The effect of mannose on blood sugar is very small, and it can even be said to have "almost no effect" on blood sugar levels. This is a key difference between it and most other sugars such as glucose.

Here is a detailed explanation:

Different metabolic pathways:

Glucose: It is the main source of energy for the body. It is efficiently absorbed by the intestine (almost 100%), enters the bloodstream (raises blood sugar), and is taken up, utilized, or stored by cells with the help of insulin (such as glycogen, fat).

Mannose: Although it is also a monosaccharide (six carbon sugar), its metabolic pathway in the body is completely different from glucose.

Low absorption rate: The intestinal absorption efficiency of mannose is much lower than that of glucose (approximately only 20% or lower).

Not dependent on insulin: After being absorbed into the liver, most of the mannose is phosphorylated into mannose-6-phosphate by specific enzymes (mainly mannose kinases).

Conversion to Fructose-6-phosphate: Mannose-6-phosphate is subsequently converted to Fructose-6-phosphate by phosphomannose isomerase.

Entering the glycolysis pathway: Fructose-6-phosphate is an intermediate product in the glycolysis pathway that can be further metabolized to produce energy. The key is that this conversion process bypasses key steps such as glucokinase and glucose-6-phosphate, and is not dependent on the action of insulin. ?

Not stimulating insulin secretion:

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Due to the fact that mannose itself is not the main stimulant of elevated blood sugar (with a small amount entering the bloodstream and different metabolic pathways), it does not significantly stimulate pancreatic beta cells to secrete insulin like glucose. Research has shown that oral administration of mannose does not significantly increase blood glucose and insulin levels.

Clinical and experimental evidence:

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A small number of studies conducted in healthy people and type 2 diabetes patients showed that even at relatively high doses (such as 0.2 g/kg body weight, which is equivalent to 14 g for a 70 kg person), oral mannose did not cause significant fluctuations in blood glucose levels.

Animal experiments have also consistently shown that mannose does not increase blood sugar levels.

Summarize the reasons why mannose has a small impact on blood sugar:

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Low absorption rate: Most of the ingested mannose is not absorbed and is directly utilized or excreted by intestinal bacteria.

Unique metabolic pathway: The absorbed portion is rapidly converted into fructose-6-phosphate in the liver through an insulin independent pathway and enters glycolysis, avoiding direct circulation as blood glucose (glucose).

Non stimulating insulin: Lack of effective stimulation of blood sugar, therefore it does not trigger significant insulin secretion.

Important Notice:

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Dose: The above conclusions are mainly based on conventional supplementary doses (usually used for urinary health purposes, around 1-2 grams per day) and some research doses (such as 0.2g/kg). In theory, extremely high doses may generate different metabolic burdens, but they are usually not used for this purpose.

Sweetness: The sweetness of mannose is approximately 70% that of sucrose, but it is sometimes mentioned as a potential "low glycemic index sweetener" because it does not affect blood sugar and is absorbed less. But its cost and taste (slightly bitter) as a sweetener limit its widespread application.

Main use: Currently, the main application of mannose is based on its ability to interfere with the attachment of bacteria (mainly Escherichia coli) to urinary tract epithelial cells, for the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Its blood sugar friendly characteristics make it a relatively safe choice for diabetes patients or people with blood sugar control when they need to prevent urinary tract infection (of course, they still need to follow the doctor's advice).

Individual differences and consultation with doctors: Although metabolic mechanisms determine that it does not affect blood sugar, there may be differences between individuals. If you have serious diabetes or other metabolic diseases, it is better to consult a doctor before using mannose as a supplement.

Conclusion:

Mannose is a special sugar that, due to its low intestinal absorption rate and unique, insulin independent metabolic pathway in the liver, hardly causes an increase in blood sugar levels and does not stimulate insulin secretion. This makes it much safer for people who need to control blood sugar (such as diabetes patients) than other sugars, especially when it is used to prevent urinary tract infections.