CONCLUSIONS In otherwise healthy overweight or obese adults , there is some evidence that in the short term GM may help to reduce BW , but not BMI .
OBJECTIVE Glucomannan ( GM ) , a soluble fiber derived from the plant Amorphophallus konjac , is marketed as being helpful in reducing body weight .
However , the data supporting this cl aim are scarce .
The aim of this review was to systematic ally evaluate the effects of GM on body weight ( BW ) and body mass index ( BMI ) in otherwise healthy obese or overweight children and adults .
Low dose chromium-polynicotinate or policosanol is effective in hypercholesterolemic children only in combination with glucomannan.
OBJECTIVE A low-fat , fiber-rich diet is the first step in the management for hypercholesterolemic children .  Glucomannan ( GM ) is a natural fiber that has been demonstrated to lower total and LDL-cholesterol . The use of high-dose chromium-polynicotinate ( CP ) and policosanol ( PC ) has also shown cholesterol-lowering benefits . We aim ed at investigating the effects of low-dose CP or PC and their GM combination in hypercholesterolemic children . METHODS A double-blind trial was conducted in 120 children ( 60 M , 60 F , 9 ± 4 years , median 9.6 years , range : 3 - 16 years ) r and omly assigned to 5 neutraceutical and 1 placebo ( only resistant starch ) 8-week treatment groups . Fasting blood glucose ( FBG ) , total cholesterol ( CholT ) , triglycerides ( TG ) , HDL and LDL cholesterol were considered . RESULTS GM combination of low-dose CP or PC  reduced CholT and LDL without changing HDL , TG and FBG . The highest post-treatment changes were seen after GM combination with CP ( CholT 85 ± 3 % and LDL 85 ± 5 % , of pretreatment ) which was significantly ( p < 0.01 ) less than with low-dose CP or PC and starch . When GM was associated with starch , there was no lipid lowering effect , which was an unexpected finding as compared to previous data with GM and no starch . No adverse effects were reported . CONCLUSION This is the first report to show the cholesterol-lowering efficacy  of GM combined treatment with low-dose CP or PC . Further studies are needed to investigate the best combinations and doses of nutraceutics to be added to the st and ard GM treatment . The potential negative association of GM and nutraceutics with starch is clearly shown
CONCLUSIONS In otherwise healthy overweight or obese adults , there is some evidence that in the short term GM may help to reduce BW , but not BMI .
OBJECTIVE Glucomannan ( GM ) , a soluble fiber derived from the plant Amorphophallus konjac , is marketed as being helpful in reducing body weight .
However , the data supporting this cl aim are scarce .
The aim of this review was to systematic ally evaluate the effects of GM on body weight ( BW ) and body mass index ( BMI ) in otherwise healthy obese or overweight children and adults .