I had never heard of Glucomannan or weight loss until I was asked recently “What does glucomannan do?”
This puts me in a certain category.
I am a nutritionist and study diet, but my brain shuts down when I’m presented with infomercials. I also admit to having missed some important trends over the years.
Glucomannan, a diet supplement, has achieved exactly what it was meant to do for those who were able to benefit from it.
It was a pathetic and ineffective product that made quite a splash in 2000. However, its proponent did not get in any legal trouble. The reason it is still well-known today is partly due to an almost inexorable ad campaign that does not use the term ‘glucomannan’.
It is likely that any company advertising it so consistently has made a lot of money.
Although glucomannan is naturally occurring, patenting it is not possible. However, this is not an issue for the bottom line.
A Beginner’s Guide Video Review
What is Glucomannan?
Glucomannan, the ‘corm’ (or root) of an Asian plant called Konjac is the main ingredient in Lipozene. It is a popular weight-loss supplement.
Lipozene, the infant of the diet market and the public enemy of FDA was around 2008.
The surface of glucomannan is a tool that dieters can use to help them in a time-honored way.
It doesn’t work or not at this time. We are just talking about the mechanism to (literally!) get things moving.
What does glucomannan do? It is a fiber. When consumed, it may cause a feeling of fullness.
Since the dawn of time, people have used bran flakes to lose weight. Then they switched to Metamucil and made a happy swap to tasteless psyllium shells.
We prefer to get fiber from our food today. Glucomannan, as a fiber supplement, is not very impressive.
Fiber is a proven way to lose weight and, in modern thinking maintain good gut health.
What is Konjac Root?
Konjac (or Amorphophallus Konjac) has many other names, including Elephant Yam and konnyaku (yam cakes), although it is not related with true yams.
Since 1500 years, the Japanese have created a variety of food from konjac corm, including noodles, tofu, fruit jellies, and a type vegan sashimi.
Konjac is not an exotic Asian rarity, but it is still widely used because of its unique properties.
It is flavorless and indistinguishable from color, so it can showcase any ingredient that has been added. Additionally, it jells naturally which pleases the texture-oriented Asian palate.
Konjac can also be used in Chinese medicine and folk medicine (and food), in certain provinces. Records date back to 2000 years.
Folk remedies were centered around bronchial treatment, while traditional medicine uses konjac to detoxify and loosen the phlegm.
There are other uses for it, but none that are directly related to weight loss.
Konjac and Glucomannan in the Western World
Sometimes called an “ancient and rare Chinese supplement”, glucomannan is available in capsules, tea, powder, tablets, capsules, and other forms.
When we realized what a marketer’s dream it was, we started to get the creeps over glucomannan.
There is one thing that is rare about glucomannan from Asia: the name. However, it is safe and fiber can be used to help you lose weight.
Many of the claims about glucomannan are not completely false until you get to the hard medical research.
The concept of ancient Asian medicine is magical. It just sells.
It is interesting that the Merriam Webster dictionary and the Free Dictionary don’t contain the word “glucomannan”, but it is in all medical libraries.
We were unable to trace the origins of the term after extensive research. The only thing that we could find was a vague reference to a Taiwanese herbal tea, which was marketed in 1980.
There is no copyright required. If anyone searches for references to glucomannan in Chinese medicine, it will be rare as the term used doesn’t cross-reference.
The surface of glucomannan seems to have everything it needs as a profitable weight-loss supplement. A quick Google search for ‘glucomannan’ brings up Dr. Oz and Dr. Axe and Dr. Hyman.
Companies Promoting Glucomannan
The Obesity Institute does. These facts should be known about the company.
ORI was the first to market glucomannan under brand names FiberThin, and later Propolene.
Lipozene is a different substance.
It was still available on basic cable in 2008, promoted with a mix of hard sell/soft selling tactics, and much more expensive than other glucomannan supplement brands despite its “buy 2 get 2” promises that apply when one calls right now.
It still claims to be America’s #1 diet supplement and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
There are many references to studies. It is difficult to decode because ORI prefers to call’studies in Lipozene’, which don’t exist, instead of studies of glucomannan and konjac root. These do exist, but they are rare.
In an apparent attempt to confuse by sheer accuracy, the Lipozene contents are listed as Amorphophallus Konjac.
There have been claims that Lipozene does not contain enough glucomannan for weight loss. Also, that people would explode if it did, both of these claims are false.
Lipozene’s marketing team, not their supplement, merits flagellation. They are the ones responsible for the interest and enthusiasm in glucomannan. The gel caps could be filled by psyllium shell and still be (in)effective and completely harmless.
Glucomannan Health Benefits
Glucomannan may have weight loss benefits that aren’t particularly remarkable for any other fiber. This is combined with the ability to cause swelling upon consumption which can make people feel fuller and curb their appetite.
Despite its popularity, it is not clear if it is well-deserved. The health benefits of glucomannan are not clear and there has not been extensive research on it as a weight loss aid.
The National Institute of Health currently publishes 13 studies on glucomannan use, including one on konjac.
None of these were published after 2015, and only three are about weight loss.
The Asian study, however, is similar to many other studies that focus on the use glucomannan for animal feed.
2018 has not seen any published studies on Lipozene. As of 2018, no studies on Lipozene have been published. The only question that remains is “What does Glucomannan do?”
Roger Clemens is an adjunct professor in pharmaceutical sciences pharmacology. He says that “[Studying] Glucomannan” is “generally passe in the scientific and medical communities.”
Glucomannan and Weight Loss
One study in obese postmenopausal females showed positive results, focusing on studies that looked at Glucomannan’s effects on weight loss.
However, the study involved glucomannan in combination with aronia or chokecherry, which was being promoted with mixed success as a new “super berry”.
