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Psyllium Fiber Supplements

Psyllium Review 2024

Fiber supplements made from psyllium (such as Metamucil) can help with constipation and regularity, lower cholesterol, and even reduce appetite. But our tests show that many are contaminated with lead. Find out which psyllium products passed or failed our tests which one we think is the best.

Psyllium Fiber Supplements Review

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CL Answer

Can psyllium help control hunger and appetite?

Learn more about psyllium (found in Metamucil), including effects on appetite and hunger control, results from clinical studies and safety.

Psyllium

CL Answer

Which supplements and foods help relieve constipation and which can cause constipation?

Find out which supplements can cause constipation, including iron, calcium, protein powders and drinks and others. ConsumerLab.com's answer explains.

Which supplements can cause constipation? -- Woman with gastrointestinal pain

CL Answer

Does taking a laxative interfere with the absorption of vitamins or minerals?

Information on laxative interactions with other medications and supplements such as Maalox, antibiotics, and statins and diabetes medications.

Laxatives and vitamin and mineral absorption

CL Answer

Do any supplements naturally suppress appetite and help with weight loss?

Learn which natural ingredients can suppress appetite and find if these natural appetite suppressants help with weight loss.

Container of natural appetite suppressant supplement with measuring tape and scale in background

News Release

February 29, 2024

Lead Found In Psyllium Fiber Supplements

White Plains, NY, February 29, 2024 —  Psyllium is an effective laxative that may also have heart health benefits, but ConsumerLab’s recent tests found lead contamination in every psyllium fiber supplement it purchased and tested.

Clinical Update

3/28/2023

Psyllium: Viva Naturals

Concerned about lead found by ConsumerLab in psyllium supplements, a CL member asked Viva Naturals about the quality of its Organic Psyllium Husk Powder, which was not tested by ConsumerLab. Viva provided its quality specifications for the product. See how this compares to amounts of lead actually found in competing products in the Update to the Psyllium Fiber Supplements Review. Also see our Top Picks among psyllium supplements.

CL Answer

Which supplements or foods can help lower cholesterol and keep my heart healthy? Are there any to avoid?

Information about heart health supplements & vitamins that help with cholesterol, including sterol esters, CoQ10, and vitamin D, and which may be bad for the heart, like calcium.

CL Answer

Do any supplements help for ulcerative colitis?

Find out what supplements & vitamins can help with ulcerative colitis, such as VSL#3, curcumin, aloe or boswellia.

Woman Grabbing Stomach Due To Abdominal Discomfort

Clinical Update

3/25/2022

Psyllium for Uncontrolled Bowel Movements

Psyllium is commonly used as a laxative, but did you know it can also help people with uncontrolled bowel movements (fecal incontinence), as noted in recent, expert guidelines? Get the details in the What It Does section of our Psyllium Fiber Supplements Review. Also see our Top Picks among psyllium supplements.

Product Review

Prebiotic Supplements Review

You Can't Tell How Much Fiber Is Really In Most Prebiotics Without Testing

Prebiotics 2024 Expanded Review

CL Answer

Which vitamins and minerals should be taken together or separately?

Find out the best way to take vitamins and minerals and which vitamins and minerals should be taken together or separately for proper absorption. ConsumerLab answer explains the best way to take vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins & Minerals That Should Be Taken Together or Separately -- various vitamins in spoons

CL Answer

Which supplements and foods can help lower or control blood sugar?

Find out which supplements can help lower or control blood sugar. Supplements including turmeric/curcumin, fiber, cinnamon, and ginseng are believed to help lower blood sugar.

Blood Sugar Control -- blood test and blood sugar chart

Clinical Update

2/28/2023

Psyllium for Colitis?

Can supplementing with psyllium help maintain remission in people with ulcerative colitis? Find out what research suggests in our Psyllium Supplements Review.

Also see our answer to the question: Do any supplements help for ulcerative colitis?

