[Staci/GA]

Will extra fiber just cause more bloating, gas, and diarrhea?

 

[Kathleen M.]

Fiber absorbs water, so for some, depending on where they are on the diarrhea side and how fiber effects them, will find fiber helps.Others find it makes things worse.Some fibers are gassier than others, I can't predict ahead of time how much that may bother any given individual, or which fibers they may tolerate.Fiber is not a stimulatory or osmotic laxative. It absorbs water. It holds onto the water it absorbs. So it keeps the colon from removing as much water from stool keeping it wet enough to pass, but also it can absorb some excess water in the stool and provide a bit of bulk so there is something solid to make the stool from.

 

[grumblytummy]

That's definately something you have to experiment with. Fiber can effect us IBSers differently. I find that I'm very sensitive to fiber and just a small amount will give me a lot of gas but it may be just the opposite for you. You probably should try to increase your fiber little by little to see how you tolerate it.

 

[Staci/GA]

I eat a ton of fiber. Oatmeal for breakfast, raw veggies during the day, fruit, usually brocolli or brussels sprouts for dinner (usually raw too). Sometimes quinoa or kale w/ white kidney bean soup....lots of fiber! Sometimes right after eating one of these high fiber meals I get an IBS attack. Then I wonder maybe I just shouldn't be eating this much fiber. I probably don't need that much fiber, I have never been constipated that I can ever remember but I eat this diet because it's good for my heart (I have high cholestral). When I eat this type of diet and drink a lot of water it seems to make my stools really loose and I go several times a day and have gas pains and sometimes bloating. If this is normal and not a health risk then I don't really care but I don't think it is normal, due to the fact my stool is never formed, (sort of gross) but more like either a patty or clam stripes.

 

[Kathleen M.]

Raw veggies and raw fruit can often trigger loose/soft stools even in completely healthy people.Stool consistency tends to be looser in anyone during the summer when there is lots of fruits as many of them have an osmotic laxative in them. Sorbitol is in apples, pears, peaches, plums and cherries.You might count up your fiber grams and see what you are getting. 35 grams is usually OK for healthy people, 50+ can cause GI distress even in healthy people.Fiber shouldn't cause immediate diarrhea, however a large volume meal can set up a larger gastrocolic reflex and often high fiber meals are high volume as there isn't a lot of calories and you need a fair amount of food to make a meal.

 

[Staci/GA]

I started eating Chobai (Greek yogurt) a few months ago and I wonder if this would have anything to do w/ some of my bowel issues?? Right after I eat it I have noticed my tummy is a little upset then the feeling goes away but then the next day sometimes I have my IBS issues. I thought a probiotic yogurt would be good for my gut???

 

[Kathleen M.]

the probiotic part is good (assuming those bacteria happen to work well with your system, and sometimes they are selected more for how they grow in a vat, not how they effect human health).However yogurt still has some lactose and that can bother people.Sweeteners and honey can also be a problem depending on what all else they add.