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Nigerian Association of Foreign Trained Pharmacists




WHAT IS FIBRE MAXXING?

  • Jul 07, 2025

Fibre-maxxing is the practice of intentionally pushing fibre intake to the upper limits of recommended (or even above recommended) daily values in order to optimize:

Gut health

Metabolism

Hormonal balance

Skin

Mental clarity

Weight loss

Blood sugar control

๐Ÿ“Œ It’s more than just “eating more vegetables.” It’s targeted, measured, intentional dosing of both soluble and insoluble fibre sources.

๐Ÿง  2. What’s Driving This Trend?

> Functional Health + Microbiome Science = Fibre Maxxing

๐Ÿ”ฌ The Gut-Brain Axis Revolution: Research showing how microbiota influence everything from serotonin production to immune function.

๐Ÿฅฌ “Food as Medicine” movement: Rising popularity of functional foods over pharmaceuticals for chronic issues.

๐Ÿ”„ Blood sugar hacks: Influencers recommend eating fibre before carbs to blunt glucose spikes.

๐Ÿงซ Microbiome obsession: High-fibre diets diversify and feed your microbiota, which now equals status and longevity clout in wellness culture.

โš™๏ธ 3. Mechanisms: What Does Fibre Actually Do?

๐Ÿงช Types of Fibre:

Fibre Type Function in Body Common Sources

Soluble fibre Forms a gel, slows digestion, binds cholesterol Oats, apples, chia seeds, psyllium

Insoluble fibre Bulks stool, speeds up colonic transit Whole wheat, bran, veggies, skins

Prebiotic fibre Feeds good bacteria, produces SCFAs Garlic, onions, asparagus, bananas

๐Ÿ”ฌ Key Clinical Mechanisms :

1. Slows glucose absorption and prevents blood sugar spikes.

2. Feeds gut bacteria short-chain fatty acids (e.g. butyrate) improves gut lining & inflammation.

3. Bulks stool and improves constipation & bowel motility.

4. Binds toxins and estrogens and supports liver detox & hormonal balance.

5. Delays gastric emptying and improves satiety and lowers calorie intake.

> ๐Ÿ“ˆ Optimal fibre intake = 25–38g/day.

Fibre-maxxing circles push for 40–60g/day, but that’s not without caveats.

๐Ÿšฉ 4. Risks, Missteps & What Can Go Wrong

Here’s the inconvenient truth social media doesn’t highlight:

โŒ 1. Bloating, Gas, Cramping

If the gut microbiome isn’t adapted, sudden high-fibre intake ferments rapidly → discomfort.

โŒ 2. Constipation from Poor Hydration

Fibre requires water. If you don’t increase fluids proportionally, stools dry out.

โŒ 3. Nutrient Malabsorption

Excess fibre, especially insoluble, can bind minerals (iron, calcium, zinc), reducing bioavailability.

โŒ 4. Interference with Medications

Some fibres (like psyllium) can slow drug absorption. Always space fibre and medications.

๐Ÿงฉ 5. Clinical Relevance (Especially for Pharmacists)

This trend matters for you because patients are self-prescribing gut resets, detox protocols, and weight loss diets that alter absorption, motility, and medication pharmacokinetics.

๐Ÿ”„ Fibre affects:

Laxatives (can replace or interfere with osmotic/stimulant use)

Metformin (may increase GI side effects if not spaced out)

Iron supplements (absorption decreases if taken with fibre)

 You need to know:

When to advocate for fibre, and

When to scale it back and titrate up slowly.

#NAFTraPhCares