Glucomannan is a dietary fiber becoming more popular in Western countries. Peoples in East Asia have used glucomannan fiber for more than a thousand years. This dietary fiber is the main polysaccharide obtained from the tubers of the Amorphophallus konjac plant. Glucomannan fiber has a extraordinarily high water holding capacity, forming highly viscous solutions when dissolved in water. It has the highest molecular weight and viscosity of any known dietary fiber. Glucomannan supplement has studied in the treatment of obesity due to the satiety sensation that it produces; as a remedy for constipation, because it increases the feces volume; as a blood cholesterol lowering agent, interfering in the transport of cholesterol and of bile acids and as blood sugar lowering supplement for those with diabetes. The use of a glucomanna supplement delays gastric emptying and slows glucose delivery to the intestinal mucosa.
   If you would like to eat less, consider Diet Rx natural weight control product with glucomannan fiber and get a free bottle. See below for details.

Glucomannan root supplement, 500 mg
Diet Rx with glucomannan for appetite suppression

Glucomannan ( Amorphophallus konjac ) is a 100% dietary fiber source obtained from the root of the konjac plant. Glucomannan root is an excellent addition to a sensible weight control program. This glucomannan root product is especially grown and prepared to Japan according to exacting specifications.

Glucomannan root has the ability to absorb up to 50 times its weight in water.


Glucomannan supplement Facts
Glucomannan root - 500 mg per capsule

Click here to buy Glucomannan supplement, FREE bottle Diet Rx effective appetite suppressant, or to sign up to a free newsletter
Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter. Twice a month you will receive a review of several new studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics -- including glucomannan root fiber research -- and their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Diet Rx with glucomannan root for better weight control management
This natural appetite suppressant works without stimulants. Diet Rx has no added caffeine, ephedra, ephedrine alkaloids, synephrine, hormones, guarana, ginseng, or stimulating amino acids. 

Benefits of Diet Rx with glucomannan fiber and psyllium fiber
All natural appetite suppressant, decreases appetite so you eat less
Helps you maintain healthy blood sugar levels
Helps you maintain healthy cholesterol and lipid levels
Provides a variety of antioxidant from two dozen herbs and nutrients
Provides healthy fiber with glucomannan fiber and Modified-Citrus-Pectin dietary fiber  which helps you eat less.
 

Diet Rx is available for sale. You can also find out the ingredients in this product, and see a list of hundreds of high quality natural supplements

Glucomannan root and cholesterol
It appears that glucomannan root may be a natural herb for cholesterol management in adults and children.

Effect of glucomannan on plasma lipid and glucose concentrations, body weight, and blood pressure: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 October. Sood N, Baker WL, Coleman CI. University of Connecticut Schools of Medicine and Drug Information, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT 06102-5037, USA.
Several clinical trials have investigated the impact of glucomannan on plasma lipids, body weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and blood pressure (BP), but have yielded conflicting results and had only modest sample sizes. The objective was to perform a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of glucomannan to better characterize its impact on plasma lipids, FBG, body weight, and BP. Glucomannan appears to beneficially affect total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, body weight, and FBG, but not HDL cholesterol or BP.

Effect of plant sterols and glucomannan on lipids in individuals with and without type II diabetes.
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006 Apr;60(4):529-37. School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether supplements of plant sterols and/or glucomannan fiber improve lipid profile and cholesterol biosynthesis in mildly hypercholesterolemic type II diabetic and non-diabetic subjects and to compare the response of these two subject groups to the treatments. Subjects were supplemented with plant sterols (1.8 g/day), glucomannan (10 g/day), a combination of glucomannan fiber and plant sterols, and a placebo, provided in the form of bars. Overall plasma cholesterol concentrations were lower after combination treatment compared to control. Plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations were decreased after glucomannan and combination treatments compared to control. The results suggest that glucomannan fiber and a combination of glucomannan and plant sterols substantially improves plasma LDL cholesterol concentrations.

Konjac glucomannan supplement alleviated hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetic subjects--a randomized double-blind trial.
Chen HL, Sheu WH. Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C. J Am Coll Nutr. 2003 Feb;22(1):36-42.
The present study was designed to evaluate effects of konjac glucomannan supplement (3.6 g/day) for 28 days on blood lipid and glucose levels in hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic patients and the possible mechanism for the reductions in blood lipid levels. Twenty-two diabetic subjects with elevated blood cholesterol levels, but currently not taking lipid-lowering medication, were recruited to participate in a two 28-day period, randomized, double-blind, crossover clinical trial. Compared with placebo, konjac glucomannan effectively reduced plasma cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, total/HDL cholesterol ratio, ApoB and fasting glucose. The konjac glucomannan supplement improved blood lipid levels by enhancing fecal excretion of neutral sterol and bile acid and alleviated the elevated glucose levels in diabetic subjects. Konjac glucomannan could be an adjunct for the treatment of hyperlipidemic diabetic subjects.

