Fibre Supplements

Question
Hi, I am currently seeking help in concern of fibre supplements, I have tried many websites and have visited my local pharmacy and still I cannot find the information I need. My questions are; Is there a minimum age at which these fibre supplements can be consumed? Also are there any specific advantages/disadvantages in taking supplements over trying to eat more fibre in my diet? Thank you for any help

Answer
Hi Samantha,
Interesting question about the age at which these supplements are considered safe. In most cases it is not recommended to give supplements to children without the advice of a physician. For the fiber pills or powders I wouldn't give them to someone under 12, but would rather encourage a healthy diet.
The only advantage to these supplements is the great amount of fiber you can get in some of them, which is difficult to get from food. The amount of fiber per day suggested is 25-35 grams, and many people cannot even get 10 grams since they do not eat whole grains, fruits, or vegetables in adequate amounts.
Some of the supplements only have 1 or 2 grams and can be very misleading. Others have 5 grams per serving, suggest working your way up to 3 servings per day, and can cause intestinal bloating and discomfort. Even some very high fiber cereals have "warning" labels to caution having plenty of fluid when consuming their product. Having a lot of fiber without enough water has lead to cases of intestinal obstruction--which is why it's not safe to dispense those tablets to children.

To supplement a child's diet I would look for very-high fiber foods such as dried fruits or tasty high fiber cereals (like mini-wheats or raisin bran) and oatmeal. They even add a few grams to some of the sweet cereals now, and fiber-one brand has many tasty treats resembling snack bars and pop-tarts to get more fiber into a finicky eater!  Monitor your child for bloating, gas, or diarrhea if you start to increase her fiber intake and have her tell you if she experiences stomach aches, so you can reduce the amount accordingly. In time, the tolerance goes up so you can be adding a few daily grams to her diet every other week.

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