Glucomannan has been studied to reduce pain in children who have had abdominal surgery. However, there were no statistically significant results.
A second study on the effects of glucomannan in obese children was also rejected.
An obscure 2005 Norwegian study published in the Medical Science Monitor has been mentioned. It showed that glucomannan can help with weight loss when combined with a 1200 calorie diet and exercise.
The NIH didn’t archive this study.
Scientific summaries agree with the conclusion that glucomannan is not well-studied for weight loss. Furthermore, the few studies that have been done are flawed and therefore not worth further investigation.
Glucomannan absorbs water and works in the intestines. This has the effect of bulking. The fiber becomes a gel-like substance.
The gel expands, encouraging more frequent and larger bowel movements.
Glucomannan can also cause stomach swelling when it reacts to liquids. This can lead to satiety.
When glucomannan is combined with liquids in the body, it becomes a bulking gel. This can improve regularity and satisfaction.
A lot of people use glucomannan to lose weight.
Research has shown that it can help with weight loss by suppressing or reducing appetite, delaying emptying of stomach and aiding with regular bowel movements.
This is especially true if you take it with lots of water.
Numerous clinical trials have shown that glucomannan can be used daily to help with weight loss and treatment of obesity.
The Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that fiber can help with weight loss in a 2015 study.
Take glucomannan daily with lots of water to help you lose some extra weight.
Its ability to decrease appetite and promote regular bowel movements is the main reason. Results can vary from one person to another.
Additional health benefits of Glucomannan
A clinical study found that natural fiber can lower plasma total cholesterol levels when used for at least eight weeks. On average, females saw a decrease of 24% while males experienced a decrease of 9 per cent.
Glucomannan, Digestion
Research has shown that glucomannan can have a positive impact on the digestive system. It is a natural dietary fibre that promotes regular bowel movements.
Glucomannan is often used to treat laxative effects.
It swells in the intestines, absorbs water and is able to move waste more efficiently through the colon.
Regular exercise is good for your overall health.
A clinical study that involved 93 patients suffering from chronic constipation found that one gram of fiber per day was effective in reducing the symptoms.
If you don’t get enough dietary fiber from whole grains, vegetables, and beans, adding 1-3 grams of glucomannan can be a great way to increase your intake.
Natural fiber is good for the digestive system, especially if you don’t get enough fiber in your diet or suffer from constipation.
Glucomannan Dosage
Men should consume 38g of dietary fiber per day. Women require at least 25g of dietary fiber per day.
You can get this fiber from whole grains, legumes and fruits, vegetables, nuts seeds, beans, and oatmeal.
To see real results with glucomannan it is advised to take at least 1-3g per day.
Also, you need to think about what you are trying to achieve. Are you using it to lose weight or for constipation?
A study over eight weeks found that one gram of fiber combined with eight ounces water three times per day (one hour before meals), led to a weight loss of on average 5.5 pounds.
Another study found that children who consumed up to five grams of glucoseannan daily had a reduced risk of chronic constipation.
Your health goals and the amount of dietary fibre you eat will determine how much you need each day. A heavier person may need more glucomannan.
Glucomannan Side Effects
As one would expect from a fiber supplement intake, glucomannan can cause:
There were reports that people’s intestines would burst due to excessive use of glucomannan when it first became popular.
This is not supported by any evidence. We have to call it urban medical myology. Perhaps this was prompted by jokes about people having to take so much of glucomannan in order to lose weight they’d ‘explode’.
Fiber has a stool softening effect which makes it unlikely that there would be any significant fiber buildup in the gut.
As mentioned, jelly candies are one of the many uses for Japanese konjac. These fruit-flavored treats come in small pieces or cups. Some Americans choked on them unaware that they need to chew them and not swallow them whole.
They were also given to very young children. 6 children were reported to have choked on konjac candy. This led to warnings from the government. The small size of the pieces and not the ingredients were what caused the choke, as was widely believed at the time.
The FDA and Canadian equivalent departments issued warnings about the use of these treats. These warnings are the only ones about glucomannan that have been published.
Take care when you’re presented with an Asian gummy dessert.
This advice is applicable to many different snacks.
Konjac candy is dangerous for very young children because they are smaller and more similar in texture to jellos than to gumdrops.
> “Great for appetite suppression. The best product I have found to suppress appetite is a tiny amount. For 16 hours, I fast intermittently most days. My hunger is quietened by a 1/4 teaspoon of coffee I have added in the last hour or two. It can also prevent Keto constipation. This package will last for a long time.”
> “I nearly went to the hospital after trying it. Then I melted one capsule in small glass jars with lids. The capsule swelled into a mass about the size of a peanut. However, it wasn’t soft enough to cause excessive pain in my back when I first tried it. You can also read similar reviews to mine. I didn’t check for negative reviews before purchasing this product.
The Bottom Line about Glucomannan
Glucomannan is a powerful supplement that can improve overall health and well-being. [1]
Research suggests that glucomannan can help you lose weight.
However, glucomannan is not effective in weight loss and has not been shown to be as beneficial as any other fiber.
P.T. Every minute, Barnum has a new potential customer.
And glucomannan is as much a part of Udon noodles as any other glucomannan food.
There are no special reasons to take glucomannan supplement.
Glucomannan foods can be found in markets. They may enhance a diet high in fiber. This is highly recommended.
If you are considering taking glucomannan to treat a particular health condition, it is a good idea to consult a licensed doctor before starting. You will be able to fully understand any drug interactions and safety concerns.
About the Author: Summer Banks has studied over 5000 diet plans, pills, shakes, and weight-loss products. She previously managed 15 brands of supplements, worked with nutritionists in the weight-loss industry, and was a Stanford University graduate.
