How to Boost Your Weight Loss Using Glucomannan

Published on December 9, 2024

Do annoying fat and stubborn extra pounds cling to you, no matter what? When you gaze in the mirror, do you feel bummed, drained, and frustrated because none of the countless diets you’ve tried seem to work? Oh yeah, it’s a real challenge many people face, and it’s going to keep bugging us until we smarten up and discover a diet that really works.

Perhaps you have had your experience using Phentermine and losing a couple of pounds successfully. Phentermine is a great weight loss drug that is both safe to be used and efficient (1). The only downside to it is the fact that it is meant to be used for a short term only and three months might not be enough time for you to achieve great results. So we have something else that we would like to look into, and that is the use of Glucomannan in the battle against body fats and extra pounds.

In the following article, we will explain why we find this supplement to serve as a great weight loss agent, as well as, discuss its health benefits, its mechanism of action, and possible side-effects if there are any. So follow us and find out everything that there is to know about Glucomannan today!

What is Glucomannan?

Glucomannan is a water-soluble dietary fiber, originally extracted from the roots of a plant found in South Asia known as elephant yam or konjac (2). Before people figured it out that Glucomannan can be used as a dietary supplement due to its numerous health benefits, of which we will talk about in a little bit, it was first used as a food additive.

For centuries, Glucomannan has been found in most Japanese kitchens, serving as one of the best gelling agents. Glucomannan continues to be used in the process of cooking and can be found listed among the ingredients of pasta and flour. Glucomannan was approved by the FDA back in 1994.

Nowadays, Glucomannan can be found in the form of powder, capsules, and tablets, serving as a dietary supplement. Glucomannan is commonly recommended by doctors to their patients in cases of high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels (3), constipation (4), obesity and even an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) (5).

By being able to reduce high blood pressure levels, high cholesterol levels, and achieve weight loss, Glucomannan is believed to be able to reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and cholesterol. Also, there are suggestions that Glucomannan can help with allergies and acne, as well as, help reduce any present inflammation in the body, including the one that is present in the cases of Rheumatoid arthritis. However, more scientific research needs to be performed to test these theories in the future.

How does Glucomannan work?

At the beginning of the article, we mentioned Glucomannan is a water-soluble fiber. Like any other soluble fibers, Glucomannan as well possesses the ability to promote weight loss. But how, you ask? There is more than one mechanism of action when it comes to Glucomannan promoting weight loss.

For starters, Glucomannan has very few calories. Glucomannan has the highest viscosity of any fiber known to men. The main mechanism of action of Glucomannan is its ability to act as a sponge in our gut literally. What Glucomannan does is absorb the water in the digestive tract, expanding and forming a bulky fiber in the gut that creates a feeling of fullness (6).

That is how Glucomannan works to reduce your hunger and appetite, by creating an illusion that you are actually full in a quite simple way.

But that is not where Glucomannan stops. By absorbing the water from the gut, Glucomannan directly reduces the absorption of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and cholesterol, supporting the process of weight loss (7). In addition, it feeds the good bacteria present in the gut, and with that maintaining a good bacteria balance in the gut (8).

Is it safe to use Glucomannan?

Although rare, there are a few side-effects that anyone who might be using Glucomannan wants to keep on the mind. Flatulence, abdominal pain, and gut obstruction are the three most common side-effects that the users of Glucomannan have reported to experience (9). Since there is a slight chance of Glucomannan interfering with the other medications that one might be using at the moment, we encourage you to consult your doctor about such a possibility before proceeding to use Glucomannan.

If you are taking diabetic medication, you have to be careful about using Glucomannan at the same time. Because Glucomannan is capable of reducing the levels of blood glucose, when mixed with a diabetic medication it can put you at risk of low blood sugar and all the complications that come with it. If you are taking diabetic medication at the moment, please do consult your doctor before you proceed to use Glucomannan. Being approved by the FDA, Glucomannan is otherwise considered safe to be used as both a dietary supplement and a food additive.

Glucomannan and losing weight – is it helpful?

