Fiber supplements

Jthanmyfitnesspal
Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
edited November 29 in Food and Nutrition
Hi Folks,

I had been taking Cirtucel for years when Costco stopped selling it. It has become increasingly scarce and is pretty expensive, so I've changed to Benefiber. (Note that I'm a scientist, so I look into these things a bit obsessively.)

Citrucel is methylcellulose, which is not found much in nature. Bacteria in the gut do not break it down, so it passes right through. It is also the main ingredient in "personal lubes" of all kinds. Yum!

Benefiber is wheat dextrin, which is a natural product and which is broken down by bacteria in the gut to some extent, so it can cause gas and bloating. On the other hand, it is a nice product in that you can mix it in almost anything without detecting it. I've been happily adding it to my morning tea, for example.

My only concern is that I seem to need a lot of Benefiber to stay regular. The suggested dosage is two teaspoons, but I have been slowly increasing the dosage, and I find that three tablespoons is just barely enough. Some days I have taken a second dose to get things going. Has anyone else got this figured out?

Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited February 2016
    How much fiber are you getting from foods? I've been tracking that nutrient, as food with fiber helps keep me full.

    I haven't had a problem with constipation since I started taking powdered vitamin C to bowel tolerance.

    I like Now Foods, Calcium Ascorbate, 100% Pure Buffered Vitamin C Powder, 8 oz - plain/unbuffered is really tart.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    I eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

    Vitamin C for regularly? Hmmm...
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    The manufacturer recommended dosage of Benefiber for those 12 and older is two teaspoons taken three times a day. Did you ever try that? Or are you taking three tablespoons all at once? I can't tell from the wording of your post.

    Three tablespoons of Benefiber provides 13.5 grams of fiber. That doesn't seem like an outrageous amount to acquire through a supplement, especially if your diet is otherwise low in fiber.
  • agbmom556
    agbmom556 Posts: 694 Member
    Not totally. Fiber is what I am concentrating on increasing. I realized some days I only ate 3 grams all days.
    Currently, I am eating on average 20 grams of fiber a day. I changed out my cereal to bran (Fiber one or SAMS) also added raspberries to yogurt, flax seeds, chia seeds, increased my lentils and bean intake.
    I considered adding Benfiber or other product to increase my fiber intake. Not sure since I am close to meeting my goal of 25 grams. What does your diet look like?
  • Ladybird1103
    Ladybird1103 Posts: 36 Member
    I just started taking Metamucil a week ago, and upped my dose from 1 tsp twice a day to 2 tsp twice a day (the recommended dose is 2 tsp 3 times a day). Based on what you describe, it doesn't sound like you are taking too much. How many times a day does the pacakge recommend?

    Since you've researched the topic of fiber supplements, do you suggest Citrucel vs. Metamucil??
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    I eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

    Vitamin C for regularly? Hmmm...

    How many grams of fiber does that come out to?

    Two-time Nobel Award winner Dr Linus Pauling's ideas on Vitamin C have been criticized, but I find it fascinating how my "to bowel tolerance" dose changes if I feel like I am coming down with a cold or am otherwise stressed.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus_Pauling

    Linus Carl Pauling (February 28, 1901 – August 19, 1994)[4] was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He published more than 1200 papers and books, of which about 850 dealt with scientific topics.[5] New Scientist called him one of the 20 greatest scientists of all time,[6] and as of 2000, he was rated the 16th most important scientist in history.[7] Pauling was one of the founders of the fields of quantum chemistry and molecular biology.[8]

    For his scientific work, Pauling was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954. In 1962, for his peace activism, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This makes him the only person to be awarded two unshared Nobel Prizes. He is one of only four individuals to have won more than one Nobel Prize (the others being Marie Curie, John Bardeen, and Frederick Sanger). Pauling is also one of only two people to be awarded Nobel Prizes in different fields, the other being Marie Curie.[9] Pauling also worked on DNA's structure, a problem which was solved by James Watson, Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins.[10]

    In his later years he promoted orthomolecular medicine, megavitamin therapy, dietary supplements, and taking large doses of vitamin C, none of which have gained acceptance in the mainstream scientific community.[6][11]
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited February 2016
    Almost sounds like you might not be drinking enough water?
    You are eating plenty of fruits and veggies.
    Open your diary. There are many foods that can cause constipation.
    Are you taking a certain medication?
    Diet pill for water loss?
    Do you exercise regularly? That can really help.
    Make it with water. How much caffeine are you having per day?

  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    Janet's questions are very good, but there's no smoking gun. It's always been this way for me, and Citrucel used to be the solution. Now I'm trying a more natural product, but it seems to require a lot of it! It adds carb calories, too.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    Have you looked into konjac--also known as glucomanan? You can get it in capsules or in powder form. It's also what "Miracle Noodles" or shiritaki noodles are made from. Natural, virtually calorie-free, and a wicked cool plant!
  • shennard80
    shennard80 Posts: 23 Member
    I take fiber gummies daily because I don't get quite enough from food. Drinking the powder just seems gross. The gummies actually taste pretty good too and convenient.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    2-3 capsules of magnesium oxide before bed should get things moving like clockwork.
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
    I get Chocolite protein bars from www.healthsmartfoods.com. 2 of those will get you the fiber you need a day.

  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited February 2016
    One magnesium pill will do it for me. Take at night since it can make you sleepy.
    Vitamin C, in amounts over 2,000 mg daily (spread out) are also helpful for me.
    I like Fiber One bars, Fiber One cereal.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I also find magnesium is what helps the most. Costco has a good one- NatureMade High Potency softgels.

    Also this-
    http://www.amazon.com/easyGopro-Ergonomic-Movements-Gastroenterologist-Recommended/dp/B00M08188I
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