The Medical Nutritional Institute actually sued the South African Advertising Standards Agency and won (note that this was not because they were found not be engaging in false advertising, but rather because the ASA was found not to have any authority over non-members).

AntaGolin is currently only available in Namibia, South Africa and New Zealand.

What are the side effects of AntaGolin?

AntaGolin’s side effects are minor but not apparently uncommon. Users may experience headaches, nausea, tiredness and dizziness. In customer comments found online, others have complained of effects such as acne, shivering, jaw pain and swelling as well, although we cannot confirm whether these can be definitively linked to their use of AntaGolin.

Perhaps the most concerning side effect of AntaGolin is its potential effect on diabetics. A product like this may obviously cause blood sugar levels to drop, which (if carried out in an unstructured way) may directly threaten the health of diabetic users. This product is not an approved medical recommendation for managing diabetes and diabetics (one of the target demographics) should consult with their doctor before using.

How much does AntaGolin cost?

AntaGolin is only available to buy online in South Africa, and must be ordered through PostNet. Customers ordering from the manufacturer’s website must be prepared to pick up their order from their local PostNet outlet.

From the manufacturer’s website, one pack of AntaGolin costs 174.42 rand, with shipping charged at a flat rate of 40 rand (a total of 214.42 rand or just under 16 US dollars). Prices appear to be higher from other online retailers.

AntaGolin Key Features

AntaGolin is a South African dietary supplement that promises to help obese and diabetic users to stabilise blood sugar levels and reduce bodily resistance to insulin. A familiar fixture in South African TV ad breaks, AntaGolin has caused quite a bit of buzz in its home country due to its convincing marketing.

AntaGolin is manufactured by the Medical Nutritional Institute, and is available to buy in South Africa, New Zealand and Namibia. In the last few years, the advertising of AntaGolin in South Africa has been increasingly controversial, with South Africa’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) being locked in a bitter legal dispute with the manufacturer over AntaGolin’s ‘misleading’ TV ads. Although the lawsuit was eventually settled in the Medical Nutritional Institute’s favour (on a technicality wholly unrelated to the product or its advertising), they remain a controversial figure in the local supplement scene. The company can be reached via the contact pages provided on the South African and New Zealand versions of the websites.

What does AntaGolin claim to do?

AntaGolin claims to help alleviate the body’s resistance to insulin, a problem which develops in the chronically obese, pre-diabetics, and diabetics. By reducing insulin resistance, the product then claims to be able to reduce excess body fat and stabilise blood sugar levels. To quote the website:

AntaGolin™ is a natural product that helps to combat insulin resistance by assisting your body to regulate blood sugar more efficiently. When taken at a supplementary dosage over the long term, AntaGolin™ helps to control your body fat level more effectively. When taken at a higher dosage (see dosage instructions), studies have shown that AntaGolin™ in conjunction with a structured weight-loss programme can help you to lose weight more effectively. Because of its blood sugar regulation ability, AntaGolin™ is an ideal long-term supplement for pre-diabetic and type 2 diabetic subjects.

Does AntaGolin work?

Most of what AntaGolin claims to do is quite serious, and the product is absolutely marketed in a way that implies it could act as a medical solution for diabetes and obesity. Therefore, the extent to which it works should be judged to a high standard.

The ingredients contained within AntaGolin have all been found (to a greater or a lesser extent) to help stabilise blood sugar levels or reduce insulin resistance. However, the ingredient quantities contained within AntaGolin tablets are much lower than those used in the supporting studies, making it needlessly difficult to prove or confirm that they will work in this instance. Most of the scientific evidence supporting their inclusion is shaky or underdeveloped regardless, meaning that this mix could be entirely useless in its current form.

Overall, it may work somewhat as advertised, but must not under any circumstances be considered a medically approved treatment for diabetes, pre-diabetes or obesity.

AntaGolin Ingredients

The ingredients used in AntaGolin are listed below.

• Insul-X2™ Barberry Root Extract (Berberis Vulgaris): There is limited evidence that berberine (the chemical found in barberry root extract) may help to slightly reduce blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol in the clinically obese. However, the dosage provided in this mix is much too low to be effective.
• Banaba Leaf Extract (Lagerstroemia Speciosa): Very preliminary research suggests that banaba can be used to lower the blood sugar levels of those suffering with Type 2 diabetes, and may help the body to more efficiently use insulin. Whilst encouraging, this research is not considered to be well developed enough to draw confident conclusions.
• Inositol: Inositol is thought to be quite effective as a means of treating insulin resistance.
• Chromium: Chromium is a mineral that appears to have a positive impact on the regulation of insulin production and increasing insulin activity. 220 mcg is thought to be the minimum needed to help regulate blood glucose levels, making this dosage insufficient.

AntaGolin Side Effects

The use of AntaGolin does not come with serious side effects, although the evidence found in customer testimonies does suggest that minor issues are not uncommon. The culprit behind AntaGolin’s side effects appears to be inositol, which can cause headaches, nausea, tiredness and dizziness.

Diabetics should also be warned that a product like this could obviously cause blood sugar levels to drop, sometimes to a level that might be dangerous. Please seek advice from your doctor and find an approved treatment before considering AntaGolin!

AntaGolin Customer Feedback

It’s still somewhat hard to find independent reviews for AntaGolin on the Internet, and many of the statements posted below were lifted from comment sections. Notably, a number of customers posted to complain about minor side effects, although many others seemed satisfied.

AntaGolin Helps if you are overweight and insulin Resistance. Only on the second batch I started to see results. Of course you have to have a diet in play. This may be the best product out there, since there is no nanobots technology invented yet LOL.

I used AntaGolin for 6 months about 18 months ago. I needed to lose weight after my pregnancy. I had put on a lot of weight and as struggling to get rid of it. I was consumed with being a new mum and stopped feeling like anything else. I lost 15kgs on AntaGolin, went from a 36 to a 32. I went back to a size I hadn’t seen since my 20s. I had no side effects and more than that it made me get my health on track. I took eating well and exercising seriously for the first time and now a year after stopping the tablets I am still a 32. Worked for me.

I am a 52-year-old female. I started using Antagolin yesterday and also started with a sugar-free diet. I don’t know why but I am feeling ice cold and also very sleepy, dizzy, nauseous and with a headache. My usual clear skin looks like a teenager.

Being a patient of PCOS I decided to try AntaGolin a few months ago. After 3 days of use, I developed a severe reaction. With jaw pain that radiating to my ears, and swelling of my cheeks, mouth and throat within 10 mins. At the time I did not realise that the cause of the reaction was caused by the Antagolin so I resumed use after a few days. Then again the same reaction took place after 3 days.

AntaGolin Money-Back Guarantee

On their website, the Medical Nutritional Institute does not articulate any kind of returns policy, including a money-back guarantee. We would assume that no such money-back guarantee exists although some retailers or pharmacies may have their own policies.

Where To Buy AntaGolin

AntaGolin is currently only available to buy in South Africa, Namibia, and New Zealand. South African customers can order directly from the manufacturer’s website, buy from local pharmacies or order online from retailers such as takealot.com or Wellness Warehouse. South African customers should also note that all orders placed with the manufacturer’s website is sent out through PostNet, and must be collected from a local PostNet branch. Currently, it appears that AntaGolin is only available in local stores for customers from Namibia or New Zealand.

From the manufacturer’s website, one pack of AntaGolin costs 174.42 rand, with shipping charged at a flat rate of 40 rand (214.42 rand in total).

Watchdog Verdict

AntaGolin ads have been a regular fixture on South African television for a few years now, and the product has attracted an equal measure of interest and controversy. The manufacturer of AntaGolin has been put into a protracted legal battle with South Africa’s Advertising Standards Agency for false advertising, with the company simply stating that their ads were wholly representative of fact. Medical doctors have spoken out online to counter this, expressing concern that AntaGolin expresses itself with scientific or medical sounding language in its ads when there is no scientific evidence to support its claims.

In brief, the ingredients contained within the product have been shown at one point or another to stabilise blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance. That being said, the evidence supporting these conclusions is almost always insufficient and the ingredient quantities contained within this product are much too low, almost always being below the amount used in the supporting scientific tests. Put simply, there is no reason to believe that this product and its mix of ingredients and quantities will work as advertised.

Combine this with the lack of money-back guarantee and the company’s misrepresentation of the product’s side effect profile (which appears to be significant regardless of what the ads say), and this product appears to be a real dud.

We do not recommend AntaGolin to our readers!