Fiber Pills & Weight Loss

Fiber is an important constituent of vegetables, fruit and grains, and it plays a significant role in maintaining regularity and managing weight. You can consume fiber in its food or supplement forms. The pill form often provides about 10 percent of your total daily needs. The fiber in fiber pills comes from a variety of sources, including wheat dextrin and psyllium husks. Carefully follow dosing directions for properly supplementing fiber to prevent discomfort.

Fiber

The Colorado State Extension Office shows that fiber is the indigestible portion of plants that our body allows to pass through the digestive system without being digested or absorbed. In the colon, it helps draw water into waste material, developing stool to excrete. This is an essential process in preventing constipation and diverticulosis, which are harmful to the colon or large intestine. It may also help to lower cholesterol, control blood sugar and reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Fiber and Weight Control

The Colorado State Extension Office shows that fiber is promoted as a weight reducing food, but it attributes this to the food sources of fiber, not the supplements. Higher fiber foods are often bulkier, more filling and lower in calorie than calorie-rich, low-fiber foods, like meat or dairy foods. The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences shows that you need 20 to 35 g fiber every day for best health. Good fiber sources include fibrous vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains. When your diet emphasizes those foods, there is less room for higher calorie dairy or meat foods, which will result in a reduced-calorie calorie, leading to weight loss.

Fiber Supplements and Pills

In addition to food sources, you can consume fiber in supplement form, which include tablets, powders, wafers and fiber-enriched foods. The active ingredients include wheat dextrin, methylcellulose, inulin, and psyllium husk, the National Fiber Council shows. According to the Mayo Clinic, dietary fiber supplements are designed to be consumed each day, so they are safe as long as you follow the directions. The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences recommends consuming most of your fiber from food sources, because you get the added benefits of vitamins and minerals that are not included in the tablets.

Fiber Pills and Weight Loss

Because it is easier to consume high amounts of fiber when taken in supplement form, you could accidentally over-consume fiber. Exceeding 50 g fiber per day is inadvisable, the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences shows, because the excess fiber could interfere with absorption of zinc, iron, magnesium and calcium. Dramatically increasing your fiber intake quickly can also lead to bloating, diarrhea and discomfort or gas. You should also drink plenty of extra water, because the increased fiber draws more water into your colon, which could dehydrate you.

Fiber Pills and Medications

Fiber helps to control blood cholesterol and blood sugar, but the control may require adjustment of your medications. In addition, fiber supplements may also interfere with certain medications, the Mayo Clinic shows, so you should consult your physician if you intend to increase your fiber intake. If you take cholesterol medication or blood thinners, be sure to discuss your diet and supplements with your physician. In addition, fiber might also affect blood sugar levels; so if you have diabetes, discuss your health with your physician.