Fiber Supplements & Weight Loss

Fiber has long been heralded as a source that encourages weight loss. Modern science has been able to prove this assumption through research that supports the theory. Take natural fiber in dietary supplemental form if you wish to add fiber to your diet or don't eat enough of the foods that contain it naturally.

Types

There are two types of fiber used in supplements. Insoluble fiber is found in bran, grains, and wheat, and does not dissolve in water. The other type of fiber, which is more commonly used in supplements, is soluble fiber. This can dissolve in water and is found in natural sources like fruits and legumes.

Metabolism

Weight loss is stimulated by speeding the body's metabolism and burning more calories (energy) than you consume and store. Speeding the metabolism can be done in two ways to stimulate weight loss. One way is to exercise regularly using specific methods such as interval training to increase your resting metabolic rate. The other way involves when you eat (time intervals) and what you ingest as energy. Unless you speed up your metabolism, there is often no healthy way to lose weight. This is the premise behind fiber supplementation.

Effects

Bacteria in the intestine can't use insoluble fiber as energy, but the digestive system still works to try to break it down. Supplements that promise weight reduction include this fiber because it forces the body to waste energy trying to break it down. The "wasted" energy means your body will be burning calories even when you are not exercising, which can stimulate weight loss.

Benefits

Cholesterol can be bound by soluble fiber and excreted from your body without being absorbed. This can help lower bad cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in many slow-burning carbohydrates can be used as a nutrient by intestinal bacteria. Although this is true, these fibers are still not easily digested, which helps to raise your resting metabolic rate as well.

Considerations

Soluble fiber can cause gas in some users because of the harmless bacteria's byproduct in the intestines. Fiber supplements can also cause extreme hardening of fecal matter. Stool softeners can help to counterbalance this effect and can be purchased over the counter. Fiber supplements should be used to support a high fiber diet or to add fiber to foods with low or no fiber to support weight loss.