The 60-Cent Supplement That Helped Curb Cravings for Wine and Chocolate

Kate Donohoe has long paid close attention to her diet, as well as to how much alcohol she drinks.

Earlier in adulthood, the 44-year-old personal trainer lost 140 lbs after making major changes to her eating habits and committing to regular exercise.

Yet as recently as last Christmas, Kate says her appetite and weight still tended to fluctuate depending on the season.

After the holidays, she would often find her healthy routine derailed by the abundance of sugary chocolate, indulgent meals and alcohol consumed during the festive period.

‘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.’

Kate even began considering prescription weight-loss injections, including Mounjaro and Wegovy.

But a discussion with a friend about appetite-suppressing medication prompted her to reconsider.

The friend recommended that Kate try glucomannan, a natural supplement that is claimed to produce some effects similar to those associated with the newer weight-loss drugs.

A growing range of natural slimming products is now available, but researchers say glucomannan has some of the strongest supporting evidence. European health regulators have also officially recognized it as a weight-loss aid.

Experts also point to emerging evidence that glucomannan may help reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels, both of which are associated with potentially life-threatening heart conditions.

Although Kate initially doubted whether the supplement would work, she decided to try it in January.

‘I had no expectations,’ she says. ‘But I figured it couldn’t hurt.’

She ordered a month’s supply from Amazon for approximately $14, equivalent to around 60 cents per pill.

Following the instructions, Kate took three or four pills each day, depending on her hunger levels, before lunch and dinner.

She says the change was noticeable almost immediately.

‘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 operates the UK-based business Boom Weight Loss and Fitness, also says she found herself less inclined to drink as much alcohol.

After just one month, she says her waist measurement had fallen by more than an inch, returning her to the weight she had been before Christmas.

‘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.

RELATED: 5 Western TV Shows to Watch If You Love Little House on the Prairie

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. 

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.’