Any product claiming to be a “miracle” diet pill warrants skepticism, but at least one weight-loss aid may actually work. Glucomannan, a soluble fiber from the root of the elephant yam (Amorpho-phallus konjac or A. rivieri), may help people shed pounds by promoting satiety and preventing the body from absorbing as many calories, according to a critical review published in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. The researchers examined seven human trials on glucomannan (GM) in which weight loss was the primary variable of interest. In all of the studies, participants lost significant weight even when the study did not restrict their calories.

Before you begin stockpiling elephant yam, though, you should take into account that the data are not entirely conclusive. First, the trials that demonstrated weight loss all were conducted 10 or more years ago. Additionally, in five other studies in which weight loss was the secondary endpoint, the participants didn’t lose any weight, although their total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol dropped in three of the trials. The authors of the critical review suggest this may be because those studies lasted only three to four weeks.

Still, the researchers conclude, “At doses of 2 to 4 grams per day, GM was well-tolerated and resulted in significant weight loss in overweight and obese individuals.”

—Kristin Bjornsen

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