Fibre is the part of plant foods that the body can’t fully digest or absorb. Instead, it helps move food through your digestive system. On average, most Americans only consume around 16 grams of fibre per day, which is about 10 grams less than the minimum recommended intake for most people.
While not common, it’s possible to eat too much fibre, especially for people who eat plant-based diets such as vegetarian, vegan, or raw foods diets. You can also experience discomfort from eating too much fibre if you eat a lot more in a day than you normally do.
Keep reading to learn more about the signs, effects, and treatment for too much fibre. Plus, learn how fibre affects digestion and which foods are high in fibre.
Signs of Too Much Fibre
If you’ve had too much fibre or increased your fibre intake too quickly, you may notice some uncomfortable side effects like:1
Bloating
Gas
Feeling too full
Constipation or diarrhoea
Stomach cramps
Upset stomach
Loss of appetite
Weight gain or loss
Dehydration
In rare cases, bowel obstruction or blockage may occur.
Contact your healthcare provider or seek medical attention right away if you’re experiencing the following symptoms:
Inability to pass gas or bowel movements
Fever
Nausea and vomiting
Extreme bloating
Severe abdominal pain
Effects of Too Much Fibre on Digestion
There are two primary types of fibre, soluble and insoluble. Each type has slightly different effects in addition to the similar ones they have on digestion, such as:
Soluble fibre: This type of fibre can mix with and “dissolve†in water to form a gel-like texture. Soluble fibre binds to other compounds and nutrients. This type is associated with lowering LDL cholesterol levels, regulating blood sugar, improving bowel movements, aiding weight management, and other health benefits.
Insoluble fibre: This type of fibre doesn’t “dissolve†in water and instead serves to bulk and increase stool size. Insoluble fibre may help reduce the risk of diabetes, improve bowel movements, reduce colon cancer risk, and other benefits.
The main way fibre affects digestion is to slow down digestion and add bulk to stool. Think of it like a workout for your digestive system. Fibre holds onto water and prevents some from being absorbed by the intestines. This increases the size of the stool and requires the muscles in your intestines to push the stool through.
Health Benefits of Fibre
Health benefits of fibre include:
Improves colon (large intestine) health
Reduces the risk of colon cancer
Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
Aids weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight
Relieves constipation and diarrhoea
Reduces the risk of diabetes and aids in the management of blood sugar levels
Promotes healthy gut flora (the microbes that normally inhabit the digestive system and aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients)
Despite the many health benefits of fibre, you can still have too much of a good thing.
Think of quickly increasing your fibre intake like going from lifting a 5-pound dumbbell to a 50-pound dumbbell. If all your muscles have been trained for is 5 pounds, then it will be difficult to lift 50 pounds because it’s too quick of an increase.
The same happens with fibre. If you drastically increase fibre, your digestive system isn’t ready for it, and you end up with symptoms of too much fibre like bloating, gas, and constipation.
The right amount of fibre for you may be different than other people. Some research suggests increasing fibre intake helps to relieve constipation in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Still, another study found that decreasing fibre helped increase bowel movements.
If you have questions about how much fibre is right for you, contact your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian for advice.
Daily Fibre Recommendations
In general, the adequate intake of fibre is 14 grams for every 1,000 calories consumed daily. However, the exact recommendation may vary based on age, sex, and your medical history.
Here is The Institute of Medicine’s recommendation for daily fibre intake:
Children
Recommendations are:
Age 0-3: 19 grams of fibre daily
Age 4-8: 25 grams of fibre daily
Women
Recommendations are:
Age 9-13: 26 grams of fibre daily
Age 14-18: 26 grams of fibre daily
Age 19-50: 25 grams of fibre daily
Age 50+: 21 grams of fibre daily
Men
Recommendations are:
Age 9-13: 31 grams of fibre daily
Age 14-18: 38 grams of fibre daily
Age 19-50: 38 grams of fibre daily
Age 50+: 30 grams of fibre daily
The right amount of fibre for you may be higher or lower than these amounts based on your genetics and medical history.
There is no maximum recommendation for the amount of fibre that is too much. Still, some information suggests more than 70 grams of fibre per day increases the risk for side effects.
High Fibre Foods
While you can consume fibre both in nutrition supplements and food, it’s usually best to try to meet your nutrition needs through whole foods (that are either not processed at all or are only minimally processed).
Most high-fibre foods contain both soluble and insoluble fibre. Still, some may be slightly higher in one type than the other.
Soluble Fibre Foods
Food high in soluble fibre include:
Oats and oatmeal
Beans and legumes
Apples
Citrus fruits
Barley
Peas
Bananas
Brussels sprouts
Nuts
Seeds, such as flaxseed
Insoluble Fibre Foods
Foods high in insoluble fibre include:
Wheat and wheat bran
Beans and legumes
Green beans
Dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, etc
Carrots
Beets
Radish
Potatoes
Fruit skins, like the peel of an apple
Whole grains
Excessive Fibre Relief
If you ate too much fibre and are experiencing uncomfortable side effects, consider the following tips to help relieve your discomfort:
Drink water.
Avoid high fibre foods.
Stop taking any fibre supplements.
Limit fibre-fortified foods.
Take a walk; light physical activity may help stimulate bowel activity.
Consider a food diary.
Your symptoms may go away later that day or after a couple of days, depending on how much fibre you ate. When the symptoms of too much fibre go away, try to avoid a large increase in fibre.
Instead, try these tips to prevent the symptoms of too much fibre:
Slowly increase your fibre intake by 1 to 2 grams per day
Space fibre-rich foods throughout all meals
Aim for a consistent amount of fibre daily
Drink more water
Eat a balance of soluble and insoluble fibre
Exercise daily
Summary
Fibre is an essential part of the diet, but it can be tricky to find the right balance for the amount of fibre best for you. If you eat too much fibre, you may experience symptoms like bloating, gas, constipation, abdominal discomfort, and pain.
General fibre recommendations fall around 25-30 grams of fibre daily for most people. If you have too much fibre, you may be able to help relieve symptoms by drinking more water, avoiding fibre foods, and going for a walk.
It’s more common for most Americans to have too little fibre in their diet than too much. Still, it is possible to eat too much fibre if you eat a plant-based diet or suddenly eat more fibre.
Try to get your fibre from whole foods. Consider only taking a supplement if you’re having trouble getting enough fibre through your diet or if recommended by a healthcare professional.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it dangerous to eat too much fibre?
Eating too much fibre can lead to symptoms such as bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and constipation. In rare cases, people could experience a bowel obstruction or blockage.
What does your poop look like if you eat too much fibre?
Insoluble fibre causes poop to bulk up in size and likely lead to larger poops. Soluble fibre mixes with water to create a gel-like texture that may pass more easily.
How do you keep track of your daily fibre intake?
You can keep track of your daily fibre intake by logging your foods into a written or virtual food diary. Many apps and websites track the amount of fibre in foods.
Should people with IBS eat more or less fibre?
Fibre may affect people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) differently. Research suggests some people will benefit from a high fibre diet, while others may benefit from a lower fibre diet.
The best way to figure out the optimal fibre intake for you is to slowly increase or decrease your fibre and track your symptoms.
Do fibre supplements have too much fibre?
It’s best not to overdo it with fibre supplements. Follow the directions for dose and monitor the amount of fibre in the foods you eat. Aim for around 25 to 30 grams of fibre daily from the food and fibre supplements.
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