Dr. Brad Stanfield
Appearances
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
Yeah, so psyllium husk is probably the most boring supplement. And because of that, it's not going to generate headlines. But the evidence is so strong for it. We've got multiple randomized controlled trials looking at what happens if you increase your fiber intake.
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
And overwhelmingly, if you increase your fiber intake, you decrease your cholesterol levels, you decrease your mortality rates, your heart disease rates. And over and over again, that's been proven in meta-analyses, where they combine all of those trials together.
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
If you have a look specifically at the trials of psyllium husk, we can also see the same thing where we lower cholesterol levels, we lower heart disease, and it can be used for irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome is incredibly common, and psyllium husk can be used to help with those digestive issues.
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
So, you know, it's very, very boring, but I'd probably say that most people should be adding it to an already healthy diet. Because coming back to the trials looking at fiber, it seems to be a dose response. As in, the more fiber you have in your diet, the more protective effects seem to be apparent. So if you've already got a high fiber diet and you're not having any gastrointestinal issues,
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
it's not a bad idea to try adding low doses of psyllium husk and slowly building up that dose until you reach the perfect point for you because the evidence backs it up.
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
That's absolutely right. The meta-analysis that I'm referring to suggests that ideally people want to be having at least about 25 grams of fiber a day. But there is the caveat though. I've mentioned irritable bowel syndrome already.
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
Some people who have irritable bowel syndrome, they can't tolerate a high fiber diet because a lot of the times when you're trying to digest that fiber, it causes fermentation. So it worsens bloating, it worsens their symptoms. So again, just make sure that you speak with your own doctor.
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
But that's again, where I'm a big fan of psyllium husk because of the type of fiber that psyllium husk is, it's actually used to treat irritable bowel syndrome. So it's a type of fiber that's very, very well tolerated by the body. And it seems that the more you have it, the better off you are. The caveat that if you start to really boost your dosages, they can actually make the constipation worse.
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
So it's important that if you do choose to use psyllium husk, you start at a low dose and you slowly work your way up and you make sure that you're having plenty of water on board.
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
There's no hard and fast rule. But what I would say is that if you are having psyllium husk, just make sure to have a glass of water with it. And ideally, the best way to assess your hydration levels is the color of your urine. So you want it slightly yellow. And that is a great way to figure out if you're having enough fluid or not. And when people are...
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
I think this is one of the best things that people can do for their health, just as an aside. You know, so many people are addicted to fizzy drinks. And if you can switch that to water, the benefits that you get are immense. So if you are going to drink any fluids, yeah, make it water.
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
Yeah, it's a little bit like the diet conversation. So people sometimes ask, what is the best diet? And I think the best diet is the one that you can stick to and that you feel great on. And it's a similar story with fiber. So some people will say psyllium husk is the way to go. Other people will use different fibers and that works for them.
Dhru Purohit Show
The Nutrient Most of Us are Under-Eating That Boosts Brain Health and Fights Inflammation and Visceral Fat
So it is about individualizing it to what you feel is best for your own body. And obviously in discussion with your doctor as well.