Glucomannan Supplements: The Most Effective In Weight Loss?

Weight loss supplements have been popping everywhere for years. There are hundreds to choose from, and it could be overwhelming for someone who is just starting. I’m sure you heard about ingredients in the supplements that can help you lose weight and probably stumbled upon glucomannan supplements. I would be talking about this ingredient and why it became a hit with weight loss supplements.

Glucomannan is said to be one of the best ingredients to help you control your hunger. We will get to know all about this ingredient, how it works, its benefits, side effects, and what are the supplements that have it.

Let’s take a closer look at this so-called miracle ingredient and find out if it's the real deal about glucomannan supplements.

What Is Glucomannan?

Glucomannan comes from the root of a konjac plant. For centuries, it has been used as a part of traditional Japanese cooking and commonly used as a thickener agent. The root is renowned in Japan for being famously called “the broom of intestines” because of its benefits.

Glucomannan is known to make you experience fullness because it can absorb water, expand, and provide fiber to your stomach. It is natural that you can lose weight and has many benefits like reducing cholesterol and can help in controlling blood sugar levels.

Why Use Glucomannan?

Glucomannan comes from a natural source which is the konjac root. The konjac plant is full of fiber and is soluble and fermentable. It has been known to have many benefits, but most of all, it can help with weight loss.

If you are looking for natural supplements that will help you lose weight naturally without synthetic formulas, then weight loss pills with glucomannan will be great for you. However, glucomannan is still under research, so its benefits need further studies.

How Does Glucomannan Help With Weight Loss?

You might wonder how glucomannan will help with weight loss. The answer is that it is a water-soluble compound that is also dietary fiber. It can promote weight loss because it is very low in calories.

Glucomannan can promote the feeling of fullness because it can take up space in your stomach. You will reduce the intake of food, leading to a decrease in calorie intake in your body. Also, glucomannan can delay the emptying of your stomach, which would increase your satiety.

Glucomannan can help reduce the absorption of protein and fat. Also, it can promote a healthy digestive system because it feeds the good bacteria and turns them into fatty acids that protect your body from gaining fat. Since it can encourage good bacteria in your stomach, it can alter its environment to help your body, especially if it involves losing weight.

The use of glucomannan makes it viscous when it comes to losing weight. That is why it is an effective tool to burn fat.

Foods With High Fiber

The reason why glucomannan is excellent for weight loss is because of its fiber content. The Konjac plant isn’t the only source of fiber as you can get it from other foods. These foods will help you get the fiber that you need to help you lose weight.

If you want to lose weight, you need to manage your calorie intake, and eating less alone won’t help you without the proper management of your lifestyle. Eating fiber-enriched food and ditching processed food is a big factor. Here are the foods that can help you with your weight loss journey.

Legumes

• Beans
• Lentils
• Peas

These are soluble fiber, and incorporating these into your meals will help you get the thread you need in your diet.

Cereals

• Oats
• Barley
• Rye
• Amaranth
• pseudo-grains

Cereals are a great source of fiber, and we usually get our fix during our breakfast. Oats and barley are whole grains that contain soluble fiber. It is known as beta-glucan that’s why you’ll notice its thick and creamy texture.

Vegetables

• Cabbage
• Asparagus
• Sweet potatoes
• Brussel sprouts
• Onion
• Sunchokes
• chicory

Vegetables are a good source of fiber, and most of them have inulin, another form of fiber usually found in onions, chicory, and sunchokes. While sweet potatoes, cabbage, and asparagus have pectins.

Fruit

• Oranges
• Dates
• Apples
• Pears

Fruits are a high source of vitamins, and they also have fibers and can help you in your low-calorie diets.

Seeds and Nuts

• Chia seeds
• Flaxseed
• Psyllium

Seeds and nuts are sources that can help you lose weight. You can easily incorporate them into your salads, smoothies and can even serve as snacks.

Noodles

• Shirataki noodles

Noodles like shirataki are made from konjac which is a source of glucomannan. The noodles are a typical staple food in Japan and are made from glucomannan flour and water. It has a lot of fiber and has a high water content that will help you lose weight.

Benefits Of Glucomannan

Glucomannan is believed to have many benefits, and its research to prove it is still ongoing. Many studies can confirm that it can help with weight loss even without changing your diet and exercising.

Since glucomannan is a soluble fiber and helps build bulk of the intestines, it can also relieve constipation and slow down sugar absorption and cholesterol. Glucomannan is also known as a detox because it helps with allergies, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even high cholesterol.

Here are some benefits that you should know when you take glucomannan:

Can Help With High Cholesterol

There are studies about glucomannan and its connection with cholesterol as it can help keep it in check. It can lower down bad cholesterol, but there isn’t many things it can do to improve good cholesterol and blood pressure. More studies are needed to prove this study.

Can Help With Constipation

Glucomannan is a soluble fiber that will aid your and improve your digestion. It is recommended that a person should have a total of 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber intake for you to have a healthy digestive system. Taking glucomannan will help you if you suffer from chronic constipation.