CL Answer

Do any supplements help for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

IBS supplements may help reduce irritable bowel symptoms such as pain, diarrhea and constipation. Supplements include probiotics, melatonin, and flaxseed.

Supplements for IBS? -- Women With Stomach Pain

CL Answer

Are Balance of Nature products good dietary supplements?

Do Balance of Nature supplements "Fruits" and "Veggies" supplements really provide the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, and are they worth the cost? Find out.

Balance of Nature

Product Review

Nutrition Bars & Cookies Review (For Energy, Fiber, Protein, Meal Replacement, and Whole Foods)

Find the Best Nutrition Bar or Cookie. ConsumerLab Tests Reveals Not All Nutrition Bars and Cookies Contain What They Claim.

Nutrition Bars Reviewed by ConsumerLab.com (Energy, Fiber, Meal Replacement, Protein, and Whole Food Bars)

CL Answer

7 Red Flags to Watch Out For When Buying Vitamins & Supplements

When it comes to buying vitamins and supplements, it's buyer beware. ConsumerLab explains seven red flags to look out for on labels when choosing and buying vitamins or supplements, including claims of "FDA Approved" laboratories, what to look for in the ingredient list, and more.

What to Watch Out for When Choosing a Supplement -- Supplement Bottle Label Close-up

Clinical Update

1/30/2024

Ulcerative Colitis

Find out if drinking coconut water or taking psyllium helped people with active ulcerative colitis in recent studies. Also see our Top Picks among coconut waters and psyllium supplements.

Clinical Update

8/12/2022

ColonBroom

A CL Member recently asked us how ColonBroom, which is heavily promoted, compares to other psyllium fiber supplements. Find out in our Psyllium Fiber Supplements Review.

Clinical Update

11/18/2022

Psyllium For Lowering Cholesterol?

A CL Member asked if psyllium could help lower cholesterol and how it differs from oats. Find out in our updated CL Answer about supplements for lowering cholesterol.

Clinical Update

5/05/2023

Counterfeit Supplements

Counterfeit versions of psyllium, a multivitamin, magnesium, and eight other types of supplements from a major brand have been sold online. Details and how to avoid this are in our Psyllium Supplements Review.

A popular brand of mushroom supplements has also reported counterfeit versions of its products. Details and how to avoid this are in our Lion's Mane Review.

Clinical Update

12/22/2023

Lead in Metamucil

A recently filed lawsuit alleges that Proctor & Gamble failed to disclose "dangerous" amounts of lead in a variety of Metamucil products. Get the details, by product, in our Psyllium Fiber Supplements Review, which includes our tests of Metamucil and our Top Picks among psyllium fiber supplements.

CL Answer

Are there supplements I should take, or take differently, when intermittent fasting?

Supplements that may help when intermittent fasting. Information about whey protein, CoQ10, magnesium and others, plus coffee, fiber and more.

CL Answer

Which supplements or OTC medications help reduce flatulence (gas), and are there any that make it worse?

Find out which supplements may help reduce flatulence (gas), and learn which supplements or foods may worsen symptoms of flatulence.

Older woman sitting on her bed and holding her stomach due to gas and bloating

CL Answer

Which dietary supplements, health foods or spices contain high levels of lead?

Information about lead and heavy metals in vitamins, supplements and foods. Information on the adverse effects of lead.

Lead in Supplements & Foods -- concerned woman looking at pill

Clinical Update

10/11/2022

Kiwi for Constipation?

Can eating kiwifruit reduce constipation as well as psyllium fiber? Find out what a recent study showed in our updated answer to the question: Which supplements and foods help relieve constipation and which can cause constipation?

Clinical Update

5/31/2023

Best Fiber Supplement for Constipation?

Which type of fiber supplement is best for treating mild, chronic constipation? See what experts recommend, and why, in the What It Does section of our Psyllium Supplements Review.

