Glucomannan For Skin
DISCLAIMER: This article has been written for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Glucomannan is a dietary supplement that has traditionally been used for centuries in Japanese and Chinese medicine. It has gained popularity as an effective weight loss supplement due to its high fiber content. Glucomannan is now widely used as an active ingredient in skin care products to provide nourishment and hydration.
Our skin becomes dull, dry, and prone to wrinkle due to dehydration. At a young age, our skin makes a natural moisturizer known as hyaluronic acid which retains thousands of times its weight in water and keeps the skin moisturized and hydrated. As the person age, the skin produces less amount of this substance leaving dull, dry, and wrinkled skin.
Our skin requires the assistance of moisturizers to keep the skin healthy, hydrated, and glowing. Glucomannan can prove a great help in this regard as it can absorb water when come in contact with it and can expand to 17 times its size.
What is Glucomannan?
Glucomannan is a dietary supplement derived from the roots of the konjac plant and has been used for thousands of years as an ingredient in food and medicine. These supplements offer a wide variety of benefits including promoting digestion, lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels, improving weight loss, and boosting skin health. Glucomannan fibers absorb water and form a bulky fiber that feeds gut microflora and treats constipation.
There is an increasing interest in other benefits of glucomannan supplements including skin health, prevention of cancer, regulating blood pressure, and protecting heart and brain health.
Is Glucomannan Effective For skin?
Glucomannan is a dietary fiber obtained from the roots of the konjac plant and serves as hydrating polysaccharide for skin. These prebiotics provide food to skin microflora which are aimed to promote skin health. Glucomannan supplies food to the skin microbiome, maintains a balance of this beneficial microflora, and encourages them to give a healthier-looking skin. These fibers help prevent microbial infections and treat various skin conditions including acne.
What Does Research Say?
There are various studies suggesting the skin-protecting effects of glucomannan. Research showed that glucomannan works with other probiotics and restricts the proliferation of acne-causing bacteria. Owing to the antioxidant abilities, glucomannan neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals, prevent oxidative damage and reduce the onset of wrinkles.
A study revealed that glucomannan products can be used as an effective topical remedy to prevent acne and boost overall skin health.
How Does It work?
Glucomannan is used as an active skincare ingredient, though its use in homemade skin remedies is limited. However, research revealed that glucomannan is highly beneficial to skin and general health.
Act as Cosmetic Assistant
Glucomannan is used in various skin products as a thickener. One of its unique properties is that it does not clump like other thickeners. You can use konjac powder in lotions to give a pleasant gel-like structure. Glucomannan is not an emulsifier but provides support to emulsifiers when used in creams. This supplement works well with acids, bases, and salts and also with hydrolats and essential oils. You can use glucomannan in your skincare products without worry.
Moisturize Skin
Glucomannan is a dietary fiber that is a polysaccharide and goes well with mannose and glucose. These polysaccharides provide hydration and moisture to the skin making it glowing and young looking. They work by forming a coating on the skin and preventing transdermal water loss.
Helps Cleanse the Skin
An effective cleanser can be made by adding konjac powder, water, and calcium hydroxide. The paste is then heated, frozen, dried, and used for all skin types. Massaging with this amazing cleanser helps remove dirt, pollutants, and oil particles. It helps unclog the pores, remove blackheads and whiteheads and moisturize and nourish the skin.
This nourishing cleanser can be used on all skin types, for babies, and on acne-prone skin. It provides hydration and removes impurities without causing any irritation to the skin.
Serve as Prebiotic
For healthy skin, a rich and great balance of skin microbiome is necessary. These natural bacterial strains kill harmful bacteria and reduce the risk of infections. Glucomannan supplements provide food to the skin’s beneficial bacteria which restrict the proliferation of acne-causing bacteria, prevent infections, and promote skin health. In addition to feeding skin probiotics, these polysaccharides also provide nutrition to gut flora and boost digestive health.
May Promote Hair Health
Glucomannan supplements are highly beneficial for hair health and are easier to use in hair care products. konjac powder is widely used to make the gel which can improve hair volume. Capsules are also used to make hair toner or hair rinse which give your hair a nice volume and shine.
Other Benefits
In addition to improving skin health, glucomannan supplements also help improve overall health and wellbeing.
Reduce Blood Sugar Levels
A study revealed that consumption of glucomannan with American ginseng resulted in regulation of blood glucose levels and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
May Promote Weight Loss
Glucomannan supplements are prebiotic fibers that absorb water and form a gel-like substance in the stomach. This viscous substance delays stomach emptying and limits the amount of calorie intake leading to weight loss.
Reduce Cholesterol Levels
The research concluded that glucomannan supplements lower cholesterol and LDL levels and reduce the risk of heart diseases.
Improve Digestive Health
According to a study, consumption of glucomannan supplements regulate bowel movements, feeds good gut bacteria, and relieves constipation and other digestive problems.
Boost Immunity
Glucomannan supplements have potential to boost immunity and promote skin health. It may be said that it can promote wound healing and prevent infections.
Possible Risks and Guidelines
Glucomannan supplements are highly safe and easier to use in skin and hair care products. One of its drawbacks is that too much consumption of glucomannan powder in your products may lead to the formation of solid clumps which cannot be reinstated.
It is therefore recommended to use glucomannan powder or capsule in moderation. If you find your product thin, do not add more glucomannan immediately, wait overnight and add more of it if required.
On oral administration, glucomannan supplements are safe to use, however, some people may experience abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, and stomach upset.
It is suggested to take glucomannan with a large glass of water because if it expands in the esophagus can result in choking and breathing difficulty.
Bottom Line
Glucomannan is a dietary supplement obtained from the roots of the konjac plant. These polysaccharides have water-holding abilities which help moisturize and hydrate skin. Glucomannan has been used in various traditions for food and medical purposes. It helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, promotes weight loss and digestive health, and boosts skin health.
Here you can check out Vorst’s premium supplement Glucomannan Konjac Powder and Glucomannan 180 Vegan Capsules.
References
http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.ajdv.20130202.02.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28687934/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15614200/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30964673/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212619815000054