Research shows that a high-fibre diet can help prevent type 2 diabetes, lower insulin and blood sugar, and improve cholesterol and triglyceride (blood fat) levels in people with diabetes. Research also shows that a high intake of dietary fibre can help prevent weight gain in the waist area.
People who currently have or are at risk of developing certain medical conditions (such as heart disease) who benefit from a high fibre diet may also want to supplement their intake with fibre. If you know you are not getting the recommended daily amount of fibre and are having difficulty increasing it through your diet, you may need to take fibre supplements. Safety of additives. While there is no evidence that fibre supplements are harmful, it is best to get fibre from natural sources so you can better reap the health benefits of dietary fibre.
Whether you are increasing your fibre intake through supplements or following a high fibre diet, be sure to increase your fluid intake as you increase your fibre intake. Drink at least one to two glasses of water every time you consume a high-fibre meal or take supplements, because soluble fibre works best with water. If you want to add fibre to your diet, start slowly with an extra serving or two per day (one supplement contains about 3 grams of fibre per serving) to avoid side effects such as bloating and gas, and increase your fluid intake to avoid constipation.
Consuming dietary fibre supplements before meals will ensure that fibre is absorbed into the digestive system before meals and will also help you remember to take it every time, which is the key to the health benefits. It is best to get fibre from food because supplements do not contain the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients found in high fibre foods.
Supplements may contain ingredients that are harmful to health in addition to fibre. There is no indication that psyllium (Metamucil, Konsyl, etc.) or methyl cellulose (Citrucel) daily fibre supplements are dangerous. Fibre supplements can also lower blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, this may require medication or insulin adjustments.
It is generally recommended to start with a low dose and increase it until you reach the recommended total daily fibre intake, and dietary sources of fibre should always be considered. Eating foods high in fibre, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, is considered the best approach for people looking to get the recommended daily fibre intake.
It is better to eat plant-based foods than take fibre tablets or powders. The key is to eat a lot of fibre every day to reap the benefits and keep your digestive system running smoothly. While they’re abundant, most Americans don’t eat enough foods that naturally contain fibre.
Fibre is essential for the proper functioning of the digestive system and the prevention of constipation. In addition, because fibre is natural, bacteria in the colon ferment it, which can cause gas and bloating. It can help relieve digestive discomfort that can result from a sudden increase in fibre.
Wheat bran and psyllium are two sources of fibre to aid digestion. Gut Health The main benefit of increasing your fibre intake, whether with food or supplements, is to improve gut health. Soluble and insoluble fibre can also help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower blood glucose levels, which helps protect against digestive problems, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
For optimal health, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that adult men consume at least 38 grams (g) of fibre per day and women consume at least 25 grams of fibre per day. Some dietary supplements can help you meet your daily fibre needs, but there is no better time to get fibre if you are not using it for weight loss. You need to check the nutritional value of the food you eat to get a real idea of how much fibre you are consuming throughout the day. However, as noted above, for most Americans this amount is closer to 15 grams of fibre per day.
The most obvious way to solve this problem is to simply choose fibre-rich foods and beverages, but this may be difficult to achieve through the typical American diet. Because fortified foods and supplements typically only include one or two types of fibre, finding a solution that provides functional fibre is essential for properly addressing the problem. Since the term “fibre supplement” means that regular (daily) consumption will provide the same health benefits as a high-fibre diet, it is prudent to seek evidence of clinically significant health benefits before choosing/recommending fibre supplements.
In contrast, the separated fibres in supplements can be easily compared with placebos in clinical trials. Not all fibres have a laxative effect or improve eating habits, and some can even cause constipation. Therefore, it is important for nurses to understand the mechanisms that cause laxative effects and identify which fibres have clinical evidence of clinically significant laxative effects (for example, wheat dextrin, ground wheat bran). A number of studies on the effects of insoluble and soluble fibre supplements have shown that they do have a positive effect on intestinal function; when these isolated psyllium fibres are taken in the form of supplements, they can play a role in slowing digestion and promoting bowel movements Similar to the function of dietary fibre in food.
A evaluation of the weight-loss effects of dietary supplements 60 found 17 placebo-controlled clinical trials, the majority of which used low-calorie diets and fibre supplements (mainly insoluble fibre) administered three times a day earlier. Supplement intake ranged from 4.5 to 20 g / day, and the results showed that only 1 of 17 studies provided evidence of greater weight loss than placebo, 60 confirming the previous finding that insoluble fibre did not have significant clinical intestines.