Fiber is a substance commonly found in fruits, grains and vegetables that you need to maintain healthy bowel function. If you have trouble fitting enough fibrous foods in your diet or if you have difficulty maintaining normal bowel movements, you may want to take a fiber supplement. Understanding how the fiber supplement can help your bowel function will help to ensure that you use the supplement properly.
Significance
Your body relies on fiber to absorb water in your intestines and bind with digested foods to create your stool. When the fiber absorbs water, it makes your stool larger, which stimulates action in your intestines, known as peristalsis. This is a movement your intestines use to propel the stool forward. Without enough fiber, you may experience irregular bowel movements, constipation or hard, dry stools that are difficult to pass. Fiber supplements can help you maintain healthy bowel function by acting similarly to fibrous foods.
Dosage Requirements
If you are under 50, you need about 25 g of fiber each day. If you are older than 50, you need about 20 g of fiber daily. Take your supplement with plenty of water. This is to prevent bowel obstruction, because fiber needs to absorb water to move through your intestines. Some physicians may caution you against long-term fiber supplement use. This is chiefly because you may be consuming too few natural fiber sources such as fruits and vegetables if you're relying on a supplement. Eating foods is the preferred method of fiber intake.
Types
You may take fiber supplements for different reasons. For example, different types of fiber supplements can reduce cholesterol, lower blood sugar, improve bowel regularity and/or reduce constipation. If you are taking a fiber supplement to improve regularity, you may wish to look for a supplement that has insoluble fiber. This is because the body does not digest insoluble fiber, but instead the fiber moves through your body, adding bulk to your stool and helping to improve your bowel regularity. Soluble fiber, another fiber type available in supplement form, does help to restore bowel regularity, but also slows absorption of fats and sugars. If you are taking a fiber supplement strictly to restore regularity, insoluble fiber is probably the better choice.
Warning
Although fiber supplements can help you achieve more regular bowel movements, the supplements can have adverse side effects if you are taking certain medications. These medications include aspirin, warfarin and/or carbamazepine, according to the Mayo Clinic website. This is because the added fiber in your supplement may affect how well your body absorbs these medications. Also, some fiber supplements slow the digestion of foods in your stomach, which can lower your blood-sugar levels. If you are diabetic, you may need to adjust your insulin levels accordingly.
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