Dietary fiber
(Versión en español: pincha aquí)
«In conclusion, contrary to popularly held beliefs, reducing or stopping dietary fiber intake improves constipation and its associated symptoms» (see)
That conclusion comes from a 2012 study, where:
- 63 subjects that suffer from constipation are studied. At the baseline all patients are already eating a high-fiber diet.
- They take no fiber for two weeks and after that they are instructed to eat «as little fiber in the diet as they were able to follow if this were to give them relief from their symptoms«
I will focus on the results from the 41 subjects that followed a no-fiber diet for the 6 months of the study:
- At the baseline 63 out of the 63 patients had constipation. No one of the no-fiber group had symptoms 6 months later.
- At the baseline 31 out of the 63 patients had anal bleeding. No one of the no-fiber group had symptoms 6 months later.
- And so on…
Cases | Baseline. All (n=63) | 6-months. No dietary fiber group (n=41) |
Anal bleeding | 31 | 0 |
Constipation | 63 | 0 |
Bloatedness | 33 | 0 |
Strain in bowel opening | 63 | 0 |
Abdominal pain | 13 | 0 |
This is the original data:
Further reading: