The Effect of Inulin on Weight Management

Weight Management and The Benefit of Losing Weight

Since pandemic Covid-19 strikes us, monitoring weight and maintaining it in a normal healthy range becomes the hot topic.  How does losing weight and staying at a healthy normal BMI benefitted us?
 
Losing weight means decreased risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, certain cancers, osteoarthritis, and back pain. Moreover, losing weight improved blood sugar levels, blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and also mobility.
 
Some studies show that a 5% to 10% decrease in your weight can affect your health. When one does not have any of the co-morbidity, it eventually reduces the risk to be at Stage 4 and Stage 5 of Covid where oxygen support is needed and mortality is vague. 

The Struggle of Losing Weight

Losing weight and taking care of own health becomes an escape door from the complication of health issues and also mortality. Yet, the journey of long-term weight loss is notoriously difficult to achieve! It takes commitment and consistency.

Research on Inulin and Effects Towards A Successful Weight Management

A study by Wanders AJ and colleagues found that non-digestible carbohydrates or dietary fiber particularly fermentable carbohydrates have been linked to reduced food intake. This is because fermented carbohydrate is passed undigested and unabsorbed from the upper gastrointestinal tract to the colon. The bacteria during fermentation stimulate the production of insulin and thus regulate the appetite. There are several types of dietary fiber that have been used in the study related to weight management and the usage of inulin is one of the topmost used. 

Abrams SA and colleagues conclude that there was a significantly lower rise in body mass index (BMI) in the inulin group, without the help from health professionals.

Another randomized control trial study was done in 2014 and this study 30 g/day (following a 4-week dose-escalation period) inulin supplementation and 30g/day fiber cellulose taken alongside a 9-week weight loss program and a 9-week weight maintenance period were given to 44 participants and the result are: 

  • Both groups lost approximately 5 % of their body weight by week nine (−5.3% vs −4.3%) but the inulin group lost significantly more weight between 9 and 18 weeks (−2.3 % vs −0.6%).
  • Subjects taking inulin had lower hepatic and soleus muscle fat content at 18 weeks compared to control even after controlling for weight loss and consumed less food.
  • Fasting glucose significantly decreased at week nine.

In conclusion

In a nutshell, the usage of inulin in weight management is well noticed in the research world. It gives a positive outcome towards weight management and for longer weight maintenance. Not just that, consuming inulin also reduces body fat percentage importantly the visceral fat, and regulates the normal blood sugar level of its consumers.