Home Ingredients EcoGuar® (Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum)
Gut Health

EcoGuar® (Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum)

Cyamopsis tetragonoloba
Evidence Level
Moderate
2 Clinical Trials
4 Documented Benefits
3/5 Evidence Score

EcoGuar® is sold as a partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), a soluble fiber made from the gum of the guar bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba). Partial hydrolysis shortens the fiber chains, so PHGG dissolves in water as a non-gelling, low-viscosity fiber that mixes easily into drinks. No published trials of the EcoGuar brand were found, so the evidence here comes from PHGG made by other suppliers. In a placebo-controlled trial in healthy adults with loose stools, PHGG moved stool form toward normal and raised stool bifidobacteria, and in adults with IBS it eased bloating and gas but did not change abdominal pain or overall symptom scores. Unlike native guar gum, hydrolyzed guar did not blunt the blood sugar rise after a glucose drink in an early test, and in a later trial it did not increase fullness.

Studied Dose 5 to 6 g a day of PHGG in the stool-form and IBS trials; no dose has been tested for the EcoGuar brand itself.
Active Compound Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), a low-viscosity soluble galactomannan fiber.

Benefits

Digestive regularity and microbiome

In a 12-week placebo-controlled trial in 44 healthy Japanese adults with loose stools, 5 g a day of PHGG (the Sunfiber brand, in a trial funded by its maker) moved stool form toward normal and raised stool Bifidobacterium. Stool frequency did not change.

Supported by Trial 1

Less bloating and gas

In a 12-week placebo-controlled trial in 108 analyzed adults with IBS, 6 g a day of PHGG lowered bloating and bloating-plus-gas journal scores. It did not change abdominal pain, stool frequency, overall IBS severity or quality of life.

Supported by Trial 2

Prebiotic fiber

PHGG is fermented by colon bacteria. In the stool-form trial, Bifidobacterium, Ruminococcus and Megasphaera rose and Bacteroides fell versus placebo; these are shifts in bacterial shares, not a separate measured health outcome.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 2

Blood sugar and fullness: not shown for hydrolyzed guar

Native guar gum blunts the blood sugar rise after a glucose drink because it is thick, but in an early test hydrolyzed, non-viscous guar lost that effect. In a 25-woman crossover trial, 20 g a day of hydrolyzed guar fiber did not raise fullness ratings.

Supported by Trial 2

Mechanism of action

1

Fermentation in the colon

PHGG passes to the colon, where bacteria ferment it. A review of earlier studies describes higher colonic short-chain fatty acids, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria with PHGG.

2

Low-viscosity soluble fiber

Partial hydrolysis shortens guar's chains, so PHGG dissolves as a non-gelling fiber without the thickness of regular guar gum. That loss of viscosity also removes most of native guar's ability to slow sugar absorption.

Clinical trials

1
PHGG and stool form: placebo-controlled trial
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 5 g a day of PHGG (the Sunfiber brand) or maltodextrin for 12 weeks, then a 4-week washout, funded by the maker (Yasukawa et al. 2019, Nutrients).

44 healthy Japanese adults with a tendency toward loose stools, 22 per group.

PHGG moved stool form toward normal versus placebo, with significant differences at some weeks, and raised stool Bifidobacterium. Stool frequency did not change. The product was Sunfiber, not EcoGuar.

2
PHGG for IBS bloating: placebo-controlled trial
PubMed

Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial: 12 weeks of PHGG (3 g a day for the first week, then 6 g a day; the product was Sunfiber) or maltodextrin placebo, then 4 weeks of follow-up (Niv et al. 2016, Nutr Metab (Lond)).

121 adults with IBS randomized in Israel; 108 analyzed.

PHGG lowered bloating and bloating-plus-gas journal scores versus placebo, lasting 4 weeks after stopping. It had no effect on abdominal pain, stool frequency, overall IBS severity or quality of life.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well-tolerated as a fiber.
Mild gas or bloating can occur as intake rises.
Increase the dose gradually and drink plenty of water.

Important Drug interactions

Fiber taken at the same time as a medicine can slow its absorption; ask a pharmacist whether to space your doses.
No specific drug interactions were reported in the cited trials.
Tell your doctor if you have a serious digestive condition.

