Forget proteinmaxxing: Is fibermaxxing the health trend your gut actually needs?

Every few months, social media finds a new thing for us to 'max'. Personalitymaxxing. Sleepmaxxing. Looksmaxxing. Auramaxxing. And now, it's fibermaxxing.

It sounds like another internet wellness trend, but unlike many others, this one has some solid science behind it. The idea is simple: deliberately increase your daily fibre intake, sometimes with the goal of reaching 30-40 grams or more.

Unlike some wellness trends that promise to transform your health overnight, this one has something more substantial behind it: decades of nutrition research. But before you start adding chia seeds to everything you eat, there's something worth understanding.

Fibre isn't just about having a regular bowel movement. Its benefits extend to your heart, blood sugar, gut microbiome and even weight management. And you don't need to consume extraordinary amounts to benefit from it.

Are you eating enough fibre?

Think about what you ate yesterday. Perhaps you had toast or cereal for breakfast, rice and a little vegetable curry for lunch, and something similar for dinner. You may have eaten enough calories, protein and carbohydrates, but did you get enough fibre? Many people don't.

In the United States, average fibre intake is considerably below recommended levels. One commonly used guideline is 14 grams of fibre for every 1,000 calories consumed. For adults aged 19–50, this translates to approximately 25 grams a day for women and 38 grams for men. These are general targets, not a requirement that everyone must hit exactly the same number. Needs vary with age, sex and energy intake.

Where does fibre come from?

It comes from vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, chickpeas, whole grains, nuts and seeds are all good sources. The problem is that many modern diets rely heavily on refined grains and highly processed foods, which can leave very little room for fibre-rich foods.

And that matters because fibre does much more than help you visit the toilet regularly. Your heart benefits from it too. Here's a finding worth paying attention to.

A large systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies found that every additional 7 grams of dietary fibre consumed per day was associated with approximately 9 per cent lower risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease.

Seven grams isn't a particularly large amount. It could come from adding beans or lentils to a meal, choosing whole grains more often, or including another serving of fruit and vegetables.

How does fibre help?

Certain types of soluble fibre, such as beta-glucan in oats and barley, can help lower LDL cholesterol. They form a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that reduces the reabsorption of bile acids. The liver then uses cholesterol to produce more bile acids.

Fibre-rich foods can also support better overall dietary patterns, replacing foods that are higher in refined carbohydrates and saturated fat. There's an important distinction here, though. 

The 9 per cent figure comes from observational research. It describes an association across populations; it does not mean that adding exactly 7 grams of fibre will reduce your personal heart disease risk by exactly 9 per cent. Still, the evidence makes a compelling case for eating more fibre-rich foods.

What happens to your blood sugar when you eat more fibre?

This is particularly important for people with prediabetes, diabetes or insulin resistance. Not all carbohydrates behave the same way in the body. The fibre present in a meal can influence how quickly carbohydrates are digested and glucose enters the bloodstream.

Viscous soluble fibres, in particular, can slow gastric emptying and nutrient absorption, helping reduce the rise in blood glucose after meals. But the benefits don't stop there.

A systematic review examining dietary fibre and whole grains in people with diabetes included 42 clinical trials involving 1,789 participants. It found that higher-fibre diets improved several markers of metabolic health, including HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, LDL cholesterol and body weight.

The researchers suggested that increasing fibre intake by around 15 grams a day, or aiming for approximately 35 grams daily, could be a reasonable target for people with diabetes.

This doesn't mean fibre replaces diabetes medication or other aspects of treatment. But it does show why fibre-rich foods deserve a place in a diabetes-friendly eating pattern.

Your gut bacteria are waiting for their food

Now we get to perhaps the most interesting part of the story. Your digestive enzymes cannot break down many types of dietary fibre. So, unlike other nutrients, much of this fibre travels through the small intestine without being digested. But it doesn't go to waste.

