Glucomannan is a water-soluble polysaccharide that is considered a dietary
fiber. It is a hemicellulose component in the cell walls of some plant species.
Glucomannan is a food additive used as an emulsifier and thickener. Products
containing glucomannan, marketed under a variety of brand names, are also sold
as nutritional supplements for constipation, obesity, high cholesterol, acne
vulgaris and type 2 diabetes. Although there is some clinical support for
potential health benefits, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not
approved any product containing glucomannan for the treatment of these medical
conditions. Health Canada has authorized some products containing glucomannan
for the purposes of appetite reduction, weight management, treatment of
constipation and management of high cholesterol levels.Nature's Way Glucomannan Root, 665 mg, 180 VCaps
Weight loss
In one three-armed study lasting 16 weeks, 200 overweight and obese subjects were given a mixture of psyllium seed husks (3g) and glucomannan (1g) twice daily, the same mixture 3 times daily, or a placebo. The psyllium and glucomannan groups lost, on average, 9.96 lbs and 10.14 lbs respectively compared to 1.75 lbs by the control group. The difference between the twice-daily and thrice-daily groups, was not statistically significant. The glucomannan group had increased satiety compared to the control group and LDL cholesterol was significantly reduced during the study period. The treatments were well tolerated in all groups.
An eight-week double blind trial involved 20 obese patients. A placebo or a glucomannan fiber supplement of 1 gram was given to the subjects one hour before each meal. No changes were made to the diet or exercise habits of the patients. The study found that during the eight-week period, cholesterol levels were significantly reduced, and the Glucomannan group had an average weight loss of 2.5 kg.
Because it is a fiber, glucomannan can assist with weight loss and healthy weight maintenance by expanding in the stomach and absorbing fats. Absorbed fats are eliminated from the body and do not undergo digestion, thus nullifying their caloric effect. Also, glucomannan occupies space in the stomach and provides feelings of fullness. You'll eat less when this happens, and this will direct your body to tap into body fat stores for energy. Simply, you'll have a better chance of burning fat and losing weight when you use glucomannan. Research has shown that you can lose up to 5.5lbs in eight weeks without exercise by taking 1 gram of glucomannan with 250ml of water one-hour before each meal!
Using glucomannan may result in a lowering of your blood cholesterol.3 Numerous studies have confirmed that a lowering of LDL cholesterol (low density lipoproteins - the so-called "bad" cholesterol) and an increase in HDL cholesterol (high density lipoproteins - the so-called "good" cholesterol) is correlated strongly with glucomannan supplementation.4 This is welcome news if you suffer from, or are at risk for, hypertension or cardiovascular abnormalities.
Glucomannan can also help normalize blood sugar levels by delaying food digestion.5 Research has shown that this can help diabetics better control their response to food, easing the burden of dietary restrictions and making their diabetes more manageable.6
Glucomannan is a popular ingredient in nutritional weight-loss supplements because of its weight loss and insulin controlling abilities. ____________________________________________________________________________
