Fibre from supplements?

Question: from Robin

This may be a stupid question, but can you tell me what is/where I can find a fiber supplement to help with weight loss. I've heard that you can take a fiber supplement 1/2-1 hr before each meal that will help suppress your hunger.

Answer: fromJoanna Machin (Medical Nutritionist for Xtendlife)

The best way to achieve more fibre in the diet, for any purpose (the same as a supplement) is through better general dietary nutrition. So my best advice would be to add more fibre to your diet. To increase dietary fibre, as a general rule, swap white foods for brown foods and aim for an intake of 18g or more of fibre a day.

Increased fruits and vegetables are a good start, but be careful of ‘empty’ fibre breakfast cereals such as bran.

With regard to supplements, weight loss fiber supplements do work when used within a sensible eating and exercise weight loss strategy, but as I’ve said before, are often unnecessary if you are eating a good general diet anyway as the supplements by themselves probably will not do anything but help to clean your insides out (again, as the right foods will do for you anyway).

It is also worth noting that different weight loss fiber supplements work on differing mechanisms. Some have a laxative effect which, with prolonged use, can cause the body problems and strain the lower digestive system, sometimes resulting in colitis and similar disorders over strained or overuse, and allergies can increase as a result of a strained system.

Fiber supplements sold for their appetite suppressing properties usually consist of water-soluble fibers from fruit, beans or psyllium and expand in your stomach to help make you feel full. Again you can achieve the same thing, much more naturally, on a good natural diet.

When using these kinds of supplements, it’s absolutely essential that your water intake is adequate. Over-use or inappropriate use of these supplements could lead to diarrhea, so these things should be kept in mind.

As well as causing diarrhea, you may be washing out valuable nutrients that your body needs by having too much fiber in your diet.

With regard to general weight management, you may wish to take a look at our Natural Energy supplement, which is a good energy provider to help you with lacking daytime energy, to enable you to exercise more.

This supplement can also act as a mild appetite suppressant in many people; and also our Omega 3/DHA Fish Oil (fish oils and DHA have been proven helpful in general weight management as part of a whole program), and finally Total Balance, to help balance your body overall, which leads to better systemic function, including nutrient intake and toxin release.