Konjac Glucomannan: An Emerging Specialty Medical Food to Aid in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

There are many factors causing T2DM; thus, it is difficult to prevent and cure it with conventional treatment. In order to realize the continuous intervention of T2DM, the treatment strategy of combining diet therapy and traditional medication came into being. As a natural product with the concept of being healthy, konjac flour and its derivatives are popular with the public. Its main component, Konjac glucomannan (KGM), can not only be applied as a food additive, which greatly improves the taste and flavor of food and extends the shelf life of food but also occupies an important role in T2DM. KGM can extend gastric emptying time, increase satiety, and promote liver glycogen synthesis, and also has the potential to improve intestinal flora and the metabolic system through a variety of molecular pathways in order to positively regulate oxidative stress and immune inflammation, and protect the liver and kidneys. In order to establish the theoretical justification for the adjunctive treatment of T2DM, we have outlined the physicochemical features of KGM in this article, emphasizing the advantages of KGM as a meal for special medical purposes of T2DM.