Can Help Weight Loss

There have been mixed studies on how glucomannan helps in weight loss. According to some studies, if you take glucomannan supplements of about 2 to 4 grams daily, it will increase your chances of weight loss. It promotes satiety after you eat food. The study needs further research that the supplements work.

Can Help With Diabetes

Some studies suggest that glucomannan can absorb 50 times its weight in water, leading to its slow passing to the intestines. Because of this, it will have a slow absorption of sugar indigestion. Some studies also suggest that if you take glucomannan before your meals, you will get a decrease in blood glucose. However, these studies need more further research to conclude that it does help with diabetes.

Side Effects Of Glucomannan

Glucomannan is considered a safe product as long as it doesn’t have harsh chemicals and additives and even strange drugs that go with it. However, there is some side effects that you need to look out for.

In taking glucomannan, you need to drink enough water because of its fiber that can affect your digestive system. Drinking about 8 ounces of water in every 1 gram of glucomannan you take is enough before meals. If you don’t drink enough, the fiber from glucomannan can block your intestines, and in some cases, can also block your throat, so be careful of that.

If you are going to take glucomannan for the first time, better start with it slowly and see first how your body will adjust because beginning with a high dose can have a negative effect on your body. Also, it is recommended to take the supplement 15-30 minutes before your meals.

How To Take Glucomannan

Glucomannan comes in different forms. It can be purchased in powders, capsules, and tablet form. You can quickly get it from online stores and even in your local pharmacy and specialty stores with natural foods and supplements. A bottle of glucomannan usually has 500 to 2,000 milligrams of the supplement.

In taking glucomannan, there are no appropriate direct guidelines and it usually depends on the treatment you need. You can take up to 9 grams in a day or divide it into three to four doses which is much safer. Always take note that you need about 8 ounces of water whenever you take the supplement.

Glucomannan is safe for kids to take, but it would be better to consult your pediatrician to make sure of the correct dosage that your children take. When it comes to glucomannan powder, it is safe to consume by adults and even children.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, there is no concrete information about the safety of glucomannan. It would be better to avoid it, for now, to be safe. If you have diabetes, the supplement can interfere with your blood sugar levels, and you should closely monitor your blood sugar if you want to take it.

If you are going into surgery, it would be best to stop using glucomannan because it can interfere with your blood sugar levels, and it would be better no to take it two weeks before your surgery.

Products With Glucomannan

Now that we are done with information about glucomannan, you might be curious about the products with it. As you know, glucomannan comes in different forms like pills, tablets, and even powder form.

Glucomannan Powder

Glucomannan powder can be great for mixing with your meals, beverages, and other food. It is tasteless and can give your drinks a nice thick consistency.

Glucomannan Food Products

The food products that have glucomannan are shirataki noodles which are common in Japan. They are jelly-like noodles with a fishy smell but are very good when you turn them into a noodle meal.

Glucomannan Tablets

These are supplements in the form of tablets and are very solid. However, since it is very solid, it can block your throat while you take it.

Supplements With Glucomannan

Many supplements have glucomannan as its main ingredients. Here are some supplements that you might consider if you want a product with glucomannan.

Lipozene

Lipozene is one of the supplements that sells and brands itself as a weight loss pill with glucomannan. It is a stimulant-free and all-natural supplement. You can easily purchase it online and in stores for a very affordable price.

Nature’s Way

Nature’s Way is a weight loss pill that has glucomannan. They are a reputable brand that markets themselves as transparent and honest when it comes to their products. A bottle of nature’s way has 180 diet pills, and each capsule contains 665 mg of glucomannan. You only need to take three of their pills before your meals.

The pills are vegan friendly, with no gluten, allergens, and even stimulants. The product is also supported by clinical studies and is considered safe to take.

PGX

PGX or PolyGlycopleX is a high fiber source from glucomannan. It has a high water-holding capacity and is an excellent fat burner pill on the market today. Glucomannan is not the only ingredient in the product; it comes with a proprietary blend with three fiber sources and has sodium alginate and xanthan gum. If you don’t like Lipozene, then PGX is a good alternative; it comes with 600 mg of triglyceride.

How To Look For The Right Glucomannan?

The FDA does not regulate supplements much in the United States. If you want to know if the supplements you are taking are safe, make sure that it has been tested by U.S Pharmacopeia, NSF International or ConsumerLas. They are an independent certifying body that can tell if the products are consumable.

Since there are so many dietary supplements out in the market, watch out for certified brands by the U.S Department of Agriculture to be pure and safe. Also, keep an eye on marketing claims made by the supplements because most of them may not be true. There are many manufacturers that the Food and Drug Administration sues and Federal Trade Commission for making false claims about their products and their effectiveness.

Final Thoughts

Glucomannan supplement is a great product, and I believe it is effective when it comes to losing weight. Many studies conclude that since it is a highly viscous fiber, it will affect your digestion of food and help you feel full. There is nothing wrong with taking supplements with glucomannan as long as you adhere to its recommended dosage.

I would also highly recommend that if you take supplements like glucomannan to help you lose weight, it would be practical to incorporate it with the right diet and proper exercise. I don’t believe that there are “miracle pills” that will magically help you lose weight.