Fiber is present in many fruits and vegetables, as well as legumes, seeds and other foods, but some people take supplements when they do not get enough in their daily meals. You need between 21 and 25 g of fiber daily, according to Dr. David Katz, a writer for Oprah.com, and supplements help you achieve that consumption level if you do not get it with food. Supplements have several positive effects on your body.
Contents
Most fiber supplements provide soluble fiber which dissolves into a gel in water, although some mix in insoluble fiber that stays in its original form as it moves through your body. The soluble fiber comes from an herb called blond psyllium, according to MedlinePlus. Manufacturers create supplements from the husks and seeds of this plant. Fiber supplements must be taken with plenty of water to work effectively.
Digestive Effects
Fiber supplements prevent constipation because they help food move through your digestive tract and form soft, bulky stool that passes easily through the rectum and out the anus. These easy bowel movements without straining help prevent hemorrhoids, and fiber's ability to absorb water helps solidify feces and prevent diarrhea. Supplements with psyllium help relieve irritable bowel syndrome symptoms like constipation, diarrhea and abdominal pain, MedlinePlus advises. Fiber supplements may also prevent ulcerative colitis symptoms.
Other Effects
Fiber supplements with soluble fiber help lower blood sugar after meals for Type I and Type II diabetes sufferers, Medline Plus reports. This effect does not happen if you do not have diabetes. Soluble fiber lowers your cholesterol and decreases your heart disease risk if you take it regularly as a supplement or in fiber-rich foods. Using a fiber supplement with a cholesterol lowering drug has the same effect as taking a higher dose of the drug without the fiber.
Considerations
Fiber supplements can interact with medications in your body, according to Dr. Katz, so talk to your doctor before taking fiber if you are on a prescription drug. For example, supplements may interfere with antidepressants or diabetes medications.
Warning
Fiber supplements do not normally have negative effects on the body, but they sometimes cause problematic symptoms. MedlinePlus warns that supplements sometimes trigger abdominal pain, runny stool, nausea or constipation. The blond psyllium in many substances can cause allergic reactions in certain people. You may have an allergy to the herb if you experience sneezing, swollen nasal passages and eyelids and hives after taking a supplement. Such allergies are not usually dangerous, but you need medical attention if you have severe itching, wheezing, flushing, shortness of breath, a tight throat and loss of consciousness.
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