Abstract
Guar gum, a water-soluble polysaccharide, has various physiological effects as a dietary fiber. Guar gum partially hydrolyzed enzymatically gives a solution of lower viscosity than intact guar gum. In this study, we investigated the influence of partially hydrolyzed guar gum on blood glucose and lipid levels in healthy humans. A glucose tolerance test was performed by giving 15g of partially hydrolyzed guar gum dissolved in 150ml of water and 75g of glucose dissolved in 200ml of water to each of five healthy volunteers. Ingestion of partially hydrolyzed guar gum tended to suppress the increases in both blood glucose and insulin, and there were significant mean suppressions (P<0.05) of glucose and insulin levels at 60min and 90min after glucose administration, respectively. However, there was no delay in the glucose level peak time. In a lipid tolerance test, each of six healthy volunteers was given an omelette prepared from 50g butter and five eggs, followed by 15g of partially hydrolyzed guar gum dissolved in 150ml of water. Blood total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL and phospholipid tended to be reduced by the intake of partially hydrolyzed guar gum. The levels of some of these lipids were significantly decreased at various times after the intake of partially hydrolyzed guar gum.
