Research synthesisLow evidenceSmall effect3 studies · 2 beneficial · 1 neutral · 0 harmful
Across 3 studies, 2 reported beneficial small-sized effects of yacon on waist circumference reduction, while 1 neutral meta-analysis found no significant effect. The beneficial studies used yacon syrup (0.14 g FOS/kg/day) or yacon flour (0.1 g FOS/kg body weight) in overweight or obese adults over 6–17 weeks. The median study duration was 81 days, suggesting effects typically observed at 8–12 weeks.
- Effective dose range: 0.1–0.14 g FOS/kg body weight per day (approximately 7–10 g FOS for a 70 kg adult)
- Studied populations: Overweight and obese adults, specifically premenopausal women with dyslipidemia and adults with excess weight and high body fat
Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. One neutral meta-analysis included in the review may reflect broader, more variable data, tempering the positive signal from individual RCTs. The two beneficial studies had small sample sizes (13 and unclear), and the overall effect size was small, so the clinical significance remains uncertain.
Generated Jun 15, 2026