Effect of dietary supplementation with glucomannan fiber on plasma total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic children.
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2005 Jun;15(3):174-80. Lipid Clinic Research, Istituto di Clinica Pediatrica, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Viale Regina Elena 324, I-00161 Roma, Italy. francesco.martino30@tin.it
This paper evaluates the effect of the adjunct of the hydrosoluble fiber glucomannan to a Step-One-Diet in 40 plasma hypercholesterolemic children, during a randomized controlled trial, to reduce plasma cholesterol. Glucomannan treated group showed decreased values in plasma total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol vs. control group after 8 weeks of treatment. These results suggest that glucomannan may represent a rationale adjunct to diet therapy in primary prevention in high risk hypercholesterolemic children.

Glucomannan and weight loss
Many weight loss products contain glucomannan fiber.

Chronic use of glucomannan in the dietary treatment of severe obesity
Minerva Med. 1992 Mar;83(3):135-9. Centro per la Farmacoterapia delle Malattie Nutrizionali, Università degli Studi di Milano.
Two groups of 25 severely obese patients underwent 3 months of hypocaloric diet therapy either alone or associated with a glucomannan based fibrous diet supplement (approx. 4 grams per day in 3 doses). The comparative analysis of the results obtained in both groups showed that the diet plus glucomannan group had a more significant weight loss in relation to the fatty mass alone, an overall improvement in lipid status and carbohydrate tolerance, and a greater adherence to the diet in the absence of any relevant side effects. Due to the marked ability to satiate patients and the positive metabolic effects, glucomannan diet supplements have been found to be particularly efficacious and well tolerated even in the long-term treatment of severe obesity.

Glucomannan and constipation in children
At least one good study shows glucomannan is helpful in relieving childhood constipation.

Fiber ( glucomannan ) is beneficial in the treatment of childhood constipation.
Pediatrics. 2004 Mar;113(3 Pt 1):e259-64.Loening-Baucke V. University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
The aim of our study was to evaluate whether fiber supplementation with glucoamannan is beneficial in the treatment of children with functional constipation with or without encopresis. We used glucomannan as the fiber supplement. We evaluated the effect of fiber (glucomannan, a fiber gel polysaccharide from the tubers of the Japanese Konjac plant) and placebo in children with chronic functional constipation with and without encopresis in a double-blind, randomized, crossover study. After the initial evaluation, the patients were disimpacted with 1 or 2 phosphate enemas if a rectal impaction was felt during rectal examination. Patients continued with their preevaluation laxative. No enemas were given during each treatment period. Glucomannan fiber and placebo were given as 100 mg/kg body weight daily (maximal 5 g/day) with 50 mL fluid/500 mg for 4 weeks each. We found glucomannan to be beneficial in the treatment of constipation with and without encopresis in children. Symptomatic children who were already on laxatives still benefited from the addition of glucomannan fiber. Therefore, we suggest that we continue with the recommendation to increase the fiber in the diet of constipated children with and without encopresis.

Glucomannan side effects
Glucomannan side effects may occur but are minor. If glucomannan fiber is used in very high amounts, it may increase the production of flatulence, or cause abdominal pain. High amounts of glucomannan fiber may also modify the bioavailability of other drugs.

Glucomannan root fiber biochemistry
The chemical structure of glucomannan root consists, mainly, of mannose and glucose in the ratio 8:5 linked by beta (1-->4) glycosidic bonds. Glucomannan is a soluble, fermentable, and highly viscous dietary fiber derived from the root of the elephant yamor konjac plant, native to Asia. Glucomannan consists of a polysaccharide chain of beta-D-glucose and beta-D-mannose with attached acetyl groups. Human pancreatic and salivary amylase cannot split the beta-1,4 linkages, and hence glucomannan reaches the colon without being broken down. In the colon, glucomannan is fermented by the bacteria. The molecular weight of glucomannan averages about one million daltons.

Glucomannan fiber supplement questions
Q. I was wondering if is ok for me to take glucomannan fiber now then I'm breastfeeding my 2 months old baby.
  A. We have no reason to believe that glucomannan fiber supplement would have any side effects, but this is something you have to clear with your doctor who can read this glucomannan page.

Q. Can glucomannan supplement be taken the same day as Diet Rx diet pill?
   A. Glucomannan fiber is a safe nutrient and it can be taken with breakfast or lunch the same day as Diet Rx.