Inulin
INGREDIENTS: Inulin: made of 60 chains of glucose and fructose molecules
OTHER NAMES: Chicory Extract, Chicory Inulin, Dahlia Extract, Dahlia Inulin, Extrait de Chicorée, Extrait de Dahlia, Inulina, Inuline, Inuline de Chicorée, Inuline de Dahlia, Long-chain Oligosaccharides, Oligosaccharides, Oligosacchardies à Chaîne Longue, Prebiotic, Prébiotique
- Overview
- Usage
- Safety
- Interactions
- Dosing
- Others
| Usage | Effectiveness |
|---|---|
|
|
| Proven | Safety |
USAGE AND EFFECTIVENESS
| Usage | Effectiveness |
|---|---|
| Constipation |
Mild effectiveness (Improve bowel movement) Several clinical studies showed improvements in speed of moving bowel, softness of stool, regularity of moving bowel; however other studies show that it may not improve abdomen fullness, gas, abdomen pain; more evidence is needed |
| Diabetes |
Mild effectiveness(Reduce blood sugar level in individuals with diabetes - Short term) Shown in several strong clinical studies (meta-analysis) to reduce blood sugar level, blood pressure, and body weight in individuals with diabetes in short term More evidence needed for long term effect |
| Celiac Disease |
Unclear effectiveness (Reduce risk of vitamin and mineral deficiency) Several clinical studies showed conflicting results (Some showed increased absorption of vitamin D (42%), vitamin E (19%), and iron while others showed no improvement in iron level); but clinical studies are not robust enough (preliminary clinical research); More evidence is needed Celiac Disease is a allergic condition where the intestine is sensitive to gluten, a protein found in barley, wheat and rye. |
| Chronic Kidney Disease |
Unclear effectiveness (Reduce risk of chronic kidney disease) Shown in one clinical study to reduce insulin, blood sugar, total cholesterol, fat levels, inflammation, and increase good cholesterol level; but effectiveness of inulin when used alone is unknown or if it has any effect on arresting the decline in kidney function; more evidence is needed |
| Diarrhoea caused by Antibiotics |
Unclear effectiveness (Reduce incidences of antibiotic-associated diarrhoa) One preliminary clinical research showed ineffectiveness in reducing the rate of diarrhoea caused by antibbiotic; more evidence is needed |
| High Cholesterol |
Unclear effectiveness (Reduce cholesterol level) Several studies showing conflicting results (Some showed reduction in triglycerides (component of fats) level by 26%, some showed slight reduction of cholesterol (e.g. 5% reduction of bad cholesterol) while another showed there was no change in the cholesterol level; but more evidence is needed |
| Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve liver function test) One clinical study showed that taking inulin with antibiotic (metronidazole) improve liver function test results but taking inulin alone did not improve the results; more evidence is needed. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is a condition where excess fats are accumulated in the liver of individuals who drink little to no alcohol, causing inflammation and liver damage. |
| Obesity |
Unclear effectiveness (Reduce body weight- short term) Several clinical studies showed weight loss when compared to pill without active ingredient or green tea while other studies showed that it is not more effective when taken together with other ingredients e.g. chromium and capsicum as compared to dieting or dieting and exercise; more evidence is needed |
| Prediabetes |
Unclear effectiveness (Improve glucose tolerance) One preliminary clinical research showed no improvements in ability to maintain healthy blood sugar level, sensitivity to insulin (hormone that regulate how we store or use sugar); more evidence is needed |
General Safety
- Generally safe as food in normal amount and when used appropriately.
Pregnant/ Breastfeeding
- Generally safe as food in normal amount and when used appropriately.
Children
- Generally safe as food in normal amount and when used appropriately.
Elderly
- Little data to show it is safe or otherwise; avoid supplementation if possible.
Special to Note
- Unknown.
Contraindications
- Unknown.
Side Effects
-
Generally safe; side effects may include:
• Digestive System: May cause feeling of bloatedness, diarrhoea, constipation, gas and cramps.
