Psyllium Found to Benefit Metabolic Health

by | Sep 19, 2012 | 2012, Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Fiber, Metabolic Syndrome, Pancreatic Health, Weight Control

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Psyllium lowered insulin levels by 20% and blood sugar by 22% in a study of 93 patients compared to the control group. Another test showed reductions in blood pressure.   

The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 4 people on the planet (1.5 billion adults) are overweight (1) and 300 million are obese (2).  Obesity plays a significant role in facilitating the onset of “Metabolic Syndrome”, characterized by increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, and excess body fat around the waist (3).

Patients with Metabolic Syndrome are three times as likely to have a heart attack or stroke and five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared with those without the syndrome (9).  Now a new study reviewing the research (5) suggests that psyllium fiber may help with metabolic health.

Regarding blood sugar levels, research has shown short-term intake of psyllium to help maintain healthy insulin levels but longer-term supplementation has been needed to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.  Specifically, 36 grams of psyllium per day (12-gram supplements three times daily with meals) for 12 weeks in 18 patients helped lower insulin levels by 31% (7 millimoles per liter, p < 0.05) with no significant decrease in blood sugar compared to an 11% increase in insulin levels in the 15 patients in the control group (2.3 mmmol/L) (6).

In the longer studies, 6 months of 10.5 grams of psyllium per day (3.5-gram supplements three times daily with meals) in 48 patients lowered fasting blood sugar levels by 22% (110 to 86 milligrams/deciliter) and insulin levels by 20% (25.2 to 20.1 microUnits/milliliter) (p < 0.01) compared to a 7% blood sugar decrease (107 to 99 mg/dL) and no significant change in insulin levels in 45 patients in the control group (24.6 to 24.9 microUnits/mL, p < 0.01) (7)

For blood pressure, the long-term psyllium study (7) showed 10.5 grams of psyllium per day to 48 patients had a modest benefit to blood pressure, helping decrease systolic blood pressure by 4% (131.4 to 126.2 mmHg) and decrease diastolic blood pressure by 3% (84.6 to 82.4 mmHg) (p < 0.01) compared to the 45 control group patients who had a 2% decrease in systolic blood pressure (132 to 129.7 mmHg) and a 1% decrease in diastolic blood pressure (85.5 to 84.4 mmHg).

In a shorter study of 8 weeks in 9 patients, 15 grams of psyllium per day helped lower systolic blood pressure by 7% (135 to 126.6 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure by 3% (74.1 to 71.8 mmHg) (p = 0.064) compared to 3% increase in the systolic blood pressure (131.8 to 134.1 mmHg) and a 2% increase in the diastolic blood pressure (74.6 to 76.0 mmHg) for the 9 patients of the control group (8).

While the researchers admit that the mechanism behind psyllium’s benefit to blood pressure remains unknown, they cite its’ insulin and blood sugar benefits to a slowing down of sugar absorption in the small intestines (46) as well as helping slow down the movement of carbohydrate from the stomach into the small intestines, called “gastric emptying” (47).  They went on to conclude that “research to date does support the notion that the consumption of psyllium may provide benefits to many components of the MS” and that “psyllium supplementation does improve glucose levels and insulin response…thereby reducing metabolic risk factors.”

Source: Pal, Sebely, and Simone Radavelli‐Bagatini. “Effects of psyllium on metabolic syndrome risk factors.” Obesity Reviews 13.11 (2012): 1034-1047.

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Posted September 19, 2012.

References:

  1. WHO. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation.World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser 2000; 894: i–xii, 1–253.
  2. Wilborn C, Beckham J, Campbell B et al. Obesity: prevalence, theories, medical consequences, management, and research directions. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2005; 2: 4–31.
  3. “Metabolic Syndrome” information accessed on MayoClinic.com.
  4. Alberti KG, Zimmet P, Shaw J. Metabolic syndrome–a new world-wide definition. A consensus statement from the International Diabetes Federation. Diabet Med 2006; 23: 469–480.
  5. Pal S. Effects of psyllium on metabolic syndrome risk factors.  Obes Rev. 2012 Aug 5. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2012.01020.x. [Epub ahead of print].
  6. Pal S, Khossousi A, Binns C, Dhaliwal S, Ellis V. The effect of a fibre supplement compared to a healthy diet on body composition, lipids, glucose, insulin and other metabolic syndrome risk factors in overweight and obese individuals. Br J Nutr 2011; 105: 90–100.
  7. Cicero AF, Derosa G, Manca M, Bove M, Borghi C, Gaddi AV. Different effect of psyllium and guar dietary supplementation on blood pressure control in hypertensive overweight patients: a six-month, randomized clinical trial. Clin Exp Hypertens 2007; 29: 383–394.
  8. Burke V, Hodgson JM, Beilin LJ, Giangiulioi N, Rogers P, Puddey IB. Dietary protein and soluble fiber reduce ambulatory blood pressure in treated hypertensives. Hypertension 2001; 38: 821–826.