In recent decades, glucomannan has been introduced to the

United States and European markets as a food additive and

dietary supplement. What is glucomannan? It’s a beneficial,
soluble and fermentable dietary fiber derived from the root of
the konjac plant, which is native to Asia.

People in East Asia have used konjac fiber, also known as

glucomannan powder, for thousands of years as both food and
traditional medicine. The indigenous people of China have used
konjac to treat asthma, breast pain, coughs, hernias, burns and
various skin disorders. Fast-forward to present day and
scientific studies have revealed that supplementing with konjac
glucomannan can significantly lower plasma cholesterol,
improve carbohydrate metabolism, encourage bowel
movements and promote a healthy colon. (1)

One of the reasons some  people may be familiar with

glucomannan is because it’s marketed for its ability
to  promote  weight loss. Search for “glucomannan Walmart”
and you’ll see that chains like Walmart are already selling this
plant fiber as a supplement. There is even a brand-name
dietary supplement called Lipozene with glucomannan as its
primary ingredient.

Glucomannan weight loss just might be possible if you also lead

a generally healthy lifestyle, but it’s important to choose the
right product and take it in a safe manner. The fiber from konjac
root also holds many other surprising health benefits. There are
not many glucomannan side effects, but the most dangerous
one (choking) is possible yet avoidable. Pretty much tasteless,
glucomannan powder can be added to smoothies and be used
to make a high-fiber  pasta. If you’re not using it already, let’s
talk about why you may or may not want to become a consumer
of this Asian plant fiber.
5 Glucomannan Health Benefits 

1. Weight Loss

Konjac root’s fiber has a very low calorie content but is very
high in fiber. Similar to many vegetables, this is a combination
that promotes a healthy waist line. Of course, the rest of your
diet has to be healthy, and you also need to be exercising
regularly. Consuming konjac powder can help weight loss by
promoting a feeling of fullness or satiety, which makes you less
likely to overeat.

In a 2005 study, 176 healthy overweight people were randomly

assigned to ingest either a fiber supplement or a placebo while
on a calorie-restricted diet. The fiber supplements  were
either  glucomannan, glucomannan and guar gum, or
glucomannan along with guar gum and alginate. All of the
subjects consumed a balanced 1,200-calorie diet plus either the
fiber supplement or a placebo. After a five-week observation
period, the researchers found  that all of the fiber supplements
plus controlled diet led to a decrease in weight compared to
placebo plus diet.

However, they conclude that  glucomannan specifically

produced a reduction in body weight in overweight yet
otherwise healthy subjects, but the addition of guar gum and
alginate did not seem to cause any additional loss of weight. (2)

Conversely, some studies, like a 2012 one published in the

Journal of the American College of Nutrition, did not show that
taking glucomannan led to any  statistically significant weight
loss. (3) However, I think it’s safe to say that glucomannan can
likely be effective for promoting weight loss when it’s combined
with an overall weight-reducing lifestyle, including a healthy diet
and regular exercise.
2. Natural Prebiotic

Probiotic foods are certainly essential for gut health and

overall well-being, but prebiotics are what actually help “feed”
probiotics. Prebiotics — like glucomannan as well as garlic,
jicama and artichokes — are types of non-digestible fiber
compound. Glucomannan, like all prebiotics, passes through
the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract and remains
undigested because the human body can’t fully break it down.
But once prebiotics reach the colon, where they’re fermented by
the gut microflora, they create probiotics.

Konjac root powder is a prebiotic that feeds the friendly bacteria

in the intestine. A study published in 2008 demonstrated that
glucomannan supplementation increases the fecal
concentration of probiotics in general as well as specific
probiotics like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. (4)

Why is this important? Higher intakes of prebiotics are linked to

benefits, including: (5)

• lower risk for cardiovascular disease

• healthier cholesterol levels
• better gut health
• improved digestion
• lower stress response
• better hormonal balance
• higher immune function
• lower risk for obesity and weight gain
• lower inflammation and autoimmune reactions

The fact that konjac root is a prebiotic is one of the reasons why
it has the next benefit.
3. Constipation Relief

Constipation is a common problem typically caused by a low-

fiber diet, dehydration and lack of exercise. Several studies
have demonstrated that glucomannan may be helpful for
constipation. When consumed, the powder works as a prebiotic
in your system, which is very helpful for promoting healthy
bowel movements.

Glucomannan is considered a bulk-forming natural laxative,

which means that the intake of it is able to promote a larger,
bulkier stool that more easily passes through the colon. It also
encourages a stool that requires less straining to expel.

A preliminary trial and a number of double-blind trials found

glucomannan to be an effective constipation treatment.

For constipated individuals, glucomannan and other bulk-

forming laxatives typically encourage a bowel movement within
12 to 24 hours of intake. Studies have shown three to four
grams to be effective for constipation. (6)

One 2008 study specifically found that a modest dose of

a konjac glucomannan supplement encouraged bowel
movements in constipated adults by 30 percent and improved
colonic ecology in general. (7)

4. Lowers Cholesterol

A systemic analysis of 14 glucomannan studies was published

in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and it revealed
that the use of glucomannan had significantly beneficial effects
on total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, as well as
body weight and fasting blood glucose. However, it did
not affect HDL cholesterol or blood pressure.
More specifically, glucomannan was able to do the following in
these studies: (8)

• Lower total cholesterol by 19.3 mg/dL

• Lower LDL cholesterol by 16 mg/dL
• Lower triglycerides by 11.1 mg/dL
• Lower fasting blood sugar by 7.4 mg/dL

How in the world does glucomannan help the body lower these
important measures of health? Being the fiber-centric substance
it is, it’s able to decrease absorption of cholesterol in the gut
by sponging up water in the digestive tract, which reduces the
absorption cholesterol by the body. You then have less
cholesterol floating around in your blood.

5. Helps Diabetics

There are more than 20 scientific studies involving

glucomannan and diabetes. One of the ways it can help
diabetics is because it delays the stomach’s natural emptying
process, which leads to more gradual sugar absorption and
lower blood sugar levels after meals.

A study published in Diabetes Care was small (only 11

hyperlipidemic and hypertensive type 2 diabetics), but it showed
very positive effects of konjac fiber. The study subjects, who
were being treated conventionally with a low-fat diet and drug
therapy, were given biscuits enriched with konjac fiber. Overall,
the researchers concluded that the addition of konjac fiber
to conventional treatment may improve blood sugar control,
blood lipid profile as well as systolic blood pressure in high-risk
diabetic patients. In turn, they believe konjac fiber can improve
the effectiveness of conventional type 2 diabetes treatment. (9)
Another study gave 72 type II diabetic subjects konjac food for
65 days. Overall, it was concluded that konjac food is very
useful in the prevention and treatment of hyperglycemia.
(10) Hyperglycemia or high blood sugar commonly affects
diabetics. It’s a condition in which an excessive amount of
glucose (sugar) circulates in the blood.

Overall, taking glucomannan by mouth or including it in your

diet may help to reduce cholesterol, blood sugar levels and
blood pressure in people with diabetes, which is why it should
be part of a healthy diabetic diet plan.