A better experience in the bathroom might be just a scoop away.
For the past 28 days, a fitness expert went all-in on what he calls “one of the most underrated supplements on the planet” and found it quickly reshaped his life.
“By day 4 and onwards, my poos were immaculate,” Dan Go, a health performance coach, wrote on X. “By day 7, my digestion was the smoothest it had been in years.”
Turns out, something was off in Go’s gut.
“Psyllium fixed it,” he revealed. “Less gas. Less bloating. A quiet calm in my stomach I didn’t know was missing.”
Derived from the seeds of the plantago ovata plant, psyllium husk typically comes in capsule or powder form, which can be mixed into drinks or food.
Inside the body, it acts as a soluble fiber, soaking up water and forming a gel-like substance in the stomach. That helps bulk up stool and makes it easier to pass.
In fact, it’s the key ingredient in laxatives like Metamucil. Studies show that it can help promote regular bowel movements and relieve constipation — an uncomfortable and inconvenient issue in the bathroom that more than 4 million American adults deal with frequently.
On the flip side, psyllium can also help with diarrhea, absorbing excess water, firming loose stools and slowing their movement through the colon.
The supplement has also been shown to ease gas, bloating and cramping, while acting as a prebiotic by feeding beneficial gut bacteria that support a healthy microbiome.
But that doesn’t mean it’s foolproof — a lesson Go learned the hard way.
The fitness coach started taking 2 tablespoons before every meal, three times a day, for 28 days straight, and said he struggled through the first two days.
“I was tired and couldn’t figure out why,” Go told his followers. “Then I realized I wasn’t drinking enough water. Psyllium absorbs a lot of it as it works.”
It’s a common mistake when people first experiment with fiber supplements, according to Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist.
“When taken without enough water, [psyllium] can expand too early, slow bowel movement and worsen constipation instead of relieving it,” he wrote on Instagram.
Sethi warned the mistake is especially risky for people with existing constipation, irritable bowel syndrome or other gut conditions.
“Always mix psyllium with a full glass of water,” he advised, adding that another glass shortly after is a good idea and that it should be avoided before bed without fluids.
Once Go increased his fluid intake, the his fatigue disappeared within a day. From there, things smoothed out.
By day three, Go noticed his appetite had dropped considerably, feeling fuller between meals with fewer cravings.
“I wasn’t trying to eat less. I just didn’t want to,” he wrote. “This is also when I got my abs back at 46.”
It’s no surprise psyllium has earned a reputation among wellness influencers as “nature’s Ozempic.”
“Fiber can keep you fuller longer and sooner, which can lead to decreased appetite and overall intake,” Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian, told Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials.
A 2016 study found that taking up to 10.2 grams of psyllium husk before breakfast and lunch significantly reduced hunger and cravings compared to a placebo.
It’s also helpful for people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, slowing carbohydrate absorption and preventing sharp blood sugar spikes after meals.
As time went on, Go’s digestion improved — and it showed in his stool.
“They were fuller, more complete, easier to manage, and for lack of better terms, enjoyable,” he wrote.
“Fix fiber, and you fix appetite, gut health, blood sugar and long-term disease risk all at once.”
But the benefits don’t stop there.
A 2018 study found that taking 10 grams of psyllium daily significantly lowered LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, and may help delay atherosclerosis — the hardening of arteries that raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Some experts have even suggested psyllium may help lower the risk of cancer by supporting regular bowel movements and binding to toxins in the digestive tract, helping remove them from the body.
If you’re considering adding psyllium to your diet, experts say to check with a doctor first, since it can interfere with the absorption of certain medications.
Taking too much too quickly can also cause gas, bloating and digestive discomfort, especially for those not used to a high-fiber diet — which, it turns out, is most people.
Current dietary guidelines recommend 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed, or roughly 25 to 28 grams per day for women and 28 to 34 grams for men.
But most people fall short. Studies suggest only about 5% of Americans actually meet their daily fiber needs.
