Use of xanthan gum in dietary management of diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Xanthan gum (12 g/day) was fed in muffins during either the first or second half of a 12-wk period of muffin feeding, to free-living subjects. Nine subjects were diabetic, having moderately elevated serum glucose but managing without insulin or hypoglycemic drugs, and four were nondiabetic controls. Before the study and at the end of the xanthan and xanthan-free periods, bloods were taken before and 2 h after an oral glucose load. The feeding of xanthan gum lowered fasting and postload serum glucose and reduced fasting levels of total plasma cholesterol in diabetic subjects. Xanthan gum also tended to lower fasting and postload levels of gastrin and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and fasting levels of total and VLDL triglyceride and cholesterol in VLDL and LDL fractions. Subjects reported a sense of fullness after consuming xanthan muffins but no severe digestive symptoms.

Dietary Fiber: Nutritional Lessons for Macronutrient Substitutes

“…However, similar levels of guar gum have been reported in different studies to lower serum cholesterol to widely varying degrees, suggesting that different gum preparations are not equally effective. Locust bean, karaya, and xanthan gums used as the soluble fiber source in diets resulted in cholesterol reduction similar to that observed with pectin and guar gum 17,19,25,26 …”

Dietary Fibre and Plasma Lipids: Potential for Prevention and Treatment of Hyperlipidaemias

“…cholesterol 6% less. Osilesi et al (1985) gave 12 glday xanthan gum to nine diabetic subjects and plasma cholesterol averaged 7% less. Sharma (1985) gave 30 glday of gum acacia to seven hypercholesterolaemic subjects: plasma cholesterol fell by 10%.…”

Effect of Guar Gum on Mineral Balances in NIDDM Adults

“…The two major approaches used to study the effects of fiber on diabetes are to replace low-fiber foods with higher-fiber foods and to add refined fibers to the diet (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11). In general, most foods thought of as high-fiber foods contain fiber that is insoluble in water.…”

“…Most studies of high-fiber diets given to NIDDM subjects have been short-term, lasting <2 mo (2)(3)(4)(5)8,10), with only a few lasting several months (1,6,8,11). The detrimental effects of such diets are unknown.…”