Diet Pills With Fiber

On average, Americans consume about 15 g of fiber daily, which falls short of the recommended 20 to 35 g daily, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The two types of fiber are insoluble, which cannot dissolve in water, and soluble, which dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance. While it's best to get fiber from food, diet pills with fiber can help you meet your daily intake needs and may also enhance weight loss.

Effects of Fiber on Weight Loss

Dietary fiber adds bulk to your meals and slows the rate at which food empties from your stomach. As a result, it's very filling and helps to suppress your appetite naturally and reduce your overall calorie intake. Also, fiber helps to stabilize blood glucose and insulin levels. Too much insulin interferes with fat metabolism and also promotes storage of fat around your abdomen.

Glucomannan Pills

Glucomannan is a dietary fiber that comes from the tuber of the Amorphophallus konjac plant and is commonly used in Japan. When mixed with water it can swell to 17 times its original volume. Taken with meals, glucomannan increases satiety and helps you to eat less. However, it's better taken in capsule form, according to Cassandra Forsythe, a registered dietitian and author of "The Women's Health Perfect Body Diet." Also, choose glucomannan that is in pure form, rather than brands with fillers such as magnesium stearate.

Psyllium Pills

The soluble fiber in these pills comes from the husks of the Plantago ovata shrub-like herb, which is most commonly found in India. Like glucomannan, psyllium swells when dissolved in water to form a gel-like substance. Psyllium's ability to suppress appetite is not a new discovery. A French study published in 1992 in the journal "Gut" revealed that the fiber significantly slowed the rate of food emptying from the stomach from the third hour after a meal, increasing satiety and decreasing hunger at the sixth hour. Also, a Finnish study published in the "Journal of Nutrition" in 2010 revealed that psyllium helped to decrease post-meal blood glucose and insulin levels, as well as levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite.

Precautions

Suddenly increasing your fiber intake can lead to symptoms such as gas, bloating and abdominal pain. It's also essential to drink more fluids when consuming more fiber to avoid constipation. Consult your doctor before taking diet pills with fiber, especially if you have a medical condition.