• Immune System: May cause serious allergy reactions such as anaphylaxis - a serious and dangerous allergy with symptoms such as breathing difficulty and low blood pressure;possibly due to high dose.
- Medicines
Medium severity interactions with medicines for lowering blood sugar level. - Supplements
Medium to High severity interaction with herbs and supplements for lowering blood sugar level and those containing calcium or magnesium. - Food
None known. - Lab Tests
None known.
- Oral (Adults)
8-18 grammes for up to 6-12 weeks. - Oral (Children 7 - 12 years old)
8 grammes for up to 16 weeks.
- General Information
- Inulin is used by consumers as a food additive for improving taste and as a bulking agent.
- How does it work?
- Contains chemicals that reduce inflammation, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and body weight; increase healthy bacteria (prebiotics) in the gut.
| Effectiveness Score | What does it mean | Action to be taken by you |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Gold Standard | You should always consider taking this supplement. Do check if your health professional has any objection to you taking this supplement. |
| 4 | Effective | This supplement may be helpful. You may consider taking this. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 3 | Mildly Effective | This supplement may be mildly helpful. You may consider taking this if the benefit outweighs the risk. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 2 | Unclear Effectiveness due to Conflicting Results or Limited Benefit | This supplement may not provide a clear benefit to the issue(s) you seek to resolve. Do consult your health professional if you still decide to go ahead to take this. |
| Effectiveness Score | What does it mean | Action to be taken by you |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Gold Standard | You should always consider taking this supplement. Do check if your health professional has any objection to you taking this supplement. |
| 4 | Effective | This supplement may be helpful. You may consider taking this. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 3 | Mildly Effective | This supplement may be mildly helpful. You may consider taking this if the benefit outweighs the risk. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 2 | Unclear Effectiveness due to Conflicting Results or Limited Benefit | This supplement may not provide a clear benefit to the issue(s) you seek to resolve. Do consult your health professional if you still decide to go ahead to take this. |
| 1 | Unknown Effectiveness | There is no evidence of benefit for taking this supplement. Do consult your health professional if you still decide to go ahead to take this. |
| 0 | Proven to be Not Effective | Taking this supplement has been proven to be ineffective. Do consult your health professional if you still decide to go ahead to take this. |
| Amount of Medical Evidence | What does it mean | Action to be taken by you |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Proven by One or More Well Designed Analysis of Several Well Designed Medical Studies | You can rest assured that this supplement can do what it claims to do. |
| 4 | Proven by several well designed medical studies | You have good confidence that this supplement will do what it claims to do. |
| 3 | Proven by One Well Designed Medical Study | You have some confidence that this supplement will do what it claims to do. |
| 2 | Proven by One or Several Not Well Designed Medical Studies | There may be doubts about whether this supplement can do what it claims. Consider if this is necessary. |
| 1 | No Study Done or Proven by Weakly Designed Medical Studies | There are many doubts about whether this supplement can do what it claims. Consider if this is necessary. |
| 0 | Proven to be Ineffective or Harmful | You should strongly consider not to use this unless advised by your health professionals. |
| Safety Score | What does it mean | Action to be taken by you |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Safe for Everyone | This supplement is most likely to be safe for you. You may consider taking this. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 4 | Safe for General Population, with Unknown Effect on Special Population | This supplement is likely to be safe for you, except for certain circumstances. Do consult your health professional if you have any medical condition or if you are taking any medication. |
| 3 | ||
| 2 | Safe for General Population but may be Unsafe for Certain Population or have Certain Rare Side Effect | This supplement may be safe for you if you do not have any medical conditions or concurrent medication. Do consult your health professional before taking it. |
| 1 | Unknown Safety | Unless you are very healthy and have no concurrent medical conditions and medication, you should not take it. Even if safety is not an issue, you should only consider taking it if the benefit is deemed to be more than the risk. Please consult your health professional should you decide to take the supplement. |
| 0 | Unsafe | You must not take this. Please consult your health professional should you decide otherwise. |
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.