do you take fiber supplement?

keziak1
keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
edited November 9 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm in a strange situation since cutting out all the junk (tons) I was eating and switching to a low-calorie "good food" diet. I've actually developed constipation over this period. I'm eating fruit and vegetables just less food overall. It's possible that I"m not getting enough whole grain starches as I 've been cutting back on that kind of carbs.

I've never been clear about using products like Metamucil, are they for only short-term use or as a regular diet supplement?
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Replies

  • trizzell79
    trizzell79 Posts: 153 Member
    edited December 2014
    Metamucil is fine to take everyday as a supplement. But I suggest chia seeds, I add 2 TBSP to my smoothie every morning. You can also sprinkle in on your cereal or salad or try chia pudding.
  • renley
    renley Posts: 35 Member
    In my opinion Metamucil is gross, Benefiber is somewhat better. Restorlax is very good. I have been taking PEG3350 for years. I put 2 heaping teaspoons to a 2 liter jug of water, I fill 4 jugs at a time, my daily water intake. It is flavourless and dissolves in seconds. Can be added to anything!! Literally! I add it to my morning smoothies, has no taste.
  • rufiani
    rufiani Posts: 1
    have you cut out or significantly cut back on alot of the "Good" fats like coconut oil,olive oil,etc....that could bind you up pretty quick.....

    as far as Metamucil i would just use it as a temporary supplement until you can get regular again then try to get back off of it
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Well there's soluble fiber and there's insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is mainly responsible for binding to dietary cholesterol and helping you excrete it from your body. Insoluble fiber helps aid in intestinal health including preventing constipation. If you need more insoluble fiber, I'd suggest looking into fiber one cereal. 60 calories for one serving, and 12g of insoluble fiber. It actually doesn't taste bad either.
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
    Sometimes. I have my fiber goal set at 30. Most of the time I get there, with fruits, vegetables, and grains.

    If I find that I'm under that, I take a supplement. Personally, I like Fiberwell Vitafusion Gummies. Walgreens has a generic of it too, but I like the name brand a bit better. It's basically like eating one or two gummi bears. Two gummies is 5 grams of fiber. It's sometimes my sweet treat at night. Yum!
  • cdh2015
    cdh2015 Posts: 57 Member
    I take the weight loss management fiber gummies sometimes. They're delicious. Too bad two of them are the max per day haha
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    It doesn't matter how much fibre I get out of foods, I still have to supplement. I take magnesium oxide every night which helps tremendously.
    I also take metamucil every now and then, but wouldn't use it on a regular day to day basis.
  • rockwind
    rockwind Posts: 2 Member
    Psyllium husk! Took into it. Just make sure to drink sufficient water when you start adding it to your food as it can dehydrate you.
  • keziak1
    keziak1 Posts: 204 Member

    christinev297 wrote: »
    It doesn't matter how much fibre I get out of foods, I still have to supplement. I take magnesium oxide every night which helps tremendously.
    I also take metamucil every now and then, but wouldn't use it on a regular day to day basis.

    thanks for all for replies. I have never heard of magnesium oxide. Is that available as a tablet?

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    keziak1 wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    It doesn't matter how much fibre I get out of foods, I still have to supplement. I take magnesium oxide every night which helps tremendously.
    I also take metamucil every now and then, but wouldn't use it on a regular day to day basis.

    thanks for all for replies. I have never heard of magnesium oxide. Is that available as a tablet?

    yes it is. Any health food shop sells them. I have tried alot of stuff, and the magnesium oxide is the only thing that has consistently worked.

    my doctor once warned me against using metamucil everyday. But I can't flippan remember why :(

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I refuse to pay extra for something I can eat, so I don't take the supplements.

    Lots of people do, though! They all seem to do well and many swear by them. :)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited December 2014
    christinev297 wrote: »
    It doesn't matter how much fibre I get out of foods, I still have to supplement. I take magnesium oxide every night which helps tremendously.
    I also take metamucil every now and then, but wouldn't use it on a regular day to day basis.
    Yep. I eat a ton of vegetables and very little "junk". For me a magnesium supplement (I prefer citrate) is the key. Also helps with sleep. Just don't over do it. A little goes a long way. (Think: "milk of magnesia")

    ETA: you can get magnesium anywhere... target, walgreens, amazon...
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    I put benefiber in my smoothies sometimes. I eat flax and chia seeds and veggies and beans. But overall, I do a good job with fiber (hello: double fiber bread!).
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    I put benefiber in my smoothies sometimes. I eat flax and chia seeds and veggies and beans. But overall, I do a good job with fiber (hello: double fiber bread!).
    This is how everyone is different. Double fiber bread would block me up terribly.

