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The effect of Glucomannan on fasting and postprandial blood glucose in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

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Abstract

Objective

Glucomannan is a dietary fiber that slows the absorption of carbohydrates and suppresses appetite, thereby reducing blood glucose. This meta-analysis sought to examine the effect of glucomannan supplementation on Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) and Postprandial Glucose (PPG) in adults.

Method

We searched PubMed, and SCOPUS databases, and Google Scholar from inception to May 2020, using relevant keywords. All randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) that examined the effect of glucomannan supplementation on FBG and PPG in adults were included. Weighted mean differences (WMD) and their 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using Stata. Subgroup analysis was used to discern possible sources of heterogeneity.

Results

Overall, 6 trials were included, consisting of 124 participants. We found that glucomannan supplementation significantly reduced FBG (WMD): -0.60 mmol/L, 95% CI: -1.16, -0.05; P=0.03, but not PPG (WMD: -2.07mmol/L ; 95% CI: -5.09, 0.95; P=0.18), compared with controls group. We conducted subgroup analysis based on dosage and duration of intervention and health status of the population. Findings from subgroup analysis revealed a significant effect of glucomannan supplementation on FBG in diabetic patients (WMD: -1.28 mmol/L, 95% CI: -2.54, -0.02; P=0.04).

Conclusion

Glucomannan supplementation can elicit significant reductions in FBG, but has no significant impact on PPG, in adults. More RCTs may find the exact effect of glucomannan on FBG and PPG.

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Data availability

Not applicable.

Abbreviations

CI:

Confidence Intervals

DM:

Diabetes mellitus

FBG:

Fasting Blood Glucose

IDF:

International Diabetes Federation

IR:

Insulin Resistance

KGM:

konjac Glucomannan

KM:

Konjac-Mannan

LDL-C:

Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol

LEA:

Lower-Extremity Amputations

MeSH:

Medical Subject Headings

MNT:

Medical Nutrition Therapy

PPG:

Postprandial Glucose

PRISMA-P:

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols

RCTs:

Randomized Controlled Trials

SEM:

Standard Error of the Mean

TC:

Total Cholesterol

T2DM:

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

WMD:

Weighted Mean Differences

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Funding

This study was supported by the Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). The funding bodies played no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), P.O. Box:14155-6117, Tehran, Iran

    Atieh Mirzababaei, Reyhaneh Zandkarimi, Niloufar Rasaei, Sanaz Pourreza, Faezeh Abaj & Khadijeh Mirzaei

  2. Halal Research Center of IRI, FDA, Tehran, Iran

    Sajjad Moradi

  3. Student Research Committee, Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Reza Amini

  4. Centre for Intelligent Healthcare, Coventry University, CV1 5FB, Coventry, UK

    Cain C. T. Clark

  5. Non-communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

    Elnaz Daneshzad

Authors
  1. Atieh Mirzababaei
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  2. Reyhaneh Zandkarimi
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  5. Mohammad Reza Amini
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  7. Faezeh Abaj
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  9. Elnaz Daneshzad
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  10. Khadijeh Mirzaei
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Contributions

AM and RZ contributed to the study concept and design; MRA and RZ designed search strategy and screened Papers; SM performed statistical analysis; AM, RZ, NR, SP and FA wrote the first draft of the manuscript; KhM was supervisor of the article; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Khadijeh Mirzaei.

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There is no competing interest in this study.

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Mirzababaei, A., Zandkarimi, R., Moradi, S. et al. The effect of Glucomannan on fasting and postprandial blood glucose in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Diabetes Metab Disord 21, 1055–1063 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-022-00993-6

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