Effects of guar gum on blood lipid levels: A systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized clinical trials

• Published in: Journal of functional foods 2021-10, Vol.85, p.104605, Article 104605
• Main Authors: Wang, Niannian, Pan, Da, Guo, Ziqi, Xiang, Xuesong, Wang, Shaokang, Zhu, Jing, Sun, Guiju
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blood lipid levels; Guar gum; Meta-analysis; RCTs
• ISSN: 1756-4646; 2214-9414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2021.104605

[Display omitted] •Guar gum decrease TC and LDL-C, which maybe can promote lipid health and prevent CVD.•Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to identify sources of heterogeneity.•The trim and fill method and contour-enhanced funnel plot were used to analyze publication bias. Guar gum is recognized as a soluble dietary fiber but its effects on blood lipid levels remain to be established. The purpose of the study was to focus on assessing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and investigate the effect of guar gum on lipid levels. Seventeen studies were systematically selected and included in the meta-analysis. Decreases in total cholesterol (TC) (standard mean difference (SMD) [95 %CI] = −1.38 [−2.01,−0.74]) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (SMD [95 %CI] = −1.67 [−2.52, −0.82]) were significantly more pronounced with guar gum consumption, whereas no difference was observed on high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (SMD [95 %CI] = −0.07 [−0.34, 0.19]) or triglyceride (TG) (SMD [95 %CI] = 0.06 [−0.50, 0.61]), which suggests that guar gum has the potential to promote lipid health and prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD).