Re: Fiber Supplements as discussed in The South Beach Diet

[Guest guest]

I looked on Citrucel's website just now, and it is says it is just

100% soluble fiber. Nowhere on the site is it called a laxative.

http://citrucel.com/.

Methylcellulose is a fiber that is used as a thickener in sauces and

salad dressings, and as a thickener and stabilizer in ice cream. The

FDA wouldn't allowed a laxative to be added to foods.

They often do market fiber as a laxative, but it's not. It's just

fiber. It can, in fact, constipate people if they don't drink a lot

of water with it. A laxative can't do that. My GI doc said you can

take fiber supplements forever.

He said the only thing you can't take everyday is a genuine laxative,

such as bisacodyl, a stimulant laxative. You can become addicted to

that, as it isn't a fiber supplement, but a laxative.

Ask a gastroenterologist if you want to. I've been seeing two

different ones for my IBS and acid reflux, and they both told me the

same thing, as did my family doctor. I trust what they tell me more

than I trust marketing campaigns designed to sell products.

Thankfully, the constipation I was suffering the first few months on

the diet is gone. It's a miracle I stuck with the diet, I was

constipated for so long. It had to be four months or so.

ann

>

> This is encouraging news, ann, with many " good " implications

for weight loss.

> I got a jar of Citrucel after reading this, and it DOES depress my

appetite, too!!!

> However, it says on the jar that it is a laxative and that I

shouldn't use it for more than one

> week at a time. It's just the regular normal Citrucel that anyone

would buy over the

> counter. I read up on it on the Citrucel website, too. Why do

they promote their product

> as a " laxative " unless there's something ELSE in there to " make you

go? " I wonder. It says

> there are ONLY TWO GRAMS of fiber per " dose. " Well -- shoot --

there are two grams of

> fiber in each slice of the sourdough spelt bread I buy, and that

isn't a " bulking agent. " So,

> now I'm curious about this " methycellulose, " which the

manufacturers say is natural and

> " from plant sources. " (Like, which plants?) Maybe this ALSO has to

do with the " bulking

> properties " or methylcellulose??????

> Again, I am not suggesting, but asking a question since I do not

know the answer and am

> using whatever natural logical tendencies (admittedly there are

not many) that are in my

> mind to deduce answers, here.

> Thanks.

> Annie

[Guest guest]

I looked on Citrucel's website just now, and it is says it is just

100% soluble fiber. Nowhere on the site is it called a laxative.

http://citrucel.com/.

Methylcellulose is a fiber that is used as a thickener in sauces and

salad dressings, and as a thickener and stabilizer in ice cream. The

FDA wouldn't allowed a laxative to be added to foods.

They often do market fiber as a laxative, but it's not. It's just

fiber. It can, in fact, constipate people if they don't drink a lot

of water with it. A laxative can't do that. My GI doc said you can

take fiber supplements forever.

He said the only thing you can't take everyday is a genuine laxative,

such as bisacodyl, a stimulant laxative. You can become addicted to

that, as it isn't a fiber supplement, but a laxative.

Ask a gastroenterologist if you want to. I've been seeing two

different ones for my IBS and acid reflux, and they both told me the

same thing, as did my family doctor. I trust what they tell me more

than I trust marketing campaigns designed to sell products.

Thankfully, the constipation I was suffering the first few months on

the diet is gone. It's a miracle I stuck with the diet, I was

constipated for so long. It had to be four months or so.

ann

>

> This is encouraging news, ann, with many " good " implications

for weight loss.

> I got a jar of Citrucel after reading this, and it DOES depress my

appetite, too!!!

> However, it says on the jar that it is a laxative and that I

shouldn't use it for more than one

> week at a time. It's just the regular normal Citrucel that anyone

would buy over the

> counter. I read up on it on the Citrucel website, too. Why do

they promote their product

> as a " laxative " unless there's something ELSE in there to " make you

go? " I wonder. It says

> there are ONLY TWO GRAMS of fiber per " dose. " Well -- shoot --

there are two grams of

> fiber in each slice of the sourdough spelt bread I buy, and that

isn't a " bulking agent. " So,

> now I'm curious about this " methycellulose, " which the

manufacturers say is natural and

> " from plant sources. " (Like, which plants?) Maybe this ALSO has to

do with the " bulking

> properties " or methylcellulose??????

> Again, I am not suggesting, but asking a question since I do not

know the answer and am

> using whatever natural logical tendencies (admittedly there are

not many) that are in my

> mind to deduce answers, here.

> Thanks.

> Annie

[Guest guest]

Right you are. It's on the jar where it's described as a laxative and on the

jar where there

is cautionary language saying not to use it for more than a week UNLESS

OTHERWISE

INDICATED BY YOUR DOCTOR, or something to that effect.

I went to the website, too, and, after having just read the bottle, read the web

info with the

same frame of mind. I don't remember, off-hand, the wording that was used on

the

website, but it seemed clear to me that the intent of taking it was supposed to

be to

promote regularity. But no matter....

I'm glad your doctors feel it's safe for regular use, because it seems like a

good companion

to Phase 1, which is only two weeks, anyway.

And I would be tempted to want to use it before meals, too -- as an appetite

regulator.

Even though, I realize, the real use would be to stabilize blood sugars...

Whatever... it does seem useful, no matter what the purpose.

Do you like guar gum fibers, too?

> >

> > This is encouraging news, ann, with many " good " implications

> for weight loss.

> > I got a jar of Citrucel after reading this, and it DOES depress my

> appetite, too!!!

> > However, it says on the jar that it is a laxative and that I

> shouldn't use it for more than one

> > week at a time. It's just the regular normal Citrucel that anyone

> would buy over the

> > counter. I read up on it on the Citrucel website, too. Why do

> they promote their product

> > as a " laxative " unless there's something ELSE in there to " make you

> go? " I wonder. It says

> > there are ONLY TWO GRAMS of fiber per " dose. " Well -- shoot --

> there are two grams of

> > fiber in each slice of the sourdough spelt bread I buy, and that

> isn't a " bulking agent. " So,

> > now I'm curious about this " methycellulose, " which the

> manufacturers say is natural and

> > " from plant sources. " (Like, which plants?) Maybe this ALSO has to

> do with the " bulking

> > properties " or methylcellulose??????

> > Again, I am not suggesting, but asking a question since I do not

> know the answer and am

> > using whatever natural logical tendencies (admittedly there are

> not many) that are in my

> > mind to deduce answers, here.

> > Thanks.

> > Annie

>

[Guest guest]

Well, eating a cup of beans everyday promotes regularity too, but that

doesn't mean it's a laxative. It's just fiber. Like the Citrucel. And

regularity goes both ways. If you're having diarrhea, you're not

having regular bowel movements, and fiber supplements are good for

firming up loose bowels, also.

ann

I don't remember, off-hand, the wording that was used on the

> website, but it seemed clear to me that the intent of taking it was

supposed to be to

> promote regularity. But no matter....