4 Signs Your Fiber Supplement Is Working

While it may not generate the same buzz as probiotics or collagen, it seems fiber is finally getting its moment in the sun. As more people realize they aren't getting enough through their diet alone, fiber supplements (like mbg's organic fiber+ with prebiotic support) are an increasingly popular way to fill that gap. You see, the National Academies recommends women get a minimum of 21 to 25 grams of fiber per day1 (30 to 38 for men), but about 95% of Americans2 are not hitting that mark—let alone going beyond that. 

Fiber supplements offer an easy and convenient way to bump up your daily fiber count and support your overall health. But how can you be sure your supplement efforts are worth it? 

Regularity is likely fiber's most notable claim to fame. Hard, infrequent poops and overly mushy ones are both not ideal textures and are signs that your diet is lacking in fiber. 

Eating insoluble fibers (think the type mainly found in whole grains—like wheat bran—and fruits and vegetables) tend to speed things along in the digestive tract, whereas soluble fibers (think about foods like beans and oats) absorb water and add bulk to stools. 

And adding more soluble fiber to your day can help ease things along. For example, organic fiber+ with prebiotic support is formulated with 7 grams of guar fiber—a soluble fiber—that helps support healthy stool form3 and improves laxation.*

Fiber has a filling effect, while meal without fiber can leave you feeling famished and reaching for a snack in 30 minutes.

Soluble fiber slows the movement of food through the intestines (which supports satiety), it also supports the production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate. Butyrate plays an important role in the synthesis of the hormones that regulate appetite and satiety, and guar bean fiber (the primary fiber source in organic fiber+ with prebiotic support) produces more butyrate compared to other types of soluble fiber.* 

Sometimes switching to a high-fiber diet can cause gas4 and bloating (thanks to the increased bulk and the fermentation of sugar in the gut microbiome). But slowly increasing your fiber intake and drinking plenty of water along the way can actually ease this excess bloating and gassiness. 

And soluble fiber supplements in particular may provide even more help. One study found that supplementing with 6 grams of partially hydrolyzed guar bean fiber a day reduced gas and bloating5 for people prone to those issues.* 

Soluble fiber is also essential for promoting healthy cholesterol levels. Because this fiber attracts water in the colon, it turns waste into a gel-like consistency that traps cholesterol-containing bile and prevents it from being reabsorbed 6to the bloodstream. 

Fiber supplements target and support multiple areas of health like regularity, bloating, appetite, and cholesterol.* But some fibers are more efficacious for those outcomes than other types. Guar bean fiber in particular has been clinically shown to deliver multidimensional GI support.* That's why mbg's organic potency+ is formulated with an effective 7-gram dose of this fiber along with organic kiwifruit, a mushroom trio blend, and Bacillus subtilis probiotic for additional digestive and immune support.*