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Frequently asked questions about EcoGuar® (Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum)

What is EcoGuar?

EcoGuar® is sold as a partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), a soluble fiber made from the gum of the guar bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba). Partial hydrolysis shortens the fiber chains, so PHGG dissolves in water as a non-gelling, low-viscosity fiber that mixes easily into drinks.

What is EcoGuar used for?

EcoGuar is researched primarily for Gut Health. In a 12-week placebo-controlled trial in 44 healthy Japanese adults with loose stools, 5 g a day of PHGG (the Sunfiber brand, in a trial funded by its maker) moved stool form toward normal and raised stool Bifidobacterium.

What is the recommended dosage of EcoGuar?

The clinically studied dose is 5 to 6 g a day of PHGG in the stool-form and IBS trials; no dose has been tested for the EcoGuar brand itself. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is EcoGuar safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for EcoGuar include: Generally well-tolerated as a fiber. Mild gas or bloating can occur as intake rises. It may also interact with some medications. EcoGuar is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does EcoGuar interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Fiber taken at the same time as a medicine can slow its absorption; ask a pharmacist whether to space your doses. No specific drug interactions were reported in the cited trials. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for EcoGuar?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for EcoGuar as Moderate (3 out of 5). It is backed by 2 study summaries and 5 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(5 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Yasukawa Z, Inoue R, Ozeki M, Okubo T, Takagi T, Honda A, Naito Y. Effect of Repeated Consumption of Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum on Fecal Characteristics and Gut Microbiota: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, and Parallel-Group Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2170. doi: 10.3390/nu11092170.PubMedUsed to support: Maker-funded trial (Taiyo Kagaku, Sunfiber brand) in 44 healthy Japanese adults with loose-stool tendencies: 5 g a day of PHGG for 12 weeks moved stool form toward normal without changing stool frequency, and stool Bifidobacterium rose versus placebo (full text also reports higher Ruminococcus and Megasphaera and lower Bacteroides). It did not measure blood sugar or fullness.
  2. Niv E, Halak A, Tiommny E, Yanai H, Strul H, Naftali T, Vaisman N. Randomized clinical study: Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) versus placebo in the treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2016;13:10. doi: 10.1186/s12986-016-0070-5.PubMedUsed to support: Double-blind trial in 121 randomized adults with IBS (108 analyzed). 6 g a day of PHGG (the Sunfiber brand, per the full text) for 12 weeks lowered bloating and bloating-plus-gas journal scores versus placebo, with no effect on abdominal pain, stool frequency, overall severity or quality of life.
  3. Giannini EG, Mansi C, Dulbecco P, Savarino V. Role of partially hydrolyzed guar gum in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Nutrition. 2006;22(3):334-42. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2005.10.003.PubMedUsed to support: Narrative review, not a trial. It describes PHGG as a water-soluble, non-gelling fiber and summarizes earlier studies reporting fewer IBS symptoms and higher colonic short-chain fatty acids, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. It gives no dose of its own.
  4. Jenkins DJ, Wolever TM, Leeds AR, Gassull MA, Haisman P, Dilawari J, Goff DV, Metz GL, Alberti KG. Dietary fibres, fibre analogues, and glucose tolerance: importance of viscosity. Br Med J. 1978;1(6124):1392-4. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.6124.1392.PubMedUsed to support: In small groups of volunteers given a 50 g glucose drink, native guar flattened the blood sugar rise the most of the fibers tested, but hydrolysed, non-viscous guar lost that effect. The blood sugar effect tracked each fiber's viscosity.
  5. Heini AF, Lara-Castro C, Schneider H, Kirk KA, Considine RV, Weinsier RL. Effect of hydrolyzed guar fiber on fasting and postprandial satiety and satiety hormones: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial during controlled weight loss. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1998;22(9):906-9. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0800680.PubMedUsed to support: Double-blind crossover trial in 25 women with obesity on an 800 kcal diet: 20 g a day of hydrolyzed guar fiber did not change satiety ratings, glucose, insulin or leptin, fasting or after a meal; only the after-meal CCK hormone response was higher.