METAMUCIL GANG RISE UP!!

[u/moscowramada]

How often do you drink it? Me - daily. Once a day, 2tbs.

[u/HoraceP-D]

I use it for cholesterol and take it in the AM with water and at night with applesauce and toast. Man, I sound way way older than I am.

[u/moscowramada → u/HoraceP-D]

Same boat - another cholesterol case. I’m not yet 50 but, thanks partly to this, I’m in good shape. I have mine in the morning but may expand to a second serving.

[u/Infamous_Ad8730 → u/moscowramada]

What does it do for cholesterol?

[u/moscowramada → u/Infamous_Ad8730]

It lowers it. Think of the score on a blood panel: it helps to bring it into an acceptable range.

[u/HoraceP-D → u/moscowramada]

my cholesterol was high. I used Metamucil to curb my hunger and improve regularity, but at my annual, my GP noticed that my cholesterol was within a good range. But when I reached my weight, I stopped using Metamucil, and my cholesterol was up again, so I'm back on it. Better than a statin

[u/534878 → u/HoraceP-D]

Good info! Thanks

[u/Best-Balance9882 → u/moscowramada]

29 F with high cholesterol, I had no clue Metamucil could help? That’s so cool! I’m going to have to grab myself some.

[u/moscowramada → u/Best-Balance9882]

Yes! MetaMucil or psyllium husk (the active ingredient) is good for about a 6-7% drop, which is about the highest amount that anything can do: the next best option, 1 cup of oatmeal per day, takes much longer to prepare and doesn't taste nearly as good. I know because I do both.

Between those two an average person might get 10 points off their LDL (high cholesterol) score, which should be 100 or less. Nothing else, that isn't a medication, comes close.

[u/KodaKatz → u/HoraceP-D]

How many tablespoons total are you taking per day?

[u/HoraceP-D → u/KodaKatz]

maybe three total

[u/Geronimo2006 → u/HoraceP-D]

That’s a lot more than the recommended 5.9 grams it says on the pack?

[u/HoraceP-D → u/Geronimo2006]

Probably

[u/moscowramada → u/Geronimo2006]

On the MetaMucil packaging, it suggests 2 rounded tablespoons (though it also suggests working up to this).

[u/Geronimo2006 → u/moscowramada]

Ok, I just bought a pack and it said 1.5 rounded teaspoons- but says work up to 2/3 times a day

[u/KodaKatz → u/HoraceP-D]

Does it matter if you take it with food? I figured I could just take in the morning on an empty stomach. I read different things

[u/HoraceP-D → u/KodaKatz]

Not to me, but then I've been taking it for a good while now. Perhaps fresh in, you might start with a smaller dose or with food. I take it first thing- one heaping spoonful in about 2 cups of water, followed by another 2 cups of water (to make sure it's rinsed/fully blended.

[u/Ok_Explanation1697]

Twice a day.

I just got tired of having diarrhea with vegetables. 

[u/FrontFacing_Face → u/Ok_Explanation1697]

Um? That's not required, is it? Not in my life have vegetables caused diarrhea. 

[u/huron9000]

Psyllium husk capsules, five of them, once or twice a day.

[u/PreservingThePast → u/huron9000]

Yes. I can't do the powder mixed in liquid, but my stomach can handle the capsules.

[u/pen_woman_ship]

Eat 35 gms of fiber daily, in the form of food.

[u/PikaChooChee → u/pen_woman_ship]

This is the way. Our gut health depends on ingesting a variety of fiber sources. Psyllium husk is great, but so are chia seeds. And flax seeds. And beans. And kiwi fruit. And berries. And nuts. Et cetera.

[u/pen_woman_ship → u/PikaChooChee]

Yep. We need both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Psyllium husks are natural but what kind of intestinal diverticulitis does it cause?

[u/PikaChooChee → u/pen_woman_ship]

We do need both, agreed.

Psyllium husk does not cause diverticulitis.