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    It doesn't matter how much fibre I get out of foods, I still have to supplement. I take magnesium oxide every night which helps tremendously.
    I also take metamucil every now and then, but wouldn't use it on a regular day to day basis.
    Yep. I eat a ton of vegetables and very little "junk". For me a magnesium supplement (I prefer citrate) is the key. Also helps with sleep. Just don't over do it. A little goes a long way. (Think: "milk of magnesia")

    ETA: you can get magnesium anywhere... target, walgreens, amazon...

    unfortunately here in Australia, most decent supplements are limited to health food stores :(

  • sis229
    sis229 Posts: 6
    You should be drinking half your body weight in water. This should help with the constipation. Also, the majority of your meals should be fruits and/or vegetables. Cut down on breads and pastas. http://rawfoodmealplanner.com/category/meal-plans/
  • MrsWayneWV
    MrsWayneWV Posts: 12 Member
    I have a couple suggestions for you. Definitely increase your water consumption. A glass of water just after you get up in the mornings will help activate your complete digestive system, which includes your bowels. Keep a bottle of water by the bed if, like me, you don't go to the kitchen first thing in the morning.

    I take sugar-free Meta-mucil Muti-Health Fiber most mornings in place of a morning snack. It is 100% psyllium husk. The directions call for 1 tsp in an 8 ounce glass. I take a couple drinks from a bottle of water then add it, so it is more diluted. This does a couple things. It gives me the fiber, plus I'm drinking more water.

    Walking may also help you find some relief. Walking can help your entire system work better. Also look into probiotics, whether capsules or naturally through things like active culture yogurts.
  • keziak1
    keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
    Thank you for all the information. I do drink a good bit but maybe not enough. I have chia but haven't been eating salads lately; need to get back to that. And I definitely should be walking anyway! Just haven't made it a routine.

    I remembered that I have a couple of boxes of Gnu Bars so I had one last night. They supposedly have half your daily requirement for fiber.
  • ithrowconfetti
    ithrowconfetti Posts: 451 Member
    Do try to bump up your fat intake, as much as your calorie deficit will allow. Avocados, eggs, fatty fish, peanut butter, poultry with skin, et cetera. These contain oils and fats that can benefit you. And too much fibre can also cause constipation. I've generally experienced better relief with soluble fibre as opposed to insoluble fibre for constipation, for some reason. Psyllium husks have worked well for me in the past too. Do remember to drink adequate water (a whole lot more) if you're going to use a fibre supplement. Good luck, OP!
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    I have the same problem as OP. The healthier I eat, the more constipated I become. I also take a fiber supplement daily. By the way, Metamucil is just psyllium; it's not a laxative, so it won't hurt you if you take it daily. I think I have two problems -- I don't drink enough water, so I especially have trouble in dry seasons -- summer when I perspire a lot and winter, when the weather is just really dry and I tend to drink less during workouts because I don't sweat. Also, I tend to get back on track if I eat fat. My husband made me bacon and eggs for breakfast and I'm hoping for results. Two strips of bacon is only 80 calories, so if you're not a vegetarian, it's pretty easy to fit into your macros.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    I try to get to my fiber goal through my food, but some days I come up short. I do take a supplement (chewables, they aren't that bad either) on those days that I'm really short.
  • nomoredoughnuts
    nomoredoughnuts Posts: 130 Member
    It takes a little while for your body to adjust. Just make sure you don't cut out on good fats from your diet.

    It happens to a lot of people when they reduce their carb intake, they either have diarrhoea or constipation until they are used to their new diet.
  • TopazCutie
    TopazCutie Posts: 386 Member
    Constipation is very normal when changing your diet drastically. Especially when you add more fruits and vegetables, all the extra fibre makes you constipated (weird huh!). It will pass in about a week or so. Then once it passes, you will be very regular. Just hang in there and don't turn to fibre supplements yet. At most, buy a box of All Bran buds and sprinkle on yogurt along with some high protein granola. Makes a great high fibre snack!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    magnesium citrate.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »
    It doesn't matter how much fibre I get out of foods, I still have to supplement. I take magnesium oxide every night which helps tremendously.
    I also take metamucil every now and then, but wouldn't use it on a regular day to day basis.
    Yep. I eat a ton of vegetables and very little "junk". For me a magnesium supplement (I prefer citrate) is the key. Also helps with sleep. Just don't over do it. A little goes a long way. (Think: "milk of magnesia")

    ETA: you can get magnesium anywhere... target, walgreens, amazon...

    unfortunately here in Australia, most decent supplements are limited to health food stores :(

    Ah yes, there's that. That's unfortunate. You probably pay quite a bit for it at a health food store.
  • The_GingerBeard_Man
    The_GingerBeard_Man Posts: 197 Member
    The best snack to help me get to my fiber goals are quest bars. They are an amazing source of protein and fiber, plus they taste great.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    The_GingerBeard_Man wrote: »
    The best snack to help me get to my fiber goals are quest bars. They are an amazing source of protein and fiber, plus they taste great.

    I too have been eating these but honestly can't really say I like them. I may switch to the powder.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    On a totally different note: just curious but does anyone else see a gate with a keyhole over one of the posts in this thread?

    Oh and I forgot to mention this in my reply: do you take any probiotics? I have found that about 30 mins after I take them I have a BM. Not sure if coincidence or not but it might be worth a try.
  • keziak1
    keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
    By probiotics what do you mean, something besides yogurt?
  • sanrpn12
    sanrpn12 Posts: 4 Member
    I second psyllium husk. I get it in powder form (ground up) at super suppliments for $7. Take a heaping tablespoon mixed with a liquid and drink fast (it starts to solidify quickly). Take it every day and it helps keep thing both regular and very, very clean
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