Boosting your fiber intake with Metamucil is a simple and effective way to enhance digestive health and overall well-being.
Key Takeaway
- Promotes Digestive Health: Metamucil’s psyllium fiber helps to regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation.
- Heart Health Benefits: Regular use can aid in managing cholesterol levels, contributing to better heart health.
- Blood Sugar Management: Metamucil can help maintain steady blood sugar levels, which is beneficial for individuals with diabetes.
- Easy to Incorporate: Available in multiple forms, Metamucil is convenient to use and can easily be integrated into daily routines.
While fiber is one of the most common and key nutrients we should be including in our diets, some of us just do not get enough of it.
Luckily, this is where supplements come in. Supplements help us to ensure our bodies get the nutrition they need to function well.
However, when taking a fiber supplement you need to ensure that it has a high enough level to relieve symptoms and promote a healthy digestive system.
There are many supplements out there for fiber, that being said, one of the most popular is Metamucil. Metamucil is one of the best-known fiber supplements that come mostly as a powder.
They’re a well-known brand that helps to regulate blood sugar levels, eliminate waste, and promote intestinal health.
But… Is Metamucil as good as they claim? We have delved into the deepest nooks and crannies of the health and nutrition world to find out if Metamucil is as good as claimed.
What Is Metamucil Fiber?
Those who use Metamucil can increase their fiber intake daily, this will improve their digestive health. Getting enough fiber is also believed to help with many other areas of a person’s physical health as well.
The information on the Metamucil website states that the supplements offered might even aid in the maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels, improvement of heart health through the lowering of cholesterol, and also increase the feeling of satiation, thus reducing hunger.
Metamucil does not have any evidence to state it will help in weight loss, despite how many take it for this reason.
What Is Its Function?
Metamucil is used to make sure that you are consuming enough fiber every day, the daily fiber intake you have will be increased due to the fiber found in Metamucil, known as psyllium fiber.
It has been proven that consuming higher fiber can reduce bloat, reduce constipation, improve digestion, and help to give you healthier gut flora.
As well as this, Metamucil does claim to be even more beneficial to cardiovascular health as well as it lowers the levels of cholesterol in the body.
However, this is only proven to a point, how it does this may only be modest and not of extreme importance.
Should Metamucil be taken after a meal, it can also help to keep blood sugar levels lower.
How Long Should It Take To Work?
If people are taking Metamucil to help against an illness, such as those who suffer from constipation regularly, then it can be useful. It could take effect in any time frame from 12 hours to 3 days.
The use can help in this regard, however, it is stated that for full advantages of Metamucil, it may be necessary to use the product for a few weeks with a gradual increase in the amount used.
Does Metamucil Burn Fat?
It is important to notice that Metamucil is not a dieting supplement, that being said, there are meant to be some benefits for weight loss and their benefits could be useful in this regard.
However, despite this, weight loss is not its primary purpose, and it should not be used solely as a weight loss tool.
Research does state that fiber can help in reducing weight in some ways, so taking fiber supplements may help you to lose weight. This is why it is useful to include more fiber in your diet.
Fiber can help to lose weight in many ways.
Side Effects
Many consumers want to know if Metamucil can cause side effects, and the truth is that any fiber supplement has the potential to cause some digestive discomfort, especially if your diet is traditionally low in fiber.
For this reason, you should slowly increase your fiber intake over a few weeks or days.
Metamucil also contains psyllium husk fiber, which may have a higher risk of side effects than some others, however, this is only a theory and is yet to be 100% proven.
However, be aware of potential digestive discomfort, and ensure that you ease into taking fiber supplements, gradually increasing them over time.
Does Metamucil Aid In Weight Loss?
Metamucil can help weight loss, but it does not cause it directly. It can help those who are overweight or obese, in weight loss journeys. This is simply because of fiber as we mentioned earlier.
It is to do with fiber, not Metamucil specifically.
The amount of fiber a person ingests and their ability to lose weight do have a connection.
You see, a study was conducted and in this study, it was found that adding 14 g of fiber per day to a person’s diet, saw a 10% calorie decrease from the person’s diet.
How Does This Work?
Well, this can happen as fiber is a – calorie plant-based material, it takes up space inside the stomach. This makes us feel fuller faster and therefore can function well as a natural and effective aid in weight loss.
This can be said for any fiber powder, not just Metamucil.
The reason that it is used as a weight loss aid is that it makes you feel satiated much quicker, thus reducing snacking, and perhaps even affecting portion sizes after some time.
Having an appropriate dose of fiber added to your diet can help you lose weight, this means Metamucil or any other fiber supplements can help.
Benefits & Downfalls
Metamucil is a popular supplement for many, however, it does have benefits and downfalls alike. Let’s take a look at both the good and bad sides of Metamucil.
Pros
Metamucil Helps To Promote Healthier Bowel Movements
It is occasionally used to treat those who suffer from chronic constipation. The fiber in Metamucil, psyllium absorbs water and expands as it travels through your digestive system, it can then act as a laxative.
It can also reduce diarrhea and stomach pain also.
Lowers Cholesterol
If you have mild to moderately high cholesterol levels, adding 10 -12 grams of psyllium seed husks to your diet each day can actually help to lower your cholesterol levels by a whopping 5-10%.
You should speak to your doctor beforehand, though.
Lowers Blood Sugars
Taking supplemental psyllium fibers can reduce your blood sugar levels if you suffer from diseases such as diabetes.
It does not reduce blood sugar levels if you do not have diabetes, however, but you can speak to your doctor about its potential blood sugar-lowering benefits.
Cons
Can Be A Choking Hazard
Psyllium supplements need to be taken with a large amount of water in order to prevent choking. Around 8 oz of water is the minimum you need to take, in order for the fiber to properly pass through your esophagus safely.
It can easily swell in your throat if there is not enough water, which will cause choking.
Can Become Habitual
There are good habits and bad habits, and while taking fiber supplements can be a good habit for some, laxatives such as these can form habits if taken for a long time.
Using something like this could cause some permanent damage to your digestive tract. Ensure you check it is safe for you to use prior to using.
May Interfere With Medications
You should take psyllium 2 hours prior to taking any other medications to be on the safe side.
It is possible that it could make it harder for your body to absorb certain medications if you take them alongside fiber supplements.
You should avoid using psyllium supplements if you take prescription blood thinners.
If you are taking any regular medications you should double-check with your doctor that it is not a risk for you to take fiber supplements as well. If you can, you should still take them 2 hours before your medication.
Customer Reviews
Metamucil is sold in many places, but you can get it on Amazon.com. It has many good reviews, but let’s take a look at what other people think.
- Mommy 5: Rated: 5/5. “So far I’m feeling less bloated and regular. I am feeling better already. The taste of Metamucil was surprisingly good.”
- Bluegrass: Rated 3/5. “Too costly. A simple little product, but someone has just about more than tripled the price over the last few years”.
- Dianna B. Ladner: Rated 5/5. “Works great. I have suffered from constipation for years. My doctor told me to take this, and I have bowel movements every day.”
- Schatzila: rated 1/5. “AGH, this contains Aspartame, and it leaves a terrible, long-lasting aftertaste.”
Opinions seem a bit split, and the aspartame claim is worrying, however, this does not necessarily count for EVERY version of Metamucil, if you are concerned check the specific ingredients before you buy!
Conclusion
Overall, Metamucil seems to be a decent product, however, you need to be careful how much you take it, who takes it, and how it is taken. Always consult your doctor before you take a fiber supplement like this.
It has many benefits but can cause problems if you are not careful and sensible with your use of it.
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