Fiber
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Overview |
Dietary fiber, found in all plant-based foods, plays an essential role in human health. There are two types of fiber -- soluble and insoluble -- and most whole foods contain a combination of the two types. Both types of fiber help maintain the health of your digestive system and promote regular bowel movements.
Soluble fiber pulls in water to form a gel in the digestive tract. This slows digestion, so that your stomach and intestine don’t absorb as much of some nutrients, like starch and sugar. As a result, cholesterol levels go down over time, which may help prevent heart disease and stroke. Consuming soluble fiber may also improve glucose tolerance in people with diabetes. This type of fiber is a common ingredient in many over-the-counter laxatives. Psyllium husk, pectin, and the soft parts of fruits, dried beans, and peas are examples of soluble fiber.
Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, can be found in the peels of fruit, such as apples, blueberries, and grapes. It acts as a natural laxative that speeds the passage of foods through the stomach. It also gives stool its bulk and helps it move quickly through the gastrointestinal tract.
Getting more fiber in your diet has been shown to play a role in the treatment of conditions such as gastrointestinal disease, constipation, hemorrhoids, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes. Most Americans don’t get anywhere near the amount of fiber -- 25 to 30 grams per day -- recommended in their daily diet.
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Uses
Constipation
Many well-designed clinical studies have shown that fiber relieves constipation. Most clinical studies have used wheat bran and psyllium. Researchers think fiber relieves constipation by adding bulk to stool and helping it move faster through the intestines.
Diarrhea
Fiber can be used to relieve mild-to-moderate diarrhea. Soluble fiber soaks up water in the digestive tract, which makes stool firmer and slower to pass.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Several well-designed clinical studies have found that soluble fiber helps regulate stool frequency and consistency in people with IBS.
Hemorrhoids
Your doctor may recommend soluble fiber to help soften stool and reduce the pain associated with hemorrhoids.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
A clinical study of people with ulcerative colitis (a type of IBD) found that psyllium seeds were as effective as the prescription drug mesalamine (Rowasa) in reducing recurrences of the disease.
Diverticulosis
Patients with diverticulosis are often given fiber supplements to prevent constipation and stop the condition from progressing. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends 25 - 30 grams of fiber per day; your doctor may recommend more. Some researchers think that people with diverticulosis should avoid foods such as nuts, pumpkin, caraway, and sesame seeds. It is thought that these small particles may get lodged in the diverticula (pouches in the colon) and cause infection and irritation.
High cholesterol
Soluble fibers, such as those in psyllium husk (which contains both soluble and insoluble fiber), guar gum, flax seed, and oat bran, can help lower cholesterol when added to a low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet. Clinical studies have shown psyllium, in particular, is effective in lowering total cholesterol levels as well as LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol levels.
Diabetes
Clinical studies suggest that a high-fiber diet may help prevent type 2 diabetes, lower insulin and blood sugar levels, and improve cholesterol and triglyceride (fats in the blood) levels in people with diabetes. In addition, one well-designed clinical study suggests that pregnant women with type 1 diabetes may be able to reduce the amount of insulin they use if they eat a high-fiber diet.
A clinical study compared people with type 2 diabetes who were eating 50 grams of fiber daily with people getting the American Diabetes Association’s recommended 24 grams of fiber daily. After 6 weeks, people on the higher fiber diet had better control of blood glucose, insulin, and blood lipids. In another clinical study, a group of men with type 2 diabetes who took psyllium twice daily lowered blood glucose and lipid values compared to a control group taking a placebo.
Obesity
Clinical studies and human case reports suggest that soluble fiber (such as psyllium, pectin, and guar gum) may make you feel full and less hungry, so that you eat less and lose weight.
Heart disease
Eating more high-fiber foods (such as oatmeal, oat bran, psyllium, and legumes) may help lower heart disease risk.
Coloncancer
There are conflicting results from studies examining whether a high-fiber diet can help prevent colon cancer. Some studies have suggested that fiber protects against the development of colorectal cancer. But most large, better-designed clinical studies have found only a small association between how much fiber people eat and their risk of colorectal cancer. In addition, fiber does not seem to protect against the recurrence of colorectal cancer in people who have already been treated for the condition.
