It was a natural plant product that doctors were using to help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. But there was a good side effect, many of the people lost weight.

So after years of studies, some doctors say they have found a supplement that will improve your health and control your appetite.

It's not a diet pill, nor is this just another new diet book. Now some researchers say they have found a way to balance your body and brain so you can lose weight and stay thin naturally and easily.

"I went on this program to see what people might experience almost four and half years ago. I weighed 206 when I started. At the end of 30 days I weighed 188 pounds. I lost 18 pounds in one month and it was effortless," says Dr. Michael Murray, a naturopathic physician from Phoenix.

Dr. Murray is known as one of the world's leading authorities on natural medicine. He says his research and research at the University of Toronto and the Canadian Center for Functional Medicine is uncovering a way to keep your body and brain from making you fat. That's because even though you may want to lose weight, your brain wants you to gain even more weight.

"Deprivation doesn't work.  The National Institutes of Health analyzed diets and they found that 94 percent of people that go on a diet at the end of 5 years end up weighting more," adds Dr. Murray.

So behavior change and willpower do not work long term because the primal, survival centers of the brain are calling out for you to quickly eat the wrong types of food at the wrong times. That causes the weight problem. Doctors say you need your brain on your side or you'll eventually fail.

"We have to fool our body and our brain into thinking that you've eaten enough and if you're able to do that then you've hit the magic button," he says. 

Here's what's happening. The way we are eating, especially the white, sugary and processed foods, are causing our blood sugar levels to go up and down like a roller coaster. That causes the appetite centers in the brain to demand that we eat. So if those chemicals are being released saying 'eat, eat, eat' is it hard for you to not eat?

"It's impossible! It's like if I ask people to hold their breath some people may be able to hold their breath longer than others but eventually everybody's going to breath.  You can't commit suicide by holding your breath," says Dr. Murray.

And to make matters worse it's not only your blood sugar, but that fat already around your mid-section releases hormones that make you eat more, causes cravings, and store fat more easily. Also the insulin doesn't work well to get the sugar out of your blood and that makes you want to eat even more.

"The physiology of obesity is beautiful. Nature built in a system so that we would over consume when food was plentiful, he says.

So the doctors say they have found something that can fool the body and brain into thinking that you've eaten enough. It's a plant fiber called Konjac-mannan. They have put it in the PGX daily soft gels and Slim Styles powder mix with PGX.  When mixed with water the liquid gets extremely thick. They say this fiber can bind 600 to 1000 times its weight in water, more than any other fiber. And taken before every meal with lots of water, it will immediately tell your brain that you're full and satisfied, slow down digestion so you're satisfied longer. It also keeps your blood sugar level more steady and under control lowering your appetite and it makes your insulin work better as well as makes even sugary foods digest slowly. And it lowers cholesterol.

"We estimate that 5 grams of PGX is equal to about anywhere from 25 -100 grams of other fibers," says Dr. Murray. 

Two capsules is like eating 3 bowls of oatmeal but with zero calories. All the other doctors we spoke with say adding fiber in general to the diet is good.

"We know that when you increase fiber to 36 grams in the body it's associated with reducing hypertension, reducing cholesterol, reducing diabetes and if you're using soluble fiber increasing satiety. So yes, the product Konjac Root is associated with weight loss," says Dr. Henri Roca, who is with the LSU Health Sciences Center Department of Family and Integrative Medicine.

"I think it's okay to use.  Again as always it's a behavioral modification. You have to change many things in your life along with diet and exercise and if this is one thing that helps you get to where you need to go then I'm all for it. Absolutely," says Dr. Kim Edward LeBlanc, Chairman of the LSU Health Sciences Center's Department of Family Medicine.

Weight loss researcher Dr. Melinda Sothern combed through the science and says studies show fiber, especially combined with lean protein, helps with weight loss, but she doesn't see evidence yet that this one is better than eating other fiber.

"It's the cholesterol benefits would be the reason to take this fiber supplement. But there's not weight loss benefits over and above what a low carbohydrate, high fiber diet with quality protein would give you," says  Dr. Sothern of the LSU Health Sciences Center's School of Public Health.

But the doctors say the fiber supplement with the program in their book is helping 100 percent of the people in their clinical studies lose weight. Fitness expert Mackie Shilstone says follow the program carefully.

"You have to consult with your doctor.  You have to start out slow because a typical side effect of a higher incidence of fiber is gas or bloating, a little bit of indigestion and so he even says in the book to be careful and work up to a level of fiber you're comfortable with," says Shilstone of East Jefferson General Hospital.

Dr. Murray says they've had success with people who needed to lose 5 pounds and those who needed to loose 500.

"It's the holy grail of weight loss," says Dr. Murray.

So why aren't doctors and people embracing this everywhere since it sounds so easy?

"They are, they are, they really are. PGX is being studied at some of the major university and research centers in the world," he adds. 

Dr. Murray says we are a nation of yo-yo dieters and that's only making the problem worse because up until now no one has addressed the underlying cause.  

In one study, this fiber was put in biscuits and helped lower blood sugar and cholesterol in people with pre-diabetes.  Also, this fiber could interfere with absorption of your medication or medicines, so check with your doctor. Doctors advise to any prescription medication take one hour before or one hour after taking the fiber so you medicine will absorb properly.  

(For more on PGX and the "Hunger Free Forever" book and plan go to "Links on 4" on the home page)

(Editor's Note: Dr. Michael Murray has been compensated for work done with one of the distributors of PGX)