If you've ever spent time Googling "gut health" or exploring the topic on TikTok then you'll know there is one universal piece of advice: fibre, fibre, fibre.
Fibre provides important nutrients for your gut microbiome to keep your gut balanced. It's been shown to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer. It helps you feel fuller and more satiated. It feeds your beneficial bacteria and keeps your gut happy. There's even evidence that it could reduce insulin resistance. So, there are a whole lot of good and highly important reasons to eat fibre – and lots of it.
But for some, fibre might actually be making you feel worse. It can feel absolutely baffling trying to do the right thing – actively increasing your fibre intake for gut health – only to be met with pain, bloating and digestive distress. If this sounds like you, just know that the problem is common, and there is a solution.
Why might some people feel worse after fibrous food?
"It might surprise some people, but fibre isn’t always well-tolerated — especially if there’s an underlying gut issue," says Jessica Sepel, nutritionist and founder of JSHealth. "If your gut microbiome is out of balance or you’re dealing with a condition like IBS or SIBO, fibre can actually worsen symptoms."
Fibre and healthy gut bacteria have a symbiotic relationship. Fibre is a source of food and nutrients for the healthy bacteria that helps us thrive. And in turn, healthy gut bacteria helps to breakdown and digest fibrous food. So, if you have one without the other, it can cause an imbalance. Additionally, fibre can contribute to feeding 'bad' gut bacteria.
"If someone has an overgrowth of the ‘bad’ bugs, fibre can exacerbate bloating, discomfort or irregularity," says Sepel. "That’s because fibre acts as a prebiotic, feeding both the beneficial and less desirable bacteria in your gut."
Then of course, there are those who suffer with inflammatory conditions like Crohn's, IBD or ulcerative colitis. Research suggests this is because some people with inflammatory gut diseases are missing the microbes that help them digest and ferment certain kinds of fibre. These folks will need to take extra care with what they eat as sometimes certain fibrous foods can exacerbate their conditions.
How can you improve the way your digestive system reacts to fibre?
If you're looking to improve you the way your body handles fibre, there are a few thing you can do. But it's important to go slow and look at fixing your overall gut health.
"Introducing too much fibre too quickly — particularly from supplements — can be a shock to the system, especially if someone isn’t used to a high-fibre diet," says Sepel. "I always focus on strengthening the gut first."
This is especially true if your problems are being caused by a condition like SIBO, which can require antibiotics to treat effectively in some cases. On the whole, focusing on increasing your probiotic intake is key. Additionally nutrients like glutamine can help to both support rebuild the gut lining.
It's also important to ensure you're eating foods that will assist in gut nourishment and repair to support the increased probiotic intake.
"I also adjust diets to include more gut-loving foods," says Sepel. "Once the gut is functioning well would I gradually introduce more fibre — slowly and through whole foods first, like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes, oats and whole grains."
As for those with inflammatory conditions, you'll need to see a doctor if you haven't already. Cutting out fibre entirely is not a sustainable solution longterm, so proper medical advice to effectively manage your condition is critical. Also, not everyone with an inflammatory condition will react in the same way to certain foods. Everyone is different here and the situation is dynamic. A food that previously irritated your stomach can be better tolerated in the future if you've been working on your gut health.
If you do have concerns about potentially having inflammatory bowel disease, schedule an appointment with your GP.
