247 replies to this topic

[LiliVG]

**Edit: Update of the main points made in this thread so far **

This is working really well for me, and a few other people have posted about a similar product called PGX that's working well for them. Glucomanan is the key ingredient in PGX, and it's cheaper to buy it pure.


Here are some points on why I think it works, and some studies that have been done on it:

- Glucomannan reduces cholesterol levels by preventing the re-absorption of cholesterol from the gut. Cholesterol is what the body uses to produce hormones like androgens.

- Glucomannan prevents insulin spikes and improves insulin sensitivity. Insulin spikes cause increased IGF-1, Growth Hormone, and Androgens.

- Glucomannan thickens the lining of the intestines, reducing food sensitivities and inflammation. This is also an important part of healing leaky gut syndrome.

- Glucomannan fiber has been shown to heal eczema in rats when it was added to their diet.

- Soluble fiber like Glucomannan increases the acidity in the intestines due to the fermentation process, which inhibits conditions like candida and dysbiosis, and improves nutrient absorption.


Right now I get Glucomannan at http://konjacfoods.com in bulk since it's cheapest that way. At that site it's about $20 for a 500gram bag of glucomannan powder, plus $5 shipping.

My dosing generally follows this guide, taken with food:

Snack - 1/4tsp (1.25 grams)
Regular Meal - 1/2 tsp (2.5 grams)
Sugar/refined carb-heavy meal - 1 tsp (5 grams)

For every 1/4 tsp of glucomannan, I mix it with 1/4 cup (2 oz) of water and drink it down fast before it gels, right before my meal or as soon after it as possible. For instance 1 tsp would be mixed with 1 cup (8 oz) of water.

On this schedule, one bag lasts about 2 months.



**Original Post**

Glucomannan is a type of fiber, it's also used in asian cooking I think as a gelling agent. I was thinking of buying some capsules, and taking a capsule at the beginning of each meal. Glucomannan is the active ingredient in that PGX fiber a couple people on here are raving about, but you can buy it pure (2000mg/capsule vs 50mg in PGX) and I think it's actually cheaper that way. I found some by Natures Way 100 capsules for $13.

Does anyone know anything about glucomannan that I should know?

[GoBills]

Haven't tried it. But I say go for it and let us know how it's working!

[AlexGF]

I guess is cheaper but the pgx has other stuff like protein (20 + gm) and more stuff ... that's why I think is more expensive 35$!!

[bɭesstheʄẚɭɭ]

Careful now. PGX is a processed form of glucomannan.

"It [PGX] is 3-times as viscous as guar and approximately seven times as viscous as psyllium. By combining glucomannan with other soluble fibers,the viscosity of PGXTM is amplified further and has a viscosity 3-5 timeshigher than glucomannan alone."

[bryan]

Come on folks, use your heads: is it _really_ necessary to use the most potent and most powerful soluble fiber money can buy, when it's almost certainly not the most cost-effective form of soluble fiber??

I'll stick with my psyllium and guar gum, thank you very much. Much cheaper and easier to obtain, and they don't achieve the viscosity of CONCRETE, either!

.

[LiliVG]

I don't know, I'm resistant to PGX for some reason, lol I just feel like you're paying more marketing more than product, and glucomanan is just Konjac flour you can get it very inexpensively in comparison

[bɭesstheʄẚɭɭ]

How do you know you're resistant to a fiber? lol

[LiliVG]

Oh, no, I just meant emotionally resistant, lol I don't want to buy that brand, it seems like more hype than substance to me. Not that it's not good, but you can buy it's key ingredient pure for waaay cheaper.

[LiliVG]

I found this site that makes noodles out of konjac flour, that's pretty cool! Pure fiber noodles!

http://www.miraclenoodle.com/index.html

[Mr. Bigger]

I found this site that makes noodles out of konjac flour, that's pretty cool! Pure fiber noodles!

http://www.miraclenoodle.com/index.html

Too bad it doesn't come as Top Ramen.

[chrisaus]

lilivg I am very interested in how this experiment turns out for you. I hear you Bryan but the way i see it, the more effective the fiber the less of it you need to take. for instance one pgx pill is the equivalent to 7 metamucil p.husk pills. And pill for pill cost is close to the same between the two products. But if what you're doing is cheap then I don't blame you for not subscribing to the hype.

[DeAntonio]

90 Caps for 5$

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/webapp/wcs/...399&R=18674

Swawnson Vitamins are premium IMO... Prices are solid too, alot of good buys

[Demorph]

i have just ordered some Glucomannan since i can't get PGX in germany. let's see if it has some positive effect on me. i used to take psyllium and i think it helped me a little bit but ran out of it...

