Glucomannan Supplement Could Improve Cholesterol Levels

Several clinical trials have investigated the potential of glucomannan on plasma lipids, body weight, fasting blood glucose and blood pressure.

Elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood accelerate atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). High cholesterol is one of the most important factors for heart disease, strokes and peripheral vascular disease.

Lifestyle modifications such as losing weight and exercise can improve cholesterol levels. Effective medications for treating high cholesterol are available, but not without adverse effects. There are also several supplements without adverse effects that could be used for improving cholesterol levels. One such supplement is glucomannan, a dietary fiber derived from the konjac plant and is used as an emulsifier and thickener in food.

In one eight-week double-blind trial conducted to test purified glucomannan fiber as a food supplement in 20 obese subjects, glucomannan fiber or placebo was given in 1g doses with 8 oz water 1 hour prior to each of three daily meals. Subjects were instructed not to change their eating or exercise patterns. Results showed a significant mean weight loss (5.5 lbs) using glucomannan over an eight-week period. Serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were significantly reduced (21.7 and 15.0 mg/dl respectively) in the glucomannan treated group. No adverse reactions to glucomannan were reported.

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that glucomannan appears to beneficially affect total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, body weight, and fasting blood glucose, but not HDL cholesterol or blood pressure. A systematic literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database was conducted from which 14 studies were selected. The results from these studies showed that the use of glucomannan significantly lowered total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, body and fasting blood glucose.

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References:
1. Walsh DE, Yaghoubian V, Behforooz A. Effect of glucomannan on obese patients: a clinical study. Int J Obes. 1984;8(4):289-93. PMID: 6096282.
2. Sood N, Baker WL, Coleman CI. Effect of glucomannan on plasma lipid and glucose concentrations, body weight, and blood pressure: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Oct;88(4):1167-75. PMID: 18842808.