Glyconutrients

Sold primarily by the supplement manufacturer Mannatech under the product line Ambrotose, glyconutrients contain eight monosaccharides (that is, simple carbohydrates, or sugars). Mannatech alleges that our diets are lacking in all but two—glucose and galactose—of these sugars. It is true that sugars are not just "empty" calories but do, in fact, play an essential role in many biological functions, including cell-to-cell communication and immunity. There’s actually an emerging and important field of science, called glycobiology, which explores the function of carbohydrates in health and disease. But glyconutrient marketers have no basis for saying that consuming sugars in supplements has health benefits.

Claims, purported benefits: Enhances the immune system and treats a wide range of medical conditions, from diabetes and high cholesterol to psoriasis and multiple sclerosis.

Bottom line: Our bodies are able to convert the sugars in foods (such as fruits and vegetables) from one form to the other forms as needed. There is no evidence that toxins, stress, drugs, or other factors interfere with the conversion process, as the marketers of glyconutrients claim. There is no evidence that relying on our bodies to create the sugars instead of ingesting them in food or glyconutrient supplements causes any problems. Glyconutrient marketers provide long lists of studies that supposedly support the use of glyconutrients for all kinds of medical conditions, as well as for general health. But these are unpublished conference presentations, anecdotes, and lab or animal studies, or they are from obscure journals of questionable reputation. No well-designed research shows any health benefits for glyconutrient supplements or suggests that glyconutrient supplements live up to any of the claims or are useful in treating any medical condition. Don’t waste your money on these expensive products.