Glucomannan is a dietary fiber employed quite frequently in Western countries for the past two decades. Peoples in East Asia have used this fiber for more than a thousand years. This dietary fiber is the main polysaccharide obtained from the tubers of the Amorphophallus konjac plant, a member of the family Araceae. The chemical structure of glucomannan consists, mainly, in mannose and glucose in the ratio 8:5 linked by beta (1-->4) glycosidic bonds. This soluble fiber has a extraordinarily high waterholding capacity, forming highly viscous solutions when dissolved in water. It has the highest molecular weight and viscosity of any known dietary fiber. It has been demonstrated that this product is highly effective 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 hypocholesterolemic agent, interfering in the transport of cholesterol and of bile acids and as hypoglycemic and hypoinsulinemic agent, probably, by delaying gastric emptying and slowing glucose delivery to the intestinal mucosa. For more glucomannan information.

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

Glucomannan has the ability to absorb up to 50 times its weight in water.
Glucomannan Supplement Facts
Glucomannan (root) - 1.99 grams

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Side effects of glucomannan
To the beneficial properties of this fiber, several disadvantages can be added as the production of flatulence, abdominal pain, esophageal obstruction, lower gastrointestinal obstruction or even the possible modification of the bioavailability of other pharmaceutical drugs.

Glucomannan as weight loss supplement
Glucomannan is a soluble, fermentable, and highly viscous dietary fiber derived from the root of the elephant yam or konjac plant, which is native to Asia. There have been claims that glucomannan fiber use leads to weight loss.

Glucomannan lowers cholesterol and weight
Effect of two doses of a mixture of soluble fibres on body weight and metabolic variables in overweight or obese patients: a randomised trial.
Br J Nutr. 2007 Nov 22. Human Nutrition Unit, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Spain.
We included 200 overweight or obese patients in a parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, who were randomised to receive, in the context of an energy-restricted diet for a period of 16 weeks, a mixed fibre dose (3 g Plantago ovata husk and 1 g glucomannan) twice (b.i.d. group) or three times daily (t.i.d. group) or placebo. Weight loss tended to be higher after both doses of fibre) than placebo; the differences in changes between groups were not statistically significant. Postprandial satiety increased in both fibre groups compared to the placebo. The differences between groups in LDL-cholesterol levels were significant, with greater reductions in the two fibre-supplemented groups. A similar pattern was observed for changes in total cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol:LDL-cholesterol ratios.  For more information on natural weight loss supplements.

Glucomannan Research Update
Fiber (glucomannan) is beneficial in the treatment of childhood constipation.
Loening-Baucke V. University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Pediatrics. 2004 Mar;113(3 Pt 1):e259-64.
Constipation and encopresis are common problems in children. Still today, the role of fiber in the treatment of chronic constipation in childhood is controversial. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether fiber supplementation 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. 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. Forty-six chronically constipated children were recruited into the study, but only 31 children completed the study. These 31 children were 4.5 to 11.7 years of age. All children had functional constipation; in addition, 18 had encopresis when recruited for the study. No significant side effects were reported during each 4-week treatment period. Significantly fewer children complained of abdominal pain and more children were successfully treated while on fiber (45%) as compared with placebo treatment (13%). Parents rated significantly more children (68%) as being better on fiber versus 13% as being better on placebo. The initial fiber intake was low in 22 (71%) children. There was no difference in the percentage of children with low fiber intake living in the United States (70%) and Italy (71%). Successful treatment (physician rating) and improvement (parent rating) were independent of low or acceptable initial fiber intake. The duration of chronic constipation ranged from 0.6 to 10 years. Duration of constipation did not predict response to fiber treatment. Children with constipation only were significantly more likely to be treated successfully with fiber (69%) than those with constipation and encopresis (28%). 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 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 fiber emails
Q. Before I buy a glucomannan for weight loss, I would like to know if I can take a psyllium supplement during meals where I am not taking the glucomannan.
   A. We don't see any negative interactions between glucomannan and psyllium as long as the amounts used are reasonable.

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