Fibre has so many benefits – but should you start supplementing with it?

Fibre has had a glow-up. As the previously niche world of gut health has become more well-known, we don’t stop hearing about why adding more fibre into your diet is so good. And with vast benefits from feeding your gut bacteria to support a healthy microbiome to improving your mental health, it’s true that we should all be eating as much of it as possible. 

But 91% of the population don’t eat the recommended 30g of fibre a day, and most only hit around 18g. So does the answer lie in supplements, as it does when we’re low on other nutrients like vitamin D or iron? 

What are fibre supplements?

They might not be as well known as multivitamins or omega-3s, but there are many different fibre supplements on the market. They range from ‘high-fibre blends’ to capsules of specific powdered foods like psyllium husk and inulin, and even prebiotic fibres blended into drinks or tablets.

A 2017 paper from the Mayo Clinic labelled these supplements as functional fibre – isolated non-digestable carbohydrates that are found in supplements – and noted that it different from dietary fibre, the type we eat. The question is whether these functional fibres can have the same benefits.

“Taking fibre supplements can be really useful for people who struggle to eat enough fruit and vegetables or who are limited in eating fibre because of bowel problems,” explains Doctify-reviewed consultant dietitian Sophie Medlin. “I recommend fibre supplements all the time to my patients who have complex colorectal or gastrointestinal problems.”

For those without diagnosed stomach and digestive disorders, fibre supplements may still sound appealing as a way to help you hit your target and improve your digestion with minimal effort. But Medlin warns that these supplements shouldn’t be used in that way.

“People shouldn’t be relying on them to go to the toilet, as it is far healthier to get your fibre from food,” she explains. “High fibre foods come with loads of additional benefits like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but you won’t get these nutrients from the supplements. 

“We also know that gut bacteria also thrives on a variety of fibre, but supplements only contain limited types of fibre. I know that some people who follow a diet that’s very restrictive in certain foods, like keto or low-carb eating habits, rely on fibre supplements but please know that isn’t a healthy or sustainable way to take care of your body.” 

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In the Mayo Clinic’s research, it was noted that some of the soluble fibre supplements that form a ‘gel-like’ consistency can have heart and digestive benefits, but you don’t need psyllium capsules or chia seed supplements to reap these benefits when you could eat the whole food instead.

Overusing fibre supplements can also have a detrimental impact. In the short term, they can cause wind, bloating and diarrhoea. “In the long run, relying on fibre supplements instead of a balanced diet could cause problems like irritable bowel syndrome as you run the risk of reducing your microbial diversity.”

“Fibre supplements may appear to be a healthy option to increase fibre intake, but clinical evidence supports that most fibres in supplements do not provide any of the health benefits associated with a high‐fibre diet,” conclude Mayo Clinic researchers. 

Medlin says that there may be an exception for prebiotic supplements. “The theory is that when we take these supplements, we are providing food for the good bacteria,” she says. Like probiotic supplements, they might be useful for some people to support gut health and top up the natural prebiotics they get from foods like green bananas and garlic. “But in many, these may cause wind and bloating as they tend to ferment in the gut, so they aren’t for everyone,” she adds.

So should we all be taking fibre supplements? It’s a no, as it turns out there’s no substitute for the real thing. “Choosing wholegrain carbohydrates and packing your diet with fruit and vegetables is a better way to get more fibre into your diet. As I always say, spend your money in the fruit and veg aisle rather than the pharmaceutical aisle where you can,” says Medlin. 

Images: Getty/Unsplash

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