Keeping in mind everything that we have told you about Glucomannan so far, it is safe to say that yes, Glucomannan is recognized as a great weight loss supplement. Glucomannan is certainly not a magic pill, and there are some things that you should take in consideration, but it is still a highly effective weight loss supplement that we encourage you to try. Although, consulting about its use with a doctor is always a good idea as well.

By creating a sensation of fullness, Glucomannan reduces your hunger and appetite and with that promotes weight loss at first hand. Next – it reduces the absorption of proteins, but what interests us the most, of fats and carbohydrates as well. You see, there are many ways that Glucomannan promotes weight loss and good health. But is there any scientific research that supports these findings?

If you take a closer look, you will discover that there are in fact numerous scientific researchers and studies that investigate the health benefits of Glucomannan, focusing on weight loss. For example, a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that over the course of 60 days, Glucomannan supplement has been responsible for effective weight loss and reduced percentage of body fats. Total cholesterol among the participants in the study who had taken Glucomannan was also reduced prior to those who had taken a placebo (10).

Another study published in 2007 found the combination supplement of Glucomannan and Psyllium husk responsible for the loss of 10 pounds over 16 weeks. (11) These are just two scientific studies that serve as hard proof of the weight loss effects that Glucomannan has to offer you.

Weight loss tips and tricks while using Glucomannan

Drink enough water – Keeping your body hydrated at all times is practically a must. However, it is a health rule that most of us avoid on a daily level. Well, drinking enough water gets a whole new meaning when you are using Glucomannan. In order to avoid blocking your gut, please do remind yourself to drink enough water as a part of your weight loss process with Glucomannan.
Exercise regularly – Scheduling a regular exercise session during your day will help you enhance your weight loss experience. But that is not all – lean, strong muscles and great cardiovascular and respiratory functions are just some of the other beneficial effects that come with regular exercise.
Eat healthily – It would be impossible to imagine a long-term, healthy weight-loss without the help of an effective diet and calorie deficit. You have to understand that Glucomannan is only able to do so much for you alone, it requires help in the form of calorie restriction, enough healthy proteins, fats, and carbohydrates as well. You might recognize a few similarities here between Glucomannan and Phentermine. Phentermine as well requires a good diet plan and regular workout sessions in order to deliver great results.
Choose Glucomannan in powder – As we mentioned earlier, the dietary supplement Glucomannan can be found in the form of capsules, tablets, and powder. Reading online you will quickly learn that most users have had great experiences using Glucomannan in its powder form.
A powder means that you get to mix it with your morning smoothies and other foods and as a bonus, you get a nice thick consistency. Glucomannan is tasteless, so you do not have to worry about convincing yourself to take Glucomannan each day despite the bad taste. Of all three, out top choice is the powder and the capsules. The tablets are most commonly recognized as the cause for gut and throat blockage in the experience with Glucomannan.
Get enough sleep – A good night of sleep can do a lot for your weight loss process. If you research the stress hormone – cortisol, whose levels grow as a result of the stress that is being put on your body day after day, you will quickly learn that is what might be interfering with your weight loss process. And getting enough rest throughout the night is the best method to reduce your cortisol levels and ensure your weight loss experience. Create a sleep schedule so that you would be able to get around 7-8 hours of quality sleep each day.
Do not overdo it – There is in fact, a recommended dosage of Glucomannan according to the issue that you are trying to tackle with the use of this dietary supplement. For weight loss, powdered Glucomannan is recommended to be taken once a day. A half-full teaspoon is supposed to be mixed with around eight ounces of water and used 30-45 minutes before a meal.
Contrary to what most people tend to believe in, taking more is not always better, and it can prove to be in fact quite damaging sometimes. Please do consult your doctor about the recommended dosage of Glucomannan in order to achieve weight loss.

Conclusion

Apart from the fact that it serves as a great food additive for centuries now, Glucomannan has more to offer us. In fact, the use of Glucomannan has been responsible for a reduced risk of heart disease, heart attack, and even stroke, by simply eliminating the leading issues that most commonly cause these health problems. One of the beneficial effects is, of course, weight loss – the one that has led you to read today’s article!

As you have learned today, combining Glucomannan, a healthy diet and regular exercise are what will put an end to your suffering and disappointment that you face whenever you see your body in the mirror. Achieve great weight loss results with the help of Glucomannan starting today!

References