• Healthy Weight Management
• Lowers Cholesterol
• Stabilizes Blood Glucose Levels
• Supports Regularity
• Cancer Prevention

Glucomannan is a soluble, bulk-forming fiber derived from the Konjac Mannan Root, a type of yam that grows in certain parts of Asia. Glucomannan powder offers many health-promoting benefits through its ability to form a soft gel with water. Research indicates that soluble fibers in Glucomannan help lower blood cholesterol, slow glucose absorption, and promote regular bowel movements. Clinical studies have demonstrated that Glucomannan can provide temporary relief of constipation and may help to maintain serum lipid levels already within the healthy range. In addition, because Glucomannan helps to promote a feeling of fullness and can be an effective addition to a weight management plan that includes a healthy diet and exercise program.

Weight Loss Benefits

Glucomannan offers benefits for those seeking to lose weight. Studies show that supplementing with glucomannan enhances the weight-loss effects of a calorie-restricted diet. Glucomannan may promote weight loss in obese adults, even in the absence of a calorie-restricted diet. When obese adults consumed 1 gram of glucomannan fiber one hour before each meal for eight weeks, they lost an average of 5.5 pounds of body weight—with no other changes to their eating or exercise patterns.

Glucomannan creates a feeling of satiety or fullness through its water-binding effects. By creating a thick gel, glucomannan delays gastric emptying and slows the release of sugar into the bloodstream, which helps to lower levels of insulin and blood glucose. Additionally, glucomannan improves blood-lipid profiles and can lower systolic blood pressure. Because of these effects, glucomannan can greatly benefit individuals with metabolic syndrome or diabetes.

The Importance of Supplementing with Glucomannan Fiber

The average American currently consumes only 12-17 grams of fiber a day from dietary sources, far below the 20-35 grams recommended by the American Dietetic Association and the 30 grams or more suggested by both the American Heart Association and the National Cancer Institute.

Since many people do not want to change or cannot change their diets, supplements and natural fiber products can help them benefit from fiber's many beneficial effects. Supplemental fiber products can provide optimal combinations and amounts of fiber, as well as complementary nutrients such as calcium. Incorporating increased fiber intake into a daily plan for healthy living can help you lower your risk of heart attack and cancer, as well as prevent or manage such common conditions as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Moreover, fiber is a valuable tool in achieving optimal weight.

With increased fiber intake, some people may experience gastrointestinal discomfort or changes such as increased or loose bowel movements. This is simply the body's period of adjustment to the introduction of greater amounts of dietary fiber. Medical professionals recommend adding fiber to the diet gradually until the body adjusts. Moreover, because soluble fibers form a gel with water, it is important to drink plenty of water with fiber supplements. Abundant water intake will help to optimize fiber's actions in the body and prevent ill effects such as dehydration or constipation.

Glucomannan is a polysaccharide, which means that chemically it is made up of simple sugars—specifically, mannose and glucose. It is also a soluble fiber and can absorb up to 200 times its weight in water.

Other Health Benefits of Glucomannan Powder

Hyperthyroidism Treatment

Researchers have been studying the effects of Glucomannan on thyroid hormone levels in patients with hyperthyroidism. Results have been positive and Glucomannan may be a good complement to standard hyperthyroid treatments.

Lower Cholesterol & Heart Disease Prevention

Studies on diabetic rats indicate that long-term supplementation with konjac glucomannan may help prevent heart attacks and strokes in people who have diabetes. In diabetic rats put on diets high in cholesterol, glucomannan prevented the formation of aortal plaques, deposits that increase heart disease risk. Glucomannan may do this in humans, too, by reducing LDL cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Help for Type 2 Diabetes

Glucomannan keeps fasting blood glucose levels stable. In one study, diabetic patients were given glucomannan for 90 days and their fasting glucose levels fell by an average of 29%.

Anti-Aging Benefits

In one study, researchers found that feeding rats glucomannan meal for 18 months delayed cell aging, arteriosclerosis and brain deterioration.

Cancer Prevention

Experimental studies also indicate that it may protect against certain types of cancer. When elderly people were given glucomannan powder and fiber the following results were found: Bacteria in the gut changed and the growth of the so-called "good bacteria" such as Bifidobacterium was encouraged. Increases in good bacteria were associated with a reduction in pro-cancerous nitrosamines, proteins thought to be responsible for the development of liver cancer and other cancers. Good bacteria also encouraged better gut motility—motion, including peristalsis that led to a bowel movement — thereby helping to move waste products out of the body before they can promote cancer or other illnesses.

Glucomannan Side Effects

Like other soluble fibers, glucomannan has the potential to bind with and reduce the absorption of certain nutrients - so a daily multivitamin supplement may be advisable for individuals consuming high doses of glucomannan on a regular basis. In high doses, glucomannan may lead to diarrhea, bloating and flatulence - but cutting back the dose relieves these unpleasant side effects.