You can’t substitute a balanced diet, regular activity or prescription treatments like Mounjaro and Wegovy with supplements, but adding the right type of fibre to your diet can support your weight loss journey. Glucomannan is just that, a water-soluble fibre that can help increase feelings of fullness and regulate your blood sugar. Here’s how you use it.

What is glucomannan?

Glucomannan is a natural dietary fibre derived from the root of the elephant yam (Amorphophallus konjac), a plant native to Asia. It has a variety of uses:

• Supplements and medicine: It’s often used as a dietary supplement in powder, tablet, and capsule forms. People take it to aid weight loss, improve cholesterol levels, and help control blood sugar. [1]
• Thickening or gelling agent: In the food industry, glucomannan powder is often added to recipes like soups, sauces, and desserts to thicken them and improve their texture. [2]
• Increasing food fibre content: Glucomannan can be added to low-calorie pasta, noodles, and flour products to boost their fibre levels. [3]

How glucomannan supports weight loss

Fibre supplements like glucomannan can act as a natural appetite suppressant, making you feel fuller for longer. This can help you eat less, which is key for weight loss. 

That said, clinical evidence for its weight loss benefits are mixed. One trial found that taking glucomannan supplements alongside a calorie-restricted diet caused significant weight loss after 5 weeks. [4] However, these results aren’t consistent across all studies. An 8-week study with overweight and obese adults found that taking glucomannan didn’t impact weight loss. [5] More research is needed to determine exactly how effective glucomannan is as a weight loss supplement.

What does glucomannan do in your body?

Glucomannan can absorb 10 to 15 times its weight in water. When eaten, it forms a thick gel that expands in your stomach, taking up space. This slows both the absorption of nutrients from your food and the rate food passes through your digestive system. Together, these effects create a longer-lasting feeling of fullness. [6]

How to take glucomannan

Here’s our advice for supplementing glucomannan safely and effectively:

Recommended dose for weight loss

Currently, there aren’t any official recommended dosages for glucomannan. However, clinical studies and expert recommendations suggest taking 1-3 grams per day for weight loss. [7]

When should you take it?

The best time to take glucomannan is before a meal with plenty of water — this helps prevent blockages in your digestive system. We recommend drinking 1-2 glasses of water with each dose.

How to take glucomannan powder

Glucomannan in powder form is a convenient option if you’d rather not take tablets or capsules, as you can easily mix it into food or drinks. We recommend adding glucomannan powder to plenty of water, stirring vigorously to prevent clumping. You should drink it soon after, as allowing it to fully thicken into a gel may make it harder to swallow.

Adequate water intake

After taking glucomannan, it’s important to drink another glass of water. This helps the gel move through your food pipe safely, and helps maintain hydration. If you don’t drink enough liquid, the glucomannan could expand too quickly in your throat or food pipe, which could create difficulty swallowing or even lead to choking.

Glucomannan diet tips

There’s specific dietary advice tailored for glucomannan use, but here are some general recommendations based on how it works:

1. Drink more water: Increasing your water intake is essential as glucomannan absorbs water and expands in your stomach. Staying hydrated with plenty of water throughout the day can support its effectiveness and reduce potential choking hazards.
2. Eat a balanced diet: Although glucomannan may aid weight loss, it should be combined with a balanced, calorie-restricted diet for best results.
3. Slowly increase fibre intake: Glucomannan is a natural source of dietary fibre, so it’s important that you increase your overall fibre intake gradually to reduce digestive discomfort.

How to add glucomannan into your routine

Add it to your breakfast

Mix some glucomannan powder into your morning smoothie or protein shake to feel fuller for longer and get an early fibre boost.

Use it in cooking

You can add glucomannan to your favourite soups, sauces or stews. It’s a natural thickening agent, so it can improve the consistency as well as supplementing fibre.

Bake with it

Glucomannan powder can be used in recipes for muffins, pancakes, or other baked goods to increase fibre content and promote fullness.

Potential side effects

Like all supplements, glucomannan may cause some minor side effects. These include: diarrhoea, flatulence, and bloating. [7]

In some cases, it may cause more serious adverse effects like obstructions in your food pipe and digestive tract. This is why it’s important to always take glucomannan with plenty of water.

Need weight loss support?

Find out if you’re eligible for a medicated weight loss plan with MedExpress.

References:

1. Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Tao X, Wang Y, Rao B, Shi H. Effects of Glucomannan Supplementation on Type II Diabetes Mellitus in Humans: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 24;15(3):601. doi: 10.3390/nu15030601. PMID: 36771306; PMCID: PMC9919128.
2. Fang Y, Ma J, Lei P, Wang L, Qu J, Zhao J, Liu F, Yan X, Wu W, Jin L, Ji H, Sun D. Konjac Glucomannan: An Emerging Specialty Medical Food to Aid in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Foods. 2023 Jan 12;12(2):363. doi: 10.3390/foods12020363. PMID: 36673456; PMCID: PMC9858196.
3. Au-Yeung F, Jovanovski E, Jenkins AL, Zurbau A, Ho HVT, Vuksan V. The effects of gelled konjac glucomannan fibre on appetite and energy intake in healthy individuals: a randomised cross-over trial. British Journal of Nutrition. 2018;119(1):109-116. doi:10.1017/S0007114517003233
4. Birketvedt GS, Shimshi M, Erling T, Florholmen J. Experiences with three different fiber supplements in weight reduction. Med Sci Monit. 2005 Jan;11(1):PI5-8. PMID: 15614200.
5. Keithley JK, Swanson B, Mikolaitis SL, DeMeo M, Zeller JM, Fogg L, Adamji J. Safety and efficacy of glucomannan for weight loss in overweight and moderately obese adults. J Obes. 2013;2013:610908. doi: 10.1155/2013/610908. Epub 2013 Dec 30. PMID: 24490058; PMCID: PMC3892933.
6. Sood N, Baker WL, Coleman CI. Effect of glucomannan on plasma lipid and glucose concentrations, body weight, and blood pressure: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Oct;88(4):1167-75. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/88.4.1167. PMID: 18842808.
7. Keithley J, Swanson B. Glucomannan and obesity: a critical review. Altern Ther Health Med. 2005;11(6):30-34.16320857