Kate Donohoe had always been conscious of what she ate – and how much she drank.
Earlier in her life, the 44-year-old personal trainer had managed to lose 140 lbs by radically changing her diet and taking regular exercise.
However, as recently as last Christmas, Kate says that she still found that her appetite – and weight – would swing with the seasons.
Kate says that after the festive period, with its copious amounts of sugar-filled chocolate and boozy meals, her diet would often go out the window.
‘I would always gain weight after Christmas,’ she says. ‘My body would get used to all that extra sugar, carbohydrates and alcohol, and keep wanting more.’
At one point Kate even considered weight-loss jabs, such as Mounjaro or Wegovy.
However, a conversation with a friend on the appetite-suppressing jabs changed her mind.
Her friend suggested that before Kate considered the injections, she should try a natural supplement called glucomannan that is said to mimic the effects of these revolutionary medicines.
There are a growing number of these natural slimming supplements available on the market but, according to researchers, the evidence for glucomannan appears to be the strongest – so much so that European health regulators officially recognize it as a proven weight-loss aid.
Kate ordered a $14 tub of glucomannan from Amazon, which lasts for a month, with each pill costing around 60 cents
Experts say that there is also growing evidence that glucomannan can lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels – both of which are linked to life-threatening heart problems.
Kate says she was skeptical of glucomannan but decided to give it a go last January.
‘I had no expectations,’ she says. ‘But I figured it couldn’t hurt.’
Kate bought a month’s supply from Amazon for around $14, which comes out to about 60 cents per pill.
As instructed, she would take three to four pills a day – depending on how hungry she felt – before lunch and dinner.
Kate says she noticed a difference almost instantly.
‘Within two days I had no cravings,’ she says. ‘There was nothing I hankered for, I could eat a balanced diet and I wasn’t obsessed or thinking about food.’
Kate, who runs her own business in the UK, Boom Weight Loss and Fitness, says that she also lost the urge to drink as much.
Moreover, in just one month, she says she lost over an inch on her waist, bringing her back to her pre-Christmas weight.
‘It just made it really easy to get back on track with a healthy routine,’ says Kate.
‘It just made it really easy to get back on track with a healthy routine,’ says Kate.
‘Now, it’s become my crutch – I keep a massive tub of them in the cupboard to take whenever I find it hard to keep on track with my meal plan.’
So, what is glucomannan? And how does it help patients lose weight?
Weight-loss drugs, like Mounjaro and Wegovy, have been revolutionary to millions, helping them lose, according to studies, up to a fifth of their body weight in less than a year.
However, the jabs do not work for everyone. Research also shows that around two-thirds of patients who come off the costly drugs put the majority of the weight back on.
Earlier in her life, Kate, a 44-year-old personal trainer, managed to lose 140 lbs by radically changing her diet and taking regular exercise – but she still worried about her weight
Kate said: ‘I keep a massive tub of glucomannan in the cupboard to take whenever I find it hard to keep on track with my meal plan’
For these reasons, a growing number of patients are turning to natural weight-loss supplements, like glucomannan.
The supplement is made from powdered konjac, a root vegetable found in Asia.
The powder contains almost no calories, but is high in fiber – a crucial nutrient that is shown in studies to reduce food cravings.
The body, says John Lukey, a registered nutritionist from King’s College London, struggles to break down fiber, meaning it stays in the stomach for longer, slowing down digestion and holding off hunger pangs.
But crucially, Mr Lukey adds, when fiber combines with water, it forms a gel that swells up – often to as much as 50 times its size – taking up space in the stomach.
‘It’s this absorption that means glucomannan helps with weight-loss,’ says Mr Lukey.
‘It stretches the gut, which sends signals to the brain to say it is full, meaning you eat less.
‘There’s now quite a lot of data that shows it helps with weight management.’
One Norwegian study, published in 2005, found that patients who took glucomannan supplements alongside a reduced-calorie diet lost more weight than those who followed the diet and took a placebo pill.
Over five weeks, those using the supplement lost, on average, around 8 lbs, while those on the placebo lost around 5.5 lbs
‘We also know that glucomannan helps with cholesterol,’ says Mr Lukey, who is also the in-house nutritionist at health firm Nutravita. ‘This is something we see in all fiber supplements.’
Cholesterol is a waxy plaque that builds up in the blood and can trigger deadly heart attacks or strokes.
However, experts also warn that glucomannan can lead to mild but uncomfortable side effects like bloating, flatulence, diarrhea and stomach pain.
These symptoms tend to occur when patients begin taking the supplement, and ease over time.
Experts also add that glucomannan is not a substitute for a healthy diet and exercise.
In particular, they advise that patients eat plenty of naturally rich fiber foods – like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains – as well as plenty of protein, found in meat, dairy, fish, pulses and some vegetables.
‘A high-protein, high-fiber diet is the best way forwards for those looking to lose weight,’ says Mr Lukey.
Kate Donohoe says she would recommend glucomannan to anyone looking to lose weight.
Kate stopped taking the tablets after January because she was satisfied with her weight loss. However, following Easter, when she once again indulged in sugar and alcohol, she briefly went back on them again.
‘I just wanted to make that week after Easter easier for myself,’ she says.
‘Alongside diet and exercise, glucomannan could make weight-loss easier for anyone trying to give it a go. That’s why it would be my first port of call before trying weight-loss jabs.’