Improved glucose tolerance four hours after taking guar with glucose

To gain some insights about the possible cumulative metabolic effect after a high-fibre meal, 6 subjects took two 80 g oral glucose loads, 4 h apart. Addition of 22.3 g guar to the first load decreased the rise in blood glucose and insulin after the second (guar-free) load by 50% (p less than 0.002) and 31% (p less than 0.02) respectively. This corresponded with decreased 3-hydroxybutyrate levels at the start of the glucose tolerance test after guar (by 20%, p less than 0.02). When no guar was added to the first glucose load, both 3-hydroxybutyrate and non-esterified fatty acids tended to rise before the second test. No significant effect was seen in the responses of the gut hormones, gastric inhibitory peptide and enteroglucagon. Spreading the intake of the first 80 g of glucose over the initial 4 h (2 subjects) similarly flattened the glycaemic but increased the insulin response. The effect of guar on carbohydrate and fat metabolism, therefore, lasts at least 4 h and may result in improved carbohydrate tolerance to subsequent guar-free meals.