Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: Switched from Benefiber to Citrucel

So glad you found a change for the better! I really do wish that people had consistent reactions to the different soluble fiber supplements. I hate having to tell folks just try one after the other, but everyone seems so different here. For every person who loves Citrucel and didn't get good results from Benefiber, there's someone else who had the exact opposite experience! Very frustrating...

Citrucel gels in the glass because of its viscosity. Some soluble fibers are high viscosity, others are low. Most of them in their natural form are quite high. They can actually be used as thickeners in cooking (guar gum, xanthan gum). They can be hydrolyzed so that they have a lower viscosity (Benefiber is hydrolyzed guar gum). Personally, I have the best results with supplements that have some viscosity. Most soluble fiber foods are viscous - think of what happens if you put a bit of cooked rice in a glass of water, or a piece of white bread. They dissolve and form a gel or paste. This ability to hold water is actually part of what makes soluble fiber so helpful for IBS - it regulates gut muscle contractions and normalizes both diarrhea and constipation.

So, in a nutshell, don't worry that Citrucel is thickening in the glass. It's supposed to! Do take with plenty of water though - if that gel is too thick you could choke on it.

Best,
Heather

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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!

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