Other types of cancer
Preliminary clinical evidence suggests that a diet high in fiber (in conjunction with lifestyle changes and conventional medication) may help protect against certain types of cancer such as prostate, breast, and lining of the uterus. Further studies are needed to be sure, however.
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Dietary Sources
Soluble fiber is found in dried beans and peas, oats, barley, fruits, and psyllium seed husks.
Insoluble fiber is found primarily in fruits and vegetables, whole-grain products, whole grain cereals, and wheat and corn bran.
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Available Forms
Fiber is available as a supplement in several forms, including fiber tablets, capsules, and powders. Fiber is also available as bulk fiber laxatives, including psyllium.
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How to Take It
The following are daily fiber recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine:
Pediatric
Infants and children under 18 years of age: There is no daily fiber recommendation for children. Children with specific fiber needs should increase the amount of foods with fiber they eat slowly over a period of days. Do not give fiber supplements to a child without first asking your doctor.
Adults
Males ages 19 - 50: 38 grams per day
Females ages 19 - 50: 25 grams per day
Males ages 51 and older: 30 grams per day
Females ages 51 and older: 21 grams per day
If you are not getting enough fiber, you may need to add more fiber-rich foods to your diet. Choose whole-grain products, raw or cooked fruits and vegetables, dried beans, and dried peas. Refined or processed foods, including fruit juices, white breads, pastas, and rice, and non-whole-grain cereals, are lower in fiber. The grain-refining process removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, which lowers its fiber content. Peeling fruits and vegetables also decreases their fiber content.
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Precautions
Because supplements may have side effects or interact with medications, they should be taken only under the supervision of a knowledgeable health care provider.
In general, fiber supplements may reduce or delay your body's absorption of certain medications. Try to take medications at least 1 hour before or 2 - 4 hours after taking fiber.
You should always drink an 8 oz. glass of water with fiber supplements. It is also important to drink at least 6 - 8 full glasses of water throughout the day to avoid constipation. Taking fiber supplements without enough water may cause the supplement to swell and could cause choking. Do not take this product if you have difficulty swallowing. People with esophageal stricture (narrowing of the esophagus) or any other narrowing or obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract should not take fiber supplements.
If you have chest pain, vomiting, or difficulty swallowing or breathing after taking fiber supplements, seek immediate medical attention.
Fiber can cause gas and bloating.
It is rare, but people who take soluble fiber supplements for a long time may develop allergic reactions (even anaphylaxis).
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Possible Interactions
If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use fiber supplements without first talking to your health care provider.
Antidepressant medications (Tricyclic antidepressants) -- Dietary fiber may lower the blood levels and effectiveness of tricyclic antidepressant medications. If you take tricyclic medications, talk to your doctor before taking fiber supplements or adding more fiber to your diet. Tricyclic antidepressants include:
Amitriptyline (Elavil)
Doxepin (Sinequan)
Imipramine (Tofranil)
Diabetes medications -- Fiber supplements may help to regulate blood sugar levels, but they can also reduce the absorption of some medications, such as glyburide (Diabeta) and metformin (Glucophage). Talk to your doctor before taking fiber supplements if you have diabetes, and don’t take fiber supplements at the same time as your medications. Wait a few hours in between.
Carbamazepine -- Taking soluble fiber such as psyllium with carbamazepine (Tegretol), a medication used to treat seizures, may decrease the absorption and effectiveness of carbamazepine. A doctor should monitor blood levels of anyone taking both soluble fiber and carbamazepine.
Cholesterol-lowering medications -- Combining psyllium or other soluble fibers with cholesterol-lowering medications known as bile acid sequestrants, may help lower cholesterol levels. If you take these medications, talk to your doctor to see whether psylium is safe and right for you. These drugs include:
Cholestyramine (Questran)
Colestipol (Colestid)
One study also found that when people taking simvastatin (Zocor) added psyllium supplements to their regimen, they lowered cholesterol levels as much as if they had been taking a double dose of simvastatin.
Digoxin -- Fiber supplements may reduce the body's ability to absorb digoxin (Lanoxin), a medication used to regulate heart function. Do not take fiber supplements at the same time as digoxin.
Lithium -- Clinical reports suggest that psyllium or other soluble fibers may lower lithium levels in the blood, making lithium less effective. Lithium levels should be monitored very closely by a health care provider, especially if there is any big change in fiber intake.