Effects of guar gum ingestion on postprandial blood pressure in older adults

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of guar gum on postprandial blood pressure in older people. DESIGN: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design. SETTING: Community senior centers in B city, South Korea. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two older female adults aged 67 to 88 with postprandial hypotension. INTERVENTION: The participants were randomly assigned to guar gum (semi-fluid food with 9 gram) or placebo intervention during the first treatment phase. After a washout period of 1 week, the two interventions were switched to the other in the second treatment phase. MEASUREMENTS: Blood pressure was measured during both phases before having a meal and every 15 minutes during 120 minutes after a meal with automated sphygmomanometer. RESULTS: Change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) over time was significantly different between guar gum and placebo groups (F=4.07, p=0.001). Compared with placebo group, guar gum group had significantly low prevalence of postprandial hypotension (PPH) (guar gum group=18.2% vs. placebo group=72.7%; Χ²=13.20, p< 0.001). It also had significant difference in change of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) over time between guar gum and placebo groups (F=2.49, p=0.027). CONCLUSION: This findings show that guar gum could be effective on postprandial drops in blood pressure in older female adults.