[LiliVG]

I bought a 500g bag (about 20 oz I think) of glucomannan powder for $20 plus $5 shipping day before yesterday, and I received it today! Wow that was fast! I ordered it at http://konjacfoods.com That site needs a make-over design-wise, but their service and information are excellent! I was so shocked when I got that this morning, I just placed the order day before yesterday! They have a lot of info on that site about konjac, glucomanan, and lots of studies. And they let you pay with paypal. The other site i was looking at the other day sells konjac powder too in the same size and same price, but they didn't use paypal, so I went with konjacfoods even though the website is much less pretty, lol.

reading that, I realize I sound like an endorsement, so I have to tack on, I'm not affiliated with them in any way other than as a customer, lol.

So my plan is to mix one teaspoon with cold water and drink it down real fast, before it has time to gel, right before each meal.

I think this is really promising! My main issue with psyllium was how unpalatable it was, which was the major barrier for me using it. I haven't tried this stuff yet, but I read it has almost no taste, and a very fine texture. Crossing my fingers!

Edit: Here's the direct link to what I bought: http://konjacfoods.com/product/1.htm

[bryan]

My main issue with psyllium was how unpalatable it was, which was the major barrier for me using it.

I don't really notice any particular taste when I take psyllium, but then I'm also the guy who has chewed and swallowed ALL his nutritional supplements for decades, including some really noxious-tasting ones like choline chloride and arginine free-base! Have I slowly cauterized my taste buds over the years??

For soluble fiber when I want it, I'm currently mixing about 1/3 guar gum and 2/3 psyllium (I'd normally use a 50/50 mixture of both, but guar gum is more expensive than psyllium, so I compromise a little in favor of the psyllium), both of which I buy in bulk. It's pretty inexpensive, and tastes just fine to me. No problemo.

.

[LiliVG]

My main issue with psyllium was how unpalatable it was, which was the major barrier for me using it.

I don't really notice any particular taste when I take psyllium, but then I'm also the guy who has chewed and swallowed ALL his nutritional supplements for decades, including some really noxious-tasting ones like choline chloride and arginine free-base! Have I slowly cauterized my taste buds over the years??

For soluble fiber when I want it, I'm currently mixing about 1/3 guar gum and 2/3 psyllium (I'd normally use a 50/50 mixture of both, but guar gum is more expensive than psyllium, so I compromise a little in favor of the psyllium), both of which I buy in bulk. It's pretty inexpensive, and tastes just fine to me. No problemo.

.

It's not exactly the taste, you're right, it's more the hard sand-like bits all mixed in it, it drives me nuts!

[LiliVG]

Update: So I've mixed 1 tsp of glucomannan with a cup of water and drank it as fast as I could right before my last two meals. I has no taste that I can tell. It starts thickening up the water pretty quick so you've gotta drink it down within 30 sec - 1 min or you might as well just pull out a spoon and eat your water flavored pudding, lol. When it's gelled it's clear like water, but thick like pudding. It makes me feel full much longer, which is nice actually. In fact my last meal was over 4 hours ago, and I sill feel full! lol This may be a problem with making sure I eat enough, although my last two meals were pretty close together so that may be why.

I wonder if you added cocoa powder and stevia if it could be sold as the ultimate instant pudding, "Just add water!" lol, carb-free dessert! That would totally sell!

[LiliVG]

Update:

This is working really well! For those who have known me on this forum for a while, you'll know my biggest problem was how sensitive I am to my diet. If I stray in the least, I would get a break out. But when I take this fiber with my meals, this problem essentially disappears! I've been able to eat wheat, muffins, chocolate, and nuts! Yesterday, I ate 2 very sweet huge muffins, and I only got one pimple. In fact, right now that's the only pimple I have! Ordinarily, I'd be looking at a massive outbreak (for those who remember the Birthday Cake Incident, you know I suffered for over 3 weeks for that one). Anyways, this is working great so far!

The only downside is it has slowed bowel frequency, so I think I just need to make an effort to drink more water or get more fat in my diet, but I think that's totally fixable.

[jeany]

Update:

This is working really well! For those who have known me on this forum for a while, you'll know my biggest problem was how sensitive I am to my diet. If I stray in the least, I would get a break out. But when I take this fiber with my meals, this problem essentially disappears! I've been able to eat wheat, muffins, chocolate, and nuts! Yesterday, I ate 2 very sweet huge muffins, and I only got one pimple. In fact, right now that's the only pimple I have! Ordinarily, I'd be looking at a massive outbreak (for those who remember the Birthday Cake Incident, you know I suffered for over 3 weeks for that one). Anyways, this is working great so far!

The only downside is it has slowed bowel frequency, so I think I just need to make an effort to drink more water or get more fat in my diet, but I think that's totally fixable.

im glad its working for you im gunna start taking glucomannan soon too.. just waiting for it to arrive in the mail. haha just curious... what happened with the birthday cake incident? did you have a major breakout for 3weeks?

[AlexGF]

awesome ! good for you!
so if I want to gain weight by eating carbs I just have to eat my high carb meals with glucomannan hmmmm I will give it a try as well