When certain types of fibre reach the large intestine, your gut microbes ferment them. This process produces compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), mainly acetate, propionate and butyrate. These compounds have several important functions.

Butyrate, for example, is a major energy source for the cells lining your colon. Short-chain fatty acids also participate in signalling pathways involved in intestinal barrier function, immune regulation and metabolism.

Different fibres feed different groups of microbes, and not every type of fibre is fermented in the same way.

This is why eating a variety of plant foods matters. Your gut microbiome benefits from a range of different fibre sources rather than relying on just one. Think of it this way: you're not only feeding yourself. You're also providing food for the microbial community living in your gut.

Can eating more fibre help you lose weight?

It can help, but don't mistake it for a shortcut. Fibre-rich foods tend to be more filling. They can add bulk to meals, slow digestion and help you feel satisfied for longer.

For example, compare a meal of refined white bread and a sweet spread with a meal containing lentils, vegetables and whole grains. The second meal generally provides more fibre and may keep you feeling fuller for longer. Some soluble fibres also form viscous gels that influence satiety and digestion.

There is clinical evidence for modest benefits, too. A meta-analysis of 12 randomised controlled trials involving 609 adults with overweight or obesity found that isolated soluble fibre supplements produced reductions in body weight and BMI compared with placebo.

However, these were relatively short studies, lasting between two and 17 weeks, and the results varied between studies. So, while fibre can support weight management, it isn't a weight-loss treatment on its own. And no, fibre isn't a natural version of Ozempic. Its effects are much more modest and work through different mechanisms.

Should you eat whole foods or take fibre supplements?

This is where fibermaxxing can become a little misleading. Once people start tracking their fibre intake, it's tempting to focus entirely on the number.

If 30 grams is good, why not aim for 50? Or 60? But more isn't automatically better. Whole foods offer much more than fibre. Beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains also provide vitamins, minerals and other beneficial plant compounds.

Fibre supplements can be useful, particularly for people who struggle to meet their needs through food or who need additional fibre for a specific health concern. Psyllium, for example, has evidence supporting its use in managing constipation and lowering LDL cholesterol.

But supplements are not interchangeable. Different fibres have different effects, and a supplement cannot reproduce everything that comes with eating a variety of whole plant foods.  The goal is to improve the quality of your diet, not simply to hit a number on a nutrition app.

A word of caution: don't increase fibre overnight

Imagine eating very little fibre for years and suddenly deciding to consume 40 grams starting tomorrow. Your gut may not be particularly pleased.

A sudden increase in fibre can cause gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort and changes in bowel movements. This is especially common with highly fermentable fibres.

Instead, increase your intake gradually over days or weeks. Add a serving of vegetables, include lentils or beans more often, switch to whole grains and introduce nuts and seeds in manageable portions.

Drink enough fluids, too, particularly when increasing fibre intake. And remember that more fibre isn't suitable for everyone. People with certain intestinal conditions, strictures or specific digestive disorders may need individualised dietary advice.

If you have persistent bloating, abdominal pain or changes in bowel habits, don't assume that eating more fibre is always the answer.

Should you start fibermaxxing?

Yes, if it means making a conscious effort to eat more fibre-rich foods.

Start with the breakfast you already eat. Add oats, chia seeds or fruit.

Include lentils, chickpeas or beans in your lunch. Choose whole grains more often. Add vegetables to dinner. Keep some nuts or fruit around for snacks.

You don't need a complicated supplement routine or an elaborate meal plan. And you certainly don't need to turn fibre into another competition.

The real problem isn't that we're failing to consume 60 or 70 grams of fibre a day. It's that many of us aren't even reaching the recommended amounts.

We've spent years asking how much protein we're eating. Perhaps it's time we started asking the same question about fibre. So, by all means, jump on the fibermaxxing trend. Just don't turn it into another competition where you're trying to outdo everyone else. Your gut doesn't care about your Instagram goals. It just wants to be healthy. And to me having a healthy gut is the real flex.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.