An experimental diet - tested on 13 diabetics - contained 50 grams of fiber a day, or about twice the amount recommended by the American Diabetes Association. That is equivalent to seven or eight servings of fruit and vegetables and three of whole wheat or other high-fiber grain.The study published in New England Journal of Medicine May 11. 2000 was led by Dr. Abhimanyu Garg of UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. While 13 people is not statistically significant, I am quoting the study as it was interesting.
All of the people studied had type 2 diabetes; 10 of them were taking pills. The diabetics spent six weeks on the ADA-recommended diet and six weeks on the experimental diet. The experimental diet reduced blood sugar levels about 10 percent. The ADA diet is aimed at keeping blood sugar under control but does not reduce levels. The drop in blood sugar was about the same as what a second pill might have brought, Dr. Marc Rendell of the Creighton Diabetes Center in Omaha, Neb., said in an editorial.
None of the patients in the study were able to reduce their medication, but Garg said that wasn't the point of the experiment. He would not speculate on whether the diet could let patients reduce their medication. The diet also improved the diabetics' cholesterol levels, which was encouraging. Heart disease is a major cause of death among diabetics.
So, can fiber pills hurt you, certainly not, aside from occasional constipation. Can they help you. Well, it looks like adding SIGNIFICANT fiber to your diet will not reduce your meds but may possibly have a beneficial long term affect on your health.
Warren