Table 1.
Food supplements with a primary impact on nutrients absorption.
| Food Supplement | Dosage | Mechanisms of Action | Quality of Evidence | Side Effects | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Tea | 100–460 mg/day | lipase, amylase, glucosidase inhibition *#; gut microbiota modification *# | moderate | None | A |
| Ginseng | 100 mg–18 g/day | lipase inhibition *#; appetite hormonwhie levels modification * | low | None | B |
| White Kidney Bean | 1–3 g/day | α-amylase inhibition *#; antioxidant *, anticarcinogenic *#, anti-inflammatory*#, glucose lowering *#, and cardioprotective properties *# | moderate | Lectin’s toxicity (abstent in phaseolus vulgaris extracts) | A |
| Chitosan | 1–4.5 g/day | absorption of dietary fats inhibition *#; decreased lipid peroxidation; adipogenesis inhibition * | low | Gastrointestinal discomfort and bloating | B |
| β-Glucans | 5–9 g/day | lipid and carbohydrate absorption inhibition *#; satiety induction *#; PYY-NPY axis activation *# | low | None | B |
| Psyllium | 3–10.5 g/day | carbohydrate absorption inhibition *#; decreased serum lipids *#; delayed gastric emptying *#; glucose control *#; satiety induction *# | low | Gastrointestinal discomfort and bloating | B |
| Glucomannan | 2–3 g/day | delayed gastric emptying *#, increased satiety *#; decreased post-prandial glucose concentration | low | None | B |
| Guar Gum | 9–30 g/day | increased postprandial fullness #, appetite and food intake reduction *# | low | Gastrointestinal discomfort, bloating, diarrhea | B |
| Agar | 180 g/day | delayed gastric emptying #; increased satiety *# | low | None | B |
| Inulin | 8–30 g/day | carbohydrate absorption inhibition *#; gut microbiota modulation *#; increased satiety *# | low | None | B |
* denotes preclinical evidence, # denotes clinical evidence, A is for possibly recommended, B is for undetermined recommendation.