Jane
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11:52:05 am on August 31, 2006 | # |
Now that I’ve developed a keen interest in fiber, some questions have loomed in my mind. First and foremost:
Is fiber supplementation safe in the long term?
Long Term Safety of Fiber Supplementation
It’s one thing to increase dietary fiber, quite another to take supplement with products like Metamucil or Citrucel caplets and capsules, shakes, or other forms like Metamucil wafers.I’ve been taking fiber supplementation for about 6 months now. Some people don’t give a second thought to taking fiber supplements for months or even years. Since I come from a healthcare background, I know that whatever we take in has an effect – and it’s a balance of benefits and side effects.
Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Picco said that there is no evidence that taking fiber supplements (Dr. Picco specificified, “such as Metamucil, Konsyl or Citrucel”) for long periods of time can be harmful. Mr. Picco also emphasized the importance of taking fiber supplements with a lot of water or fiber supplements can actually worsen conditions like constipation. I wonder whether drinking a lot of water alone could improve some constipation conditions.
I did a Medline search for long term use of fiber supplements. Most of the results that came back related to using fiber supplements to control for or improve other conditions, including diabetes, weight, cancer risk, and heart disease, which I will discuss in a subsequent article.
Rebecca 7:28 pm on July 9, 2007 | #
Hi. I also had the same question as you did about whether it was ok to take fiber supplements long term. I suffer from chronic constipation and have been assured by specialists that I do not have IBS. Let me tell you, I have tried everything from fiber increases to acupuncture to laxatives masquerading around as health food supplements. As far as the previous supplements I took are concerned, I had a particular bad experience with long term use. I was assured by doctors that taking CALM Magnesium supplements was fine for my health. Later, a different specialist told me that I needed to cease taking it immediately because long-term laxative use is dangerous. He told me to start taking Citrucel everyday. Now this doctor is telling me it is ok to take this supplement daily, but the Citrucel labeling refers to it as a supplement. Comparatively, Metamucil labeling does not purport its product as a laxative, and Metamucil is comparable to Citrucil.
I am as concerned as you that people would take this everyday. Is that really the solution? Is it a fiber supplement or not??
Input?
Thanks
Jane 5:03 pm on July 15, 2007 | #
Hi Rebecca,
I’ve ceased taking Citrucel everyday, and here are some ideas that I’ve personally used and you may find useful:
- increase water intake
- try prune juice (some people swear by it for constipation)
- make a point of eating at least one type of fruit or one plate of salad every day
- try other types of supplementation, such as bran (some come in pill form)
- try bran cereals
If you are concerned about taking fiber supplementation for the purpose of regularity over the long term, as I was, then you want to think about lifestyle modifications that you can stick with.
What I’ve done is to give myself more options for fiber instead of only sticking with Citrucel (I was also concerned about the amount of aspartame I’d be ingesting in the long term, as Citrucel is sweetened with aspartame). This way I could get fiber from different sources and am also educating myself to eat healthier.
If you have additional questions please feel free to email me directly (janeychin-at-gmail-dot-com).
Jane