title: Glucomannan minimizes the postprandial insulin surge: a potential adjuvant for hepatothermic therapy.
abstract: Glucomannan (GM) is differentiated from other soluble fibers by the extraordinarily high viscosity of GM solutions. Administration of 4-5g of GM with meals, blended into fluid or mixed with food, can slow carbohydrate absorption and dampen the postprandial insulin response by up to 50%. Controlled clinical studies document that GM can promote satiety and weight loss, lower LDL cholesterol, improve diabetic control, and correct constipation, with minimal if any side-effects. Rodent studies suggest that GM may have potential for decreasing cancer risk and possibly even slowing the ageing process. Hepatothermic therapy, a technique for achieving rapid loss of body fat by optimizing the liver's capacity for fat oxidation, can only achieve its optimal efficacy if diurnal insulin levels are kept low; ingestion of GM with meals will evidently be of benefit in this regard by moderating postprandial insulin surges.
mesh_terms: D001066:Appetite; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008351:Mannans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019518:Postprandial Period; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007328:Insulin; D008351:Mannans; C022901:(1-6)-alpha-glucomannan