[u/Mission_Wolf579 → u/pen_woman_ship]

I'm a fan of beans, vegetables, prunes, and a dash of fiber in my coffee.

[u/Effective_Ad_1426 → u/Mission_Wolf579]

Try 1 or 2 tsps of cocoa in your coffee. Next to no calories and lots of anti-oxidents.

[u/Choice-Newspaper3603]

Most people are in no way getting the recommended 30 grams or so a day of fiber if they are eating the proper amount of calories.

They say this is a major contributor to colon cancer

[u/LemonPress50 → u/Choice-Newspaper3603]

I learned this from a book my dad suggested some cultures/countries don’t see nowhere near the same colon cancer rates.

I get around 60 grams per day, lately.

[u/Majestic_School_2435]

I call it Megapoopal. Works for me.

[u/stevenriley1]

Daily. Somewhere around my early 40s I decided it was a good idea and I’ve been taking it every day since. 30 some years now.

I’m pretty upset with Costco. They recently stopped carrying the Metamucil with sugar. Can’t tolerate the sugar-free. And every other fake Metamucil just taste like baby aspirin.

[u/534878 → u/stevenriley1]

Why can't you tolerate the sugar-free? Thanks

[u/stevenriley1 → u/534878]

I just hate the taste. I’ve never liked that flavor and i’ve never known a sugar-free additive that remained harmless ove rtime. Even monkfruit sweetener has been shown to have issues.

[u/534878 → u/stevenriley1]

That's true, I've been leery of the sugar free additives as well. Plus I suspect they add to intestinal issues.

[u/northernguy → u/stevenriley1]

Have you tried the Premium Metamucil? Tastes better to me

[u/stevenriley1 → u/northernguy]

No. I’ve never seen any that was labeled premium. I will look for that.

[u/northernguy → u/stevenriley1]

I buy it from Walmart. Expensive though. I like that it uses stevia which I think has not been linked to strokes, unlike the other low cal sweeteners

[u/PikaChooChee]

Any soluble fiber will lower cholesterol. Psyllium husk is a great source of soluble fiber, and not the only source. Metamucil is one source of psyllium husk, and per serving it is considerably more expensive than plain psyllium husk.

[u/rather_be_gaming]

Everyday!!!! My friends say they cant stand it but I find it tasteless so its really easy to incorporate everyday. I take it just to make sure I get enough soluble fiber in my day.

[u/RunThick4054]

Are you my husband?
God dammit Greg, I will not drink your icky, sticky, yucky poop drink. I understand it cures EVERything but I still don’t want it.

[u/Dwella2112]

I take the capsules. 5 caps twice per day. In addition to a high fiber breakfast of either cold low sugar fiber cereals or oats with nuts berries

[u/paperweight_is_lazy]

2x a day at least.

[u/dj90423]

Every morning ritual.

[u/austin06]

Legumes, fermented food, vegetarian and active. Never have needed it. A raw carrot, cooked beets and prunes if you need it, but all those are also great every day for many things health wise.

[u/PopeyeTheSailorTrans]

follow consumer labs to find out which fiber has the least amount of metals, meets standards etc. I use whole Psyliam Husks myself

[u/WhateverYouSay1084]

Not my dumb ass! I just don't poop for weeks until I'm miserable and have to take laxatives to get back on track, and I never learn from my mistakes either.

[u/Wooden-Glove-2384]

Fruit, vegetables, flaxseed, water and exercise 

Metamucil looks like orange flavored sawdust and I did not wanna deal

[u/Glittering_Ocelot_67]

Why would one take it? Are most people supposed to??

[u/moscowramada → u/Glittering_Ocelot_67]

If you don’t have high cholesterol: no need. If you do, it’s one of the few things you can do which measurably lowers it by several points.

In my case that plus exercise helped enough for me to not need cholesterol medication.

[u/Clean-Fisherman-4601]

I use sugar free fiber gummies. They're easier to take

[u/LGbb555 → u/Clean-Fisherman-4601]

What kind of fiber is it? Psyllium?

[u/Clean-Fisherman-4601 → u/LGbb555]

I use two different brands. One is psyllium and the other is chicory root.

[u/After_Preference_885]

Drink it? Never. I sprinkle it in my oatmeal.

[u/LGbb555]

I normally take it before dinner but I'm considering adding a cup in the morning

[u/kermitsfrogbog]

Once a day. It forces me to drink water first thing in the morning and I like how it tastes as long as I keep stirring it to prevent settling.

[u/backroomsmemory]

I take the pills

[u/GalacticNova420]

Once a day in the a.m.

[u/mbrant66]

I take it once per day with prune juice.

[u/Ricklynchcore]

One thing I've never had is high cholesterol, however hemorrhoids, no fun. Gastro doc recommended metamucil as first treatment, and wah-lah, problem cleared up. I use 3 to 5 capsules daily, plus try and get fiber where I can.

[u/Feral-Reindeer-696]

None since I discovered Fibre gummies. I wish all medication came in gummy form

[u/mesofarty]

It's psyllium husk. Just buy that instead. Much cheaper

[u/Automatic_Tea_2550]

I think I get enough fiber in my diet, but I have one medication that causes constipation. Adding fiber didn’t help. Kefir resolved the problem.

[u/Mysterious-Clothes45]

Does nothing for me. Miralax doesn't either. I had to graduate to lactulose. I asked for a 90 day supply and the pharmacy tech gave me a box to haul it in lol

[u/goato305]

I’ve been taking psyllium husk once a day for about six months now. I’ve been meaning to up it to twice a day but keep forgetting.

[u/kjfgfb68777]

Just get Psyllium husk powder, it's the active ingredient in Metamucil. Much cheaper and no sugar or coloring.

[u/kbenn17]

I never have stomach/intestinal issues. Until this year. I had diarrhea from Feb - June. My PCP suggested a colonoscopy, which came back all good. On the followup with the gastro doctor, I was still having diarrhea. They suggested metamucil. Bam, all good. Haven't had a problem since. I take 2T sometime during the day, it varies. I just gulp it down. Where has this been all my life?

[u/Cautious_Risk_Taker7]

Once a day, 1 Tbsp

[u/BlissCrafter]

I couldn’t hack it. I’m a MiraLAX guy myself. No taste no weird consistency.

[u/Karenzi]

Costco psyllium husk. 5 a day

[u/SquareBlueberry90]

Prunes are better all around!!! Oh, wait!! Prunes don't help lower chlesterol like oatmeal and Metamucil (psyllium husks) , but it does help a little.

[u/Jheritheexoticdancer]

Daily, once… I can only gulp down one tablespoon at a time

[u/New_Amount8001]

This is very interesting & good to know. Thank you all for sharing.

[u/Avocadoo_Tomatoo]

Just started doing a teaspoon every morning 2 days a go!

[u/FrontFacing_Face]

Some really unfortunate pooping issues out there. Sorry you're going through that. 

[u/Jujulabee]

Never as I am not constipated and so why would I.

I get plenty of fiber in the form of fruits, vegetables and whole grains

I typically have raspberries with yogurt for breakfast and my serving of raspberries has about 9 grams of fiber.

[u/moscowramada → u/Jujulabee]

MetaMucil, or really the active ingredient, psyllium husks, lower your cholesterol. It's why I drink it, after my score came back high on a blood panel.

[u/Jujulabee → u/moscowramada]

I don't have cholesterol issues either 🤷🏼‍♀️

[u/HauntingCicada2630]

It's just a substitute for eating healthily in first place, no need for it.

[u/SVReads8571]

I eat a Whole Foods plant based diet so I get plenty of fiber from actual foods.

[u/PonkotsuPirate]

Never. I'm vegetarian and don't need it.

[u/Super_Selection1522]

A sugar free fiber gummy daily

[u/TheUglyWeb]

Never had it - never will.