The Top 3 Fiber Supplements Recommended for IBS
IBS and Fiber: is Fiber friend or foe?
That depends!
It’s hard to think of fiber as friendly when most people’s first image of fiber is saw-dust like bran. Or grabbing for a fiber supplement to relieve sluggish bowels.
However, this is only part of the fiber story. There are so many different types of fiber. Each with their own super power. Each providing special protections against everything from inflammation to heart disease to relief of symptoms of IBS.
My love story with fiber began in 1979. As a nutrition student, the hot topic of the year was fiber. At that time, the research of Dr. Denis Burkett was considered revolutionary. Dr. Burkett became known as the ‘fiber man.’
Dr. Burkett, a surgeon who had recently returned from a 20-year career as a surgeon in Africa, returned home with observations from his own experience to propose a radical view of the role in fiber in human health.
His opinion, collaborated with others, proposed that diets low in fiber increased the risk of congestive heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cavities, various vascular disorders and large bowel conditions such as cancer, appendicitis and diverticulosis.
The new mandate to increase fiber in our diets were my marching orders. It didn’t take long before my dietitian colleagues were calling me the ‘fiber queen.’
A quick review of fiber will show that it’s a bit more complicated than Dr. Burkett and others proposed. Even though fiber has been around for centuries, I believe the story of fiber is just starting to hit its stride.
IBS and Fiber
Dietary fiber is an umbrella term that describes any type of indigestible carbohydrate. This means fiber can’t be digested and absorbed in the human small intestine.
Humans don’t have digestive enzymes needed to break down the fiber in the small intestine so they travel down intact to the large intestine. First fiber bonus, since it’s not digestible, it doesn’t provide nutrients or calories.
Second superpower, the undigestible fiber is food for the mighty gut microbiome. In fact, without friendly bugs in our gut, we couldn’t extract the many more super powers that fiber gives.
For example, short-chain fatty acids, which are the fuel for the cells of the large intestine help to reduce inflammation.
However, tolerance to fiber is variable, especially for those with IBS, SIBO, or a history of diverticulitis. This is because not all fibers are created equal. Knowing the difference between fiber found in fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, legumes, and whole grain foods is key.
What Fiber brings to the Table
First, let look at the different types of fiber, how they affect the gut, and their main functions along the gastro-intestinal tract.
Fiber as a Bulking agent
This is why fiber is recommended for regularity. Since the characteristic of bulking means:
- Increased stool (“monster poo”)
- Normalizes food transit time through the colon (slowing down or hastening movement as needed)
- Normalizing stool form (firm up loose stool, soften tough ones)
Fiber for Viscosity
Viscosity describes whether a fiber thickens when mixed with water and forms a gel. The ability to form a gel provides a clue to the type of functions or jobs that the fiber can do. For those with IBS, we’re looking for fiber with a high viscosity.
Fiber for Fermentability
There are many ways of looking at fermentability and fiber. For those with IBS what is important is the rate of fiber fermentation:
Fibers that are fermented more quickly (e.g., oligosaccharides in FODMAPs) may exacerbate symptoms with an increase in gas production in the large intestines.
Fibers that resist fermentation (e.g., karaya gum) or a slowly-fermented (e.g., psyllium) are less likely to induce symptoms from accumulation of gases.
Importantly, while these functional characteristics can overlap, no single type of fiber can offer the entire range of actions or benefits. This means that specific types of fiber(s) need to be chosen to provide specific dietary therapeutic responses.
The Two Faces of Fiber
There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is water soluble meaning that when mixed with water it creates a gel-like substance in your intestines. It’s this gooey nature that gobbles up excess cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Soluble fiber’s other superpowers include, helping to keep you full longer, reducing blood sugar spikes, and firming up loose stools or adding hydration to dry stools. Soluble fibers are found in many foods such as oats, strawberries, citrus fruit, rice, potatoes, beans, broccoli, and carrots.
Insoluble fiber is the type that does not create a gel. Instead, it passes through to the large intestine where it bulks up the stool to make elimination easier. Even though it helps to move things along, it can be “scratchy” for the bowels causing discomfort especially for those with IBS.
Your grandmother’s name for insoluble fiber is roughage. Insoluble fiber sources include wheat bran, nuts, seed hulls, kale, blackberries, cauliflower and fruit skins to name a few.
The difference between these two types of fiber is the reason that clinical guidelines for IBS recommend using soluble fibers to reduce symptoms.
The soluble fiber further branches out into different types of fiber. This is where the blanket recommendation that people with IBS should eat foods with soluble fiber or use a soluble fiber supplement is not the best advice.
Why aren’t all soluble fibers the same?
Here’s what you need to know about soluble fiber:
Whether a fiber dissolves in water has little bearing on their functional characteristics. You need the right fiber to do a specific job such as lowering cholesterol or creating a healthier gut.
Soluble fibers are not interchangeable. For example, both psyllium and inulin fibers readily dissolve in water, but inulin is rapidly fermented and likely to trigger IBS symptoms like gas, distention, and bloating.
The reason to use soluble fiber is to reduce IBS symptoms. Given their functional characteristics, fiber may offer more value in providing specific effects (e.g., karaya gum for improving regularity) rather than improving overall symptoms.
IBS and Fiber, which type of Fiber is best?
Fiber tolerance is individual and can change in your lifetime. Over four decades of working with individuals with everything from occasional constipation to IBS-Diarrhea up to 15 times a day, I’ve often seen a food-first approach doesn’t always give the desired results of reducing symptoms of IBS.
