Effects of Dietary Guar Gum on blood glucose

Cyamopsis tetragonoloba popularly known as Guar is used to extract Guar Gum from its seed. The Gum is used for making a laxative, it is also used in the treatment of obesity, diarrhea, diabetes, indigestion problems, and in the reduction of cholesterol level. The gum is added to food and beverages as a thickening, binding, stabilizing, and suspending agent. In the pharmaceutical industry, it acts as an excellent binding agent for tablets and as a thickening medium for creams and lotions.

Working of Guar Gum

Dietary Guar Gum consists of a rich amount of fiber which helps in controlling the moisture content of stool by softening feces in constipation and eliminating the excess liquid in diarrhea. It can also help in weight loss as it expands in the intestine by absorbing water and provide a sense of fullness resulting in decreased appetite. It can also help in controlling the cholesterol level in the blood by preventing excess absorption of cholesterol and glucose in the intestine and stomach.

Diabetes prevention

The amount of sugar made by the body from the total food consumed is known as blood glucose. Glucose provides the required energy by the individual cell for proper functioning. However, cells cannot use this glucose without the help of insulin.  Maintaining a healthy glucose level in blood is a key factor in managing diabetes.

The effect of dietary guar gum on blood glucose level is phenomenal and this is proved by many types of research and studies. One of the studies on nine healthy males clearly shows how the meal with absence or low level of Gum can result in an increased level of glucose in the bloodstream. The gum also promotes a protein absorption and utilization rate. The concentration of Guar gum of about 10% is effective in controlling diabetes.

Guar Gum for diabetes

Studies have proven the dietary guar gum effect of lowering blood sugar levels. It is high in soluble fiber which prevents the absorption of excess sugar and results in reduced blood sugar levels. In a study, diabetic patients were given Guar Gum for 6 days 4 times a day. It helped the patients in decreasing the sugar level in blood and a significant drop in bad cholesterol (LDL). It also showed similar symptoms in another set of people in an experiment by improving blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. The research also shows taking Guar Gum during meals helps decrease the post-meal blood sugar level in people with type 1 diabetes.

When diabetic patients supplemented their regular diets with 25 grams of guar gum for 5 or 7 days their urinal mean glucose level fell by around 50%. unabsorbable carbohydrates provided by the Guar Gum act is better in controlling diabetes than antidiabetic therapy and medicines like artificial insulin.

Dietary Guar Gum is safe for almost everyone when taken by mouth with at least 8 ounces of water as it prevents the choking of the intestine.