Clinical Update

10/10/2023

Constipation & Supplements

Find out which supplements medical experts recommend for chronic versus occasional constipation. See the Laxative use section of our Psyllium Supplements Review, which includes our Top Pick among products.

Also see: Which supplements and foods help relieve constipation and which can cause constipation?

Clinical Update

3/08/2024

Benefiber, Meta Mucil Tested

Find out how Benefiber compares to less expensive Optifiber and about its health claims, and how Meta Mucil Fiber Gummies is different from other Meta Mucil products we’ve tested. It’s all in our updated Prebiotic Supplements Review.

Also see our recent tests of psyllium supplements.

Clinical Update

3/12/2024

Lead in Meta Mucil

A CL member asked why Meta Mucil 4-in-1 Fiber powder was not tested by us this year. It is because of the lead contamination we found when we tested it in 2021, as noted in our recent report. Hoping to find less contamination, this year we tested Meta Mucil 3-in-1 capsules, as well as Meta Mucil Fiber Gummies (a prebiotic).

See our Top Picks among psyllium fiber and prebiotic fiber supplements.

Product Review

Baobab Dried Fruit Pulp Review Article

What Are the Benefits of Baobab Dried Fruit Pulp? Find Out What's In Baobab Super Fruit Products, Safety, Side Effects & More.

Baobab Dried Fruit Pulp Reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

CL Answer

I take omeprazole (Prilosec), a proton pump inhibitor, to reduce stomach acid. Are there supplements I should avoid, or be taking, due to this drug?

Supplement interactions with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs like omeprazole (Prilosec) and Nexium.

CL Answer

Where to Safely Buy Real Vitamins and Supplements Online, Not Fakes or Counterfeits

ConsumerLab explains how to avoid counterfeit vitamins and supplements when shopping online on Amazon, Walmart.com, and other sites. Learn to identify authorized sites and sellers and avoid fake supplements. Use the brand-by-brand guide to protect yourself from risk.

Woman in Orange Sweater

Recalls & Warnings

January 15, 2024

Suprex Carb & Sugar Block Recalled

On December 7, 2023, Vita 360, LLC issued a recall of one lot of SUPREX Plant Based Nutrition Carb & Sugar Block after FDA analysis found it to contain only 16 mcg of chromium per serving and not 100 mcg of chromium per serving, as listed on the label.

News Release

February 24, 2022

Consumers Returned to Pre-Pandemic Supplement Usage in 2021, ConsumerLab Survey Reveals

White Plains, New York, February 24, 2022 —A survey of 8,049 people who use dietary supplements shows many supplements that declined in use in 2020 began bouncing back in 2021, such as magnesium (+2.4 percentage points), and CoQ10 (+2.7 pts).

Recalls & Warnings

June 02, 2022

Prune & Senna Softgels Recalled Due to Undeclared Peanuts

On March 26, 2022, Indiana Botanic Gardens Inc. issued a voluntary recall of one lot of Botanic Choice brand Prune & Senna Softgels because the product contained undeclared peanuts.

Recalls & Warnings

April 24, 2021

Metal Reported in Church & Dwight Gummy Melatonin, Multis & Fiber Supplements

On April 20, 2021, Church & Dwight Co., Inc.

Recalls & Warnings

September 18, 2012

Maker of Noni, Nopal, Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Supplements Warned For Drug Claims, Misbranding, and Manufacturing Violations

On August 27, 2012, the FDA issued a warning letter to Naturavit, Inc. for making statements about dietary supplements Noni Imperial Hawaiian, Garlic and Parsley, Cholestol, Nopal and Diatrin that constitute drug claims.

Recalls & Warnings

August 29, 2012

FDA Warns Maker of Silver Colloids, Detox and Shell Powder Supplements For Drug Claims, Misbranding

On August 15, 2012, the FDA issued a warning to Healing Ways for statements made on the company's website that constitute drug claims for the company's dietary supplements Silver Colloids, ABC Detox Program and Shell Powder Products.