Konjac glucomannan and blood sugar in diabetic rats
What it found
In rats with type 2 diabetes, konjac glucomannan lowered fasting blood sugar, insulin, and several blood fats.
It also reduced damage to the pancreas and fat cells.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Blood sugar and insulin
In diabetic rats, konjac glucomannan lowered fasting blood sugar, insulin, and a protein linked to long-term blood sugar levels. A gut hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 also dropped.
Blood fats
Total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and free fatty acids all fell in the treated rats.
Pancreas and fat cells
The treatment improved antioxidant capacity in the rats. It also lessened injury to the pancreas and reduced swelling in fat cells.
Fat metabolism pathways
Using detailed lab tests, the authors found that konjac glucomannan corrected disruptions in several types of fat molecules in the rats. These included glycerolipids, fatty acyls, sphingolipids, and glycerophospholipids.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest konjac glucomannan may be a promising supplement for treating type 2 diabetes.
- Their work offers new insights into how this ingredient affects blood sugar and fat metabolism.
How it was done
Diabetes and its complications are a major health concern worldwide. The authors wanted to see if a fibre from konjac could lower blood sugar and blood fats.
The researchers gave konjac glucomannan to rats that had been made diabetic through a high-fat diet and a chemical injection. They then measured blood sugar, blood fats, and tissue changes in the animals.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These results come from rats, so they cannot show what happens in people who eat konjac.
- The study does not tell us how much konjac a person would need to eat to see similar effects.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Nanchang University, People's Republic of China
The paper
- Title
- Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Effects of Glucomannan Extracted from Konjac on Type 2 Diabetic Rats
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Chen H, Nie Q, Hu J, et al (2019). Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Effects of Glucomannan Extracted from Konjac on Type 2 Diabetic Rats. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.9b01192PubMed 30964673DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error