Guar gum, weight and hunger in obese people
What it found
In obese people, guar gum taken with meals lowered peak blood sugar after eating, reduced total cholesterol and body weight, and curbed hunger more than wheat bran.
The authors say it may help with weight loss.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood sugar after eating
A single 10 g dose of guar gum lowered the peak blood sugar after a standard meal by about 10%. After 8 weeks of treatment, two patients with the highest starting blood sugar levels saw further reductions of 19% and 26%.
Insulin levels
Plasma insulin levels after the meal were essentially unchanged after long-term guar gum treatment. The authors say this suggests the body became more responsive to insulin.
Cholesterol and triglycerides
Total serum cholesterol dropped significantly after 8 weeks of guar gum. The alpha-cholesterol (HDL) and triglyceride levels did not change.
Body weight
Body weight and body fat fell significantly during guar gum treatment, even though patients were asked to keep their normal diet. In the second experiment, weight loss per week was greater with guar gum than with wheat bran.
Hunger ratings
Daily hunger ratings over up to 10 weeks showed guar gum reduced hunger significantly more than wheat bran taken the same way. The effect was strongest at lunch and dinner.
Side effects
Reported side effects were increased flatulence and loose stools, which were usually short-lived and improved after 2 to 3 weeks or a temporary dose reduction.
What the authors conclude
“Thus, guar gum seemed to influence carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in a beneficial way in obese subjects.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say guar gum seemed to influence carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in a beneficial way in obese subjects.
- They say the reduction in hunger would offer an additional benefit to these patients.
- They suggest guar gum may be an important adjunct to other treatments of obesity.
How it was done
Obese people are at higher risk of diabetes and often have abnormal fat metabolism. The authors wanted to see if guar gum could help with blood sugar, blood fats, weight and hunger.
Nine obese women took 10 g guar gum twice daily for 8 weeks, with blood tests before and after a standard meal. A second group of 21 obese patients rated their hunger daily while taking either guar gum or wheat bran for up to 10 weeks.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a small study in obese people, so the results may not apply to everyone.
- The long-term study did not have a placebo group; wheat bran was used as a comparison, and bran itself might affect appetite.
- The study cannot prove that guar gum causes weight loss, only that it was linked to weight loss in this group.
The paper
- Title
- Effect of guar gum on body-weight, hunger ratings and metabolism in obese subjects
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Krotkiewski M (1984). Effect of guar gum on body-weight, hunger ratings and metabolism in obese subjects. The British journal of nutrition. doi:10.1079/bjn19840075Free full textPubMed 6331498DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error