Fiber Supplements to Beat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Fiber supplements can be tremendously beneficial for IBS sufferers. Although supplements such as Metamucil and Citrucel are generally marketed as laxatives, and are very useful for constipation sufferers, they can also be used to combat diarrhea because they add bulk to the diet and can make waste food more solid.

These supplements are not really medications - most are simply fiber products with no added drugs or herbs, and so they can be taken long term on a daily basis without worrying about side effects. They're just the equivalent of adding lots of fruit and bran to your diet, but without having to eat daily apples or worry about bloating from the bran.

Do check, though, that the supplement you choose is just made up of fiber and nothing more, as you will occasionally find one that has added chemical laxatives or other ingredients that can upset your stomach.

It is important to make sure you find the fiber supplement that's right for you, as IBS sufferers often have very sensitive stomachs. Some people find that the psyllium fiber in supplements such as Metamucil can irritate their intestines, so if that happens to you try one of the methylcellulose products such as Citrucel, or other types of fiber such as acacia fiber.

Another point to be aware of is that some manufacturers use artificial sweeteners in their products, and these can sometimes cause problems for IBS sufferers. There should be a normal, sweetener-free version to choose instead, and the amount of sugar in a few spoonfuls should not have a huge impact on any diet you are on.

Whatever type of fiber you choose, you must make sure to build the dosage up gradually. If you add masses of fiber to your diet all at once you will probably feel very gassy and bloated. Instead, try just a small spoon of fiber once a day and build up to the recommended dose on the label. Most supplements will recommend that you take the product with lots of water, and to make sure you are drinking enough water for the rest of the day as well.

It will take a little while before you see the effects of the supplement, so don't give up if you don't feel better after a few days. Try taking a supplement for one or two weeks to really give it time to work.

These days there are many different ways to take fiber supplements. You can buy the traditional powder form, which is swallowed with water or soft food, or you can buy wafers, tablets or capsules, which can be very handy if you need to travel and don't want to carry a whole can of fiber with you.

Most people prefer to take one dose of fiber in the early morning, perhaps with their breakfast, and then another with dinner or just before their evening meal. You will need to experiment to find the right dosage for your symptoms and the best time to take the fiber, but if you can find a supplement and dose that works for you it will be well worth the effort, because you will have found a cheap, drug-free way to help keep your IBS under control.

Sophie Lee has suffered from IBS for more than 15 years. She runs IBS Tales http://www.ibstales.com where you can read hundreds of personal stories of IBS sufferers and a range of self-help tips.

TopNews United States

Diet supplements recalled on unlabeled drug worries Fox News iStock Print Email Share Comments Recommend Tweet Healthy People Co is recalling 15 lots of seven different dietary supplements because they contain appetite suppressants or a drug for male erectile dysfunction, the Long Beach, California, company said ... Dietary Supplement Recalled After Found to Contain Drug IngredientsThirdAge Dietary Supplements Extensively Regulated, Say Authors of New ArticleMarketWatch (press release) Diet Supplements RecalledTopNews United States all 33 news articles »

NoviPet Appoints US National Manager to Oversee the Sales of its Premium Pet's ... MarketWatch (press release) FALLBROOK, California, February 7, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- NoviPet, a leading global provider of premium nutritional supplements for pets, announced today the appointment of veteran sales professional Jim Boyd as NoviPet's new national sales ... and more »

Daily Mail

Zinc supplements 'can triple the survival chances of young children with ... Daily Mail By Lauren Paxman Zinc supplements can triple the survival chances of young children with pneumonia who are deficient in the mineral, a study has found. Taking zinc had a dramatic effect on death rates - even though it did not shorten the time severely ... Pneumonia wonder drug: Zinc saves livesEurekAlert (press release) all 6 news articles »

Soy supplements may not protect against breast cancer HealthJockey.com This study by scientists at the Northwestern University has demonstrated that soy isoflavone supplements do not seemingly lower breast cancer cell progression in women. The trial seeks to evaluate the benefits of dietary supplementation in terms of ... and more »

Private MD

Vitamin D supplements among top selling nutritional aids Private MD Many more people may not be seeking blood tests to measure their vitamin D levels, as a new survey suggests that supplements containing this nutrient are among the most popular. Researchers from ConsumerLab.com surveyed 10000 supplement consumers from ... Fish Oil and Multivitamins Most Popular SupplementsNatural Products INSIDER all 2 news articles »

Know the right supplements for your individual needs Eagle News In recent years, the influx of different health and fitness supplements has skyrocketed. It seems as though a product for virtually any type of fitness endeavor can be found. While some of these supplements are very beneficial and proven to help in ...

French mines and… $6700 in supplements? Legislative gifts Fredericksburg.com (blog) And Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli collected “a box of a food supplement” worth $6711 from Jonnie R. Williams Sr., who is CEO of Glen Allen-based Star Scientific (which works to reduce the carcinogens in tobacco products, according to the Internet). and more »

Broken Heart Supplement May Cause Legal Heartburn Natural Products INSIDER (blog) Lonely hearts out there may turn to a new dietary supplement, Broken Heart RX to help fill the void left by a former love. However, a review of the ingredients list and the website copy shows this supplement may be running into legal issues.

Are supplements safe? FOX19 Many people turn to supplements to help them lose weight or gain muscle, but are they helping or hurting you? It's no surprise the most popular New Year's resolution is to shed pounds. For millions of Americans, that means healthy eating, ...

Army Studies Workout Supplements After Deaths New York Times The United States Army is investigating whether certain dietary supplements for athletes, available until recently at stores on military bases in the United States, may have played a role in the deaths of two soldiers. Both soldiers died last year ... A Guide to Workout Supplements That Probably Won't Kill YouGawker all 2 news articles »