An over-the-counter blend of calcium, magnesium and fiber, FiberCon is a laxative marketed to relieve constipation resulting from irritable bowel syndrome. The fiber in the product draws moisture to the waste matter, creating bulk and stimulating your intestines to contract and relax. The movement flushes the stool. One FiberCon caplet contains 500 mg of dietary fiber as calcium polycarbophil. Consult your doctor before taking FiberCon and get a dosage recommendation for your specific case.
Why Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber is the part of plant foods that your body cannot digest. Although fiber does not seem to act like a nutrient, it supports your health and development. Dietary fiber is either soluble in water or insoluble. Insoluble fiber creates bulk in your intestine, helping your body to flush the waste that digestion generates. Soluble fiber controls cholesterol and blood sugar. The fiber that FiberCon provides is of the insoluble variety.
About Calcium Polycarbophil
Calcium polycarbophil, FiberCon's fiber source, is a white or off-white powder that absorbs 60 times its weight in water. The fiber binds with the stool, pulling moisture to it. The bulk polycarbophil creates induces peristalsis, the intestinal movement that expels the mass of waste from inside your body. According to the manufacturer, this fiber source does not cause bloating or gas, as other fiber supplements do, because it does not ferment. Expect a bowel movement 12 to 72 hours after you take FiberCon.
Recommended Fiber Intake
The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine makes daily fiber intake recommendations based on age and gender. The organization does not make a suggestion for children younger than 12 months. Starting at 1 year of age, boys and girls need 19 g of fiber daily. When children of both sexes turn 4 years old, provide a daily menu that includes 25 g of dietary fiber. At age 9, boys require 31 g and girls 26 g of fiber-providing roughage. The recommended intake increases to 38 g when a boy turns 14 years old; it remains 26 g for a girl through her 18th year. The Food and Nutrition Board says that at 19 years of age, a woman's need for fiber drops to 25 g daily, while a man's requirement stays at 38 g. After a woman turns 51 years old, she should take in 21 g of dietary fiber every day. A man reaching the same age should start getting 30 g.
Natural Fiber Sources
Do not get your entire fiber intake from FiberCon. You need the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that plant foods provide. In consultation with your doctor, figure out how many caplets of FiberCon to take to supplement the roughage you get from your diet. Legumes, fruits, grains, vegetables, seeds and nuts are all natural sources of fiber.
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