Fiber supplements and clinically proven health benefits: How to recognize and recommend an effective fiber therapy.
Kellen V Lambeau, Johnson W McRorie
PMID 28252255WHAT IT FOUND
Do not assume all fiber supplements work.
Only viscous gel-forming psyllium and beta-glucan have clinical evidence for cholesterol and blood sugar; psyllium can normalize stool, while wheat dextrin may worsen glucose or constipation.
Key findings
01In patients being treated for type 2 diabetes, psyllium lowered fasting glucose by 37 mg/dL and HbA1c by 1.0 on the HbA1c scale.
02In 105 patients with high total cholesterol, psyllium taken before meals three times daily for 8 weeks lowered LDL cholesterol by 8.8% versus placebo, while methylcellulose and calcium polycarbophil did not.
03Wheat dextrin raised peak postprandial glucose in pediatric patients being treated for type 1 diabetes, and wheat dextrin or finely ground wheat bran decreased stool water content, which can constipate.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review is not a systematic review and does not describe how studies were selected or judged. The review is aimed at nurse practitioners and does not evaluate fiber therapy in PT, OT or SLP settings. The review states that population-based evidence for high-fiber diets shows associations, not causation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat all fiber supplements as interchangeable. Wheat dextrin raised peak postprandial glucose in pediatric patients being treated for type 1 diabetes, and wheat dextrin or finely ground wheat bran can decrease stool water and worsen constipation.