Fiber Supplement Friend Or Foe?

[hazeleyez682]

Hi everyone,

I have a question regarding fiber supplements. My boyfriend has ulcers and his doc recommended he take more fiber. He bought Benefiber chewable s which are gluten-free. So he gave me some. One of my major symptoms is horrible diarrhea. Figuring it couldn't hurt I took some . Well this morning I got my period , but once in the shower i was doubled over with stomach cramps. I spent the next 25 min on the toilet with my favorite symptom the big D! It was horrible. Could this be because I increased my fiber intake?? Should I continue taking them??

[Strawberry-Jam]

If you don't need more fiber in your diet, don't take it. :/

[Takala]

According to drugs.com this stuff is made of wheat dextrin, "a natural soluble fiber."

Benefiber Powder, which contains less than 20 ppm of gluten and is therefore considered "gluten-free," based on both the FDA and the Codex Alimentarius Commission's proposed definition of less than 20 ppm. However, people who experience gluten intolerance should not consume any products, including Benefiber, that contain any level of gluten unless otherwise directed by their doctor.

Ingredient: Wheat dextrin

Benefiber Orange also conatains Wheat dextrin, citric acid, natural orange flavor, potassium citrate, aspartame, gum acacia, acesulfame potassium, maltodextrin, lactose (milk), triglycerides, sucrose acetate isobutyrate (adds a trivial amount of sugar), modified cornstarch, yellow 6, red 40

With a list of ingredients like that, I'm surprised anybody could take this and not have some sort of digestive upset. At least one ingredient is wheat, others potentially could be sourced from wheat, there's artificial sweeteners, and lactose.

Thanks to our lax labeling standards we can call almost anything "gluten free" here, and the manufacturers are seldom brought to task.

If you want more fiber, eat more real food.