Get the Facts on Fibre

Fibre and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

"Roughing" up your diet can be the key to healthier bowels. With the introduction of white flour came an increased prevalence of bowel disorders such as diverticulosis, diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, polyps, colon cancer, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In Burkitt's early research into this phenomenon, he made reference to the fact that the typical African stool specimen was large and soft, and that stool transit times were rapid, compared to the puny hard fecal deposits and slow transit times of Europeans. In one of his studies, they conducted elaborate experiments in which volunteers in England, India, and Africa had their bowel movements timed and their stools weighed. Among the results of the study: People living under primitive conditions, on diets high in insoluble fibres, passed from 2½ to 4½ times as much feces as sailors in the Royal Navy, and were relatively free of many of the diseases studied. Current research supports the early findings. Studies have shown that a high-fibre diet (particularly fruit and vegetable fibre) help to prevent diverticulosis and will decrease the risk of complications if you have it. Although the mechanism by which fibre may be protective against diverticulosis is unknown, several hypotheses have been proposed.

For example, some scientists report that fibre helps by decreasing transit time, increasing stool weight, and decreasing pressure within the colon. The same has been found for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The current guidelines for the treatment of IBS include following a high fibre diet. The bulk that fibre provides is thought to help prevent the painful spasms often associated with IBS and aid in comfortable regularity. There is still a great deal of debate about the role of fibre in preventing colon cancer. The studies that look for connections with people's diets and their health have seen a trend in low-fibre diets and people with colon cancer. The studies that tried to intervene by putting people on high-fibre diets in order to prevent colon cancer or polyps did not find the same protective relationship. Burkitt's work and a more recent study showed that a daily stool weight greater than 150 grams needs to be achieved for the protective affect against colon cancer. This was not taken into account in many of the studies and may be the reason the protective effect was not found.

- Fibre and Digestive Health
- Fibre and Heart Disease
- Fibre and Weight Loss
- Fibre and Diabetes

Sources: YourTotalHealth, MedicineNet