One reason, most foods are not exclusively soluble or insoluble fiber. The addition of insoluble fiber even into a mostly soluble fiber food can trigger symptoms for those with IBS. Finding the right balance of IBS and Fiber is tricky!
Top 3 Fiber Supplements
In my practice, I have three go-to soluble fiber supplements that never fail to increase bowel regularity, normalize stools, and even positively effect several lab markers of a healthy gut
Partially hydrolyzed Guar Gum (PHGG)
PHGG is a prebiotic that mixes well in water, is broken down and turned into healthy stuff like short-chain fatty acids by bacteria in the colon. It’s easy to use since it doesn’t get gummy, thick, or gelatinous. Unlike some other fibers, it won’t ‘bind you up’ either.
Another bonus – it has little to no taste. It can be easily added to water, food and smoothies. Added bonus, doesn’t create a feeling of bloat or contribute to the production of gas.
However, don’t confuse PHGG with every day guar gum. Guar gum is found on many food labels since it’s used as a food thickener. That same thickening effect in the gut is undesirable.
Personal Favorite Brand
Look for “Sun Fiber” on the ingredient label. Sun Fiber is a proprietary PHGG that other Companies purchase to manufacturer PHGG with their branded label.
Sunfiber (PHGG) is a prebiotic fiber that may help populate the gut microbiome, which is frequently imbalanced with IBS and other digestive disorders. Evidence supports PHGG in the management of both IBS-Constipaton and IBS-Diarrhea. It’s my personal fiber of choice!
For favorite brand is a toss up between Regular Girl and Pure Encapsulations. I have been so impressed with Regular Girl that I became an affiliate. You can order Regular Girl here and use the discount code B3Nutrition10 to receive 10% off your initial order.
Acacia Fiber
Acacia fiber is another example of soluble fiber from the gum family. Since acacia fiber is neutral in taste it can be easily added to a smoothie, soup, or salad dressing without altering the taste or texture. I add it to my salad dressings to give my veggies an extra boost of fiber and thickens the dressing too.
Personal favorite brand
NOW brand Acacia fiber can be found at Trader Joe’s and is inexpensive. My personal brand, since it’s organic and GMO-free, is Heather’s Tummy Fiber. It’s available on-line.
Psyllium
This type of soluble fiber is the fiber found in Metamucil. Yes, I hear the groans! Psyllium husk have 70% soluble fiber which contributes to products like Metamucil becoming very thick and gummy quickly.
However, using psyllium husk in foods like hot oatmeal is acceptable for many. The results, regular, predictable, healthier bowel movements is a result that wins over many people.
Psyllium’s effects on cholesterol (can bring down 10-20 points), blood glucose levels, gut transit time, regularity and the gut microbiome has been extensively studied over 50 years.
This multi-benefited soluble fiber still has a place not only in reducing common IBS symptoms but for other life-threatening conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
Personal Favorite Brand
There are several brands of psyllium powder husks but ensure you are purchasing a brand that is only contains psyllium. Some other brands add other sources of fiber that can increase IBS symptoms.
The NOW brand has an organic psyllium husk powder available nationwide and on-line. If you prefer capsules, Meta Mucil (new branding) is available.
No matter which brand you purchase, note that it is recommended that if you use the capsules stay upright for one hour after taking the capsule with 8-10 ounces of water. Also, wait 1-2 hours between taking the capsules and any prescriptive medications.
General Recommendations for Fiber and IBS
Current research on how to use fiber to reduce symptoms of IBS should not be a ‘one size-fits-all’ approach. Keep this in mind when increasing high fiber foods and fiber supplements in your diet.
Here are my top 3 suggestions for adding soluble fiber supplements to your diet:
The National Institute of Health guidelines recommend 25-35 grams of fiber per day for adults. Given that the average intake is 10 to 15 grams per day, point number two is highly advised to avoid a sudden increase in bloating, cramping or distention.
Go low and go slow. Start with ½ the suggested servings and assess tolerance and move up slowly. When adding even a soluble fiber supplement to the diet it’s normal to experience some bloating and even flatulence.
Increase your water intake plus other fluids to help with moving things through your intestines. Lack of hydration can cause any supplement to back up bowel movements.
In closing …
Fiber could use a rebranding. Not only for those with functional digestive disorders like IBS, but for the entire population. No matter the reason I’m working with a person to enhance their diet, I always zero in on the fiber.
My preference is to increase fiber through whole foods. Yet initially many individuals with severe IBS symptoms can’t tolerate these foods. Using a powdered supplement gives time to restore the gut to be able to move to a whole food fiber-centric diet.
Who would have guessed that forty years later, I would still be wearing my “fiber queen” crown!
Looking for tips on how to beat the bloat?
Click here for free eGuide, “Beat the Bloat, Love your Belly Again”
If you’re living with IBS, know that you’re not alone. Know you don’t have to learn to live with these symptoms.
Struggling with IBS is an option not inevitable conclusion!
My IBS was diagnosed over 45 years ago. I spent decades struggling before science discovered the microbiome and the FODMAP diet. These discoveries coupled with learning how herbs and plants contain the natural remedy for relief of the common symptoms of IBS, has made me the master of my digestive universe.
To learn how you can reduce unpleasant digestive symptoms and get back to enjoying life, click here to schedule a complimentary consultation. You can tell me your biggest gut challenge and I’ll share the first step to take to get closer to that happy gut!
