When your bowels are sluggish, it can make you feel sluggish overall. That’s when you might consider a fiber supplement. But is daily consumption of products like Metamucil advisable?
The short answer is that taking Metamucil daily is likely fine to encourage regular bowel movements. According to registered dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, supplementing with additional fiber can be beneficial, although she advises obtaining as much fiber as possible from food sources to increase the intake of other nutrients as well (via Mayo Clinic). Registered dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick similarly notes in the Cleveland Clinic that “plenty of studies [show] that food is one of the best bioavailable sources of certain nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.”
Suppose you begin taking Metamucil. As you start your supplement regimen, your body will react to the added fiber, psyllium. Derived from plants in the Plantago genus, psyllium is primarily composed of soluble fiber, with a small amount of insoluble fiber. Since soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel-like substance, psyllium will make your waste bulkier. Consequently, the waste will press against your intestinal walls, stimulating muscular contractions that move the waste out of your body more quickly, thus alleviating constipation.
Psyllium can also help you manage hunger pangs
Incorporating psyllium daily into your diet offers more than just regular bowel movements. For instance, maintaining a healthy weight for your body composition, height, gender, and age might become easier. A 2023 review in the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners indicates that adding 10.8 grams of psyllium for nearly five months helped reduce weight in individuals who were overweight or obese.
This effect occurs because psyllium can help reduce hunger. (Viscous fibers like psyllium are particularly effective for weight loss.) A 2016 study in Appetite found that consuming 6.8 grams of Metamucil before breakfast and lunch reduced hunger in participants. However, ensure you consume enough food to stay nourished. If you’re frequently hungry and seeking ways to control your cravings, psyllium may be beneficial.
Other potential benefits of taking Metamucil daily
Taking psyllium daily may also lower your risk of developing colon or rectal cancer (often categorized as colorectal cancer). A 2024 review in Przeglad Gastroenterologiczny found a strong correlation between psyllium intake and fewer colorectal cancer cases. This result is attributed to enhanced bowel activity that reduces the time toxins remain in the digestive tract and minimizes related inflammation. (This is encouraging news, given the rise in colon cancer among young people.)
Furthermore, the reviewers found that consuming between 10 and 25 grams of soluble fiber daily (divided into three equal doses) could alleviate some irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. In one experiment, 82% of IBS sufferers reported relief from uncomfortable symptoms after taking 10 grams of psyllium daily.
Many people currently consume inadequate fiber daily: A 2017 article in the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners estimates that only 5% of people meet the daily fiber intake recommendations for men (38 grams) and women (25 grams). Therefore, if you’re experiencing constipation and struggling to consume enough fiber, supplementing with Metamucil may help; just be sure to increase your fluid intake, as psyllium requires water (or another liquid) to function effectively.
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