Endocrine and Metabolic Effects of Guar Gum in Menopausal Women

Abstract

The effect of a gel-forming dietary fiber, guar gum (15 g/day) on blood pressure, climacteric symptoms, serum hormones (estrone, estradiol, testosterone, androstenedione, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone) and on blood glucose and serum lipids (cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides) was studied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial involving 30 menopausal women. A total of 15 women (Group A) were treated with guar gum and 15 (Group B) with placebo, for 6 months. Patients visited the doctor at the beginning of the study and after 3 and 6 months of treatment. Climacteric symptoms decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in both groups. Serum total cholesterol decreased by 5% in the guar gum group but this was not statistically significant. No changes in serum hormone levels or in other lipid and blood glucose levels were observed in either group. Body weight and blood pressure also did not change.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies for the Management of Menopause-Related Symptoms

“…49,50 The fair-quality trial did not demonstrate a significant benefit of dehydroepiandrosterone compared with placebo for menopausal symptoms or quality of life, 49 and the poor-quality trial did not report between-group differences. 50 Eleven trials of other agents met our criteria [51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61] ; 8 were of poor quality. One fair-quality trial enrolled 125 women with prior breast cancer 51 and compared the effectiveness of 800 IU/d of vitamin E with placebo.…”

Efeito da farinha da casca do maracujá-amarelo (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg.) nos níveis glicêmicos e lipídicos de pacientes diabéticos tipo 2

“…Universalmente, a orientação dietética recomenda uma dieta rica em fi bras, visando à promoção da saúde bem como a prevenção de doenças; no entanto, existem inconsistências na própria literatura no que diz respeito à relação entre fi bra dietética e peso corporal (Slavin, 2005). Estes fatos são corroborados pelos raros trabalhos que mostram estudos em longo prazo ( 4 meses) (Rigaud et al, 1990;Makkonen et al, 1993;Salas-Salvadó et al, 2008), pela heterogeneidade das pequenas amostras populacionais com as quais os estudos são conduzidos (controles saudáveis, pacientes obesos ou diabéticos) e ainda pelas diferenças nos tipos e doses de fi bras que são utilizados (Howarth et al, 2001). O resultado do nosso estudo em relação ao peso corporal não foi signifi cante.…”

Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to guar gum and maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations (ID 794), increase in satiety (ID 795) and maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations (ID 808) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

“…Only four of the studies cited investigated the long-term effects of guar gum consumption on measures of blood glucose (Beattie et al, 1988;Lalor et al, 1990;Makkonen et al, 1993;Uusitupa et al, 1984).…”

“…Three of the studies (Lalor et al 1990;Makkonen et al, 1993;Uusitupa et al, 1984) assessed the effects of guar gum at doses between 7.5 g/d and 22.5 g/d for periods of six weeks to six months on fasting blood glucose concentrations in different population sub-groups (i.e., type 2 diabetic subjects on dietary treatment only, non-diabetic post-menopausal women). The Panel notes that the doses of guar gum used in these studies are several times higher than proposed in the conditions of use for this claim, and that fasting blood glucose concentrations alone are not an appropriate measure to assess long-term blood glucose control.…”