Fiber supplements could be tremendously beneficial for IBS sufferers. Although supplements such as Metamucil and Citrucel are almost always marketed as laxatives, and are very useful for constipation sufferers, they might also be used to combat diarrhea because they add bulk to the diet and may contruct waste food more solid.

These supplements are not really medications most are simply fiber products with no added drugs or herbs, and so they may be taken long term on a daily basis without worrying about side effects. Theyre just the equivalent of adding lots of fruit and bran to your diet, but without having to eat daily apples or worry about bloating from the bran.

Do check, though, that the supplement you choose is just made up of fiber and nothing more, as you will occasionally find one that has added chemical laxatives or other ingredients that may upset your stomach.

It is important to build sure you find the fiber supplement thats right for you, as IBS sufferers almost always have very sensitive stomachs. Some all the people find that the psyllium fiber in supplements such as Metamucil might irritate their intestines, so if that happens to you try one of the methylcellulose products such as Citrucel, or other types of fiber such as acacia fiber.

Another point to be aware of is that some manufacturers use artificial sweeteners in their products, and these may sometimes cause problems for IBS sufferers. There should be a normal, sweetener-costless version to choose instead, and the amount of sugar in a few spoonfuls should not have a huge impact on any diet you are on.

Whatever type of fiber you choose, you must make sure to generate the dosage up gradually. If you add masses of fiber to your diet all at once you will most likely feel very gassy and bloated. Instead, try just a small spoon of fiber once a day and generate up to the recommended dose on the label. Most supplements will recommend that you take the item with lots of water, and to make sure you are drinking enough water for the rest of the day as well.

It will take a little while before you see the effects of the supplement, so dont give up if you dont feel better after a few days. Try getting a supplement for one or two weeks to really give it measure to work.

These days there are many different ways to take fiber supplements. You can buy the traditional powder form, which is swallowed with water or soft food, or you can buy wafers, tablets or capsules, which might be very handy if you absolutely need to travel and dont want to carry a whole can of fiber with you.

Most all the people prefer to take one dose of fiber in the early morning, perhaps with their breakfast, and then another with dinner or just before their evening meal. You will need to experiment to find the right dosage for your symptoms and the best measure to take the fiber, but if you can find a supplement and dose that works for you it will be well assessment of value the effort, because you will have found a cheap, drug-free of price way to help keep your IBS under control.