Pinnacle's Insulene

Earlier today I decided to do research on Pinnacle’s Insulene. What started off as a bit of healthy skepticism turned into downright confusion. In Issue 173, Ron Harris wrote the following regarding Insulene in L.A. Dawg: “‘Sports Supplement Review’ reports that the Pinnacle product InsuLene, containing the glucose disposal agents colosonic acid and d-pinitol, is showing promise in preliminary research at Kent State for improving muscle uptake of glucose.” In Issue 183, Doug Kalman wrote the following in Scientific Conference Report: “In a study designed to find out if the supplement Insulene™ aided in blood glucose (sugar) control, researchers from Kent State determined that it didn’t.” Finally and recently, in Issue 207, Brock wrote the following in his Useful Stuff article: “I happen to like one of their [Pinnacle] non-hormonal mass enhancers quite a bit. It’s called Insulene.” He later continues: “Basically, this vegetable-based product will assist in driving carbohydrate sugar into muscle cells.” “This unique combination of nutrients has been shown to increase glycogen formation and storage in muscle cells.” The above statements do not contradict each other. Still, I am baffled. Please help out.

I searched some other forums (ones that review supps) for Insulene and didn’t find one positive review.

The research on Insulene presented at the 4th Annual Conference of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists DID not find any insulin or glucose modifying effects of Insulene. It did alter lipids though. So, my statement made way back then is on the only published direct study of the product, whereas Brock et al talk about the potential of the product and the individual ingredients. However, 1+1 does not always equal 3 - meaning that synergy does not always occur.

If your looking for something to aid in getting glucose out of your blood stream, just use ALA, it works very well at doing that as well as being a very good antioxident. Take 300-600 mg a few minutes before carb meals. 2-3 times a day.