Psyllium is a plant high in soluble fiber that is used in many over-the-counter fiber supplements. Adding fiber to your diet not only aids digestion and regularity, but can promote weight loos, stabilize glucose levels and help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels can increase your risk of heart disease.
Understanding Fiber
Fiber is a type of indigestible plant material; it is technically a carbohydrate. There are two types of fiber -- soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and helps ease constipation. Soluble fiber has a gel-like consistency with water and is the type of fiber that can help control glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Psyllium husks and fiber supplements are high in soluble fiber. Your body can't break down fiber during digestion, thus, it helps you feel full without increasing caloric intake. A high-fiber diet can lead to weight loss, as it can decrease overall caloric consumption.
How Much Fiber Do You Need?
The Mayo Clinic recommends adults under 50 years of age eat between 25 and 38g of fiber daily; fiber needs decrease slightly with age; adults over 51 years of age need between 21 and 30g of fiber each day. The FDA allows any fiber supplement to make the health claim that "diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 7g of soluble fiber per day from psyllium may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol."
Triglycerides and Psyllium
Triglycerides, like cholesterol, are a type of lipid. Triglycerides are the most common form of fat in your body; and can be converted to energy between meals or overnight when glucose isn't readily available. Although cholesterol is made from dietary fats, especially saturated and trans fats, triglycerides are actually made from excess glucose. Glucose that isn't used right away for energy is stored as triglyceride fat for later use. To lower triglyceride levels, you need to eat fewer simple carbohydrates, usually by eating high-fiber complex carbohydrates instead. Psyllium-based fiber supplements can help curb your appetite and stabilize glucose levels, which could reduce cravings for sugar and other simple carbohydrates.
Adding too much fiber to your diet too quickly can result in gastric distress. Increase your psyllium intake gradually and drink plenty of water.
Elevated Triglycerides
Although psyllium supplements and other high fiber foods can lower triglycerides, you may need to understand why you have elevated triglycerides. Several serious underlying illnesses cause high triglyceride levels, including diabetes, liver and kidney failure, obesity and alcoholism. You will need to treat the underlying cause, in addition to making dietary changes, exercising regularly and perhaps taking triglyceride-lowering medication.
References
- Medline Plus: Triglycerides
- MayoClinic.com; Dietary Fiber --Essential for a Healthy Diet; November 2009
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Cholesterol -- What You Can Do
- Dr. Pullen; Psyllium Husk Benefits; March 2011
- Health Castle; Psyllium Husk for High Cholesterol; Gloria Tsang, RD; March 2011
