Taking glucomannan, a water-soluble dietary fiber that is derived from the konjac root, in combination with plant sterols (naturally occurring compounds with cholesterol-lowering effects) may help diabetes patients keep their cholesterol in check. For the study, 16 diabetes patients and 18 non-diabetic individuals were assigned to one of four treatments for 21 days: supplements containing plant sterols (1.8 g/day), supplements containing glucomannan (10 g/day), supplements containing a combination of glucomannan and plant sterols, or a placebo. Results indicated that the combination of glucomannan and plant sterols was most effective at lowering LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol was 3.16 mmol/L after glucomannan, 2.95 mmol/L after glucomannan plus plant sterols, and 3.60 mmol/L after placebo. Total cholesterol was also lower after glucomannan plus sterols (4.72 mmol/L) compared to placebo (5.47 mmol/L). (10)
