Weight loss using bulk-forming laxative - Kansas City health

Psyllium, a powder obtained by milling the outer layer or husk from the seeds of a plantain called P.
ovata, cultivated in India. It contains soluble fiber, which forms mucilage on mixing with water.
A bulk-forming laxative, psyllium possesses no irritant properties. A teaspoon stirred into a glass of
water and swallowed promptly forms, in the gastrointestinal tract, a mucilage mass, enlarging to
several times original weight of the powder.
The expanding colloid presses on alimentary walls, activating censors in the stretched gastric lining,
signaling the brain that enough food has been taken at that meal. The bulk fiber also stretches the
intestinal walls, stimulating nerve tracts, causing muