About Fiber Laxatives

How They Work

Bulk-forming (fiber) laxatives pass through the body undigested. The fibers attract water to the intestine, absorb the water and swell to form a soft, bulky stool. The bulky mass stimulates the intestinal muscles and speeds the stool transit. Bulk-forming (fiber) laxatives will not work without increased fluid intake and can complicate constipation. > Impaction Risk

Compare for Yourself

In the table below, compare fiber laxatives with all natural Fruit-Eze™ Regularity Blend. Why risk laxative side effects when you can use Fruit-Eze™ Regularity Blend instead?
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Comparison of Fiber Laxatives to Fruit-Eze™ the Laxative Alternative		Fiber	Stimulant & Fiber Combination	Fruit-Eze™ Alternative
Effect on Stool	Bowel Movement "Accidents" Can Occur	No	No	No
	Frequent Bowel Movements CanOccur	No	Possible	No
	Purgative Action	No	Yes	No
	Semi Fluid Stool Evacuation	No	Yes	No
	Softens Stools	Yes	No	Yes
	Watery Stool Evacuation	No	Yes	No
Impact on Colon Health	Colon Lining Can Breakdown	No	Yes	No
	Colon Muscle Tone Loss	No	Yes	No
	Defecation Reflex Can Breakdown	No	Yes	No
	Defecation Reflex Urgency (muscular contractions with or without evacuation)	No	Yes	No
	Healthy Bacteria Growth Decrease due to Deterioration of Lining	No	Yes	No
	Healthy Bacteria Can Be Flushed Out	No	Yes	No
	Impaction Risk	Yes	Yes	No
	Lubricating Mucus Can Be Flushed Out	No	Yes	No
	Nerves Lining Colon Can Be Exposed & Damage to Nerves Can Occur	No	Yes	No
	Over Empties the Colon	No	Yes	No
	Promotes Growth of Harmful Bacteria	No	Yes	No
	Rapid Increase in Bowel Action (colon not permitted to function normally)	No	Yes	No
Impact on Fluids	Dehydration Inducing	Yes	Yes	No
	Discoloration of Urine	No	No	No
	Diuretic	No	Yes	No
	Electrolyte Loss Can Occur	No	Yes	No
	Significant Fluid Loss Can Occur	Yes	Yes	No
Impact on other Areas ofthe Body	Breathing Difficulty Can Occur	Yes	Yes	No
	Choking Hazard	Yes	Yes	No
	Dependency Can Develop (a laxative is required in order to move bowel)	Yes	Yes	No
	Fainting May Occur	No	Yes	No
	Ineffective After 7-10 Days (increased doses will not produce desired effect)	No	No	No
	Inhalation Can Cause Allergic Reaction	Yes	Yes	No
	Irritation to GI Tract Can Occur	Possible	Yes	No
	Nausea Can Occur	No	Yes	No
	Nutritive Absorption Interference	No	Possible	No
	Pneumonia Risk	No	No	No
	Severe Cramping Can Occur (esp. Children & Elderly)	No	Yes	No
	Severe Weight Loss Can Occur	No	Yes	No
	Skin Irritation at Anus Can Occur	No	Yes	No
	Swallowing Difficulty Can Occur	Yes	No	No
	Systemic Absorption Risk (affecting lymph tissues)	No	No	No
	Tolerance to the Active Agent Can Develop (increased dosages required to obtain laxative effect)	No	No	No
Effect on Medications	Medication Absorption Interference Can Occur	Yes	Yes	No
	Intensifies Effect of Some Medications	Possible	Yes	No
	Interacts With Drugs	Yes	Yes	No
	Toxic Effect of Some Medications Increased	Possible	Yes	No
Usage	Daily Use Discouraged	No	Yes	No
	Do Not Take With Meals	Yes	Yes	No
	Elderly - Feeling Weak	No	Yes	No
	Elderly - Hypotension	Possible	Yes	No
	Elderly - Lacking Coordination	No	Yes	No
	Increased Fluid Intake is Required	Yes	Yes	No
	Infant or Child Usage - Consult Doctor	Yes	Yes	No
	Long Term Use Ok	Yes	No	Yes
	Short Term Use Ok	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Nursing Moms - Consult Doctor	Yes	Yes	No
	Pregnant - Consult Doctor	Yes	Yes	No

Agents & Brand Names

Read product labels carefully. There are several possible active agents in a fiber laxative (see list below). These agents may be combined with stimulant laxatives (not listed below). We do not sell, or recommend these products. > Read our product recommendation.

Fiber Agent	Laxative Brand Names
Calcium Polycarbophil	Equalactin, FiberCon, Konsyl Tablets, Phillips Fiber Caps
Fructan	Fiber Choice Chewable
Malt Soup Extract	Maltsupex
Methylcellulose	Citrucel, Citrucel Tabs, Fiber Ease
Psyllium	Arnold Ehret Inner-Clean Laxative, Colon Care, Metamucil Original & Smooth Textures, Metamucil Wafers, Perdiem Regular & Overnight
Psyllium Hydrophillic Muciloid	Hydrocil Instant, Konsyl Regular & Easy Mix Formulas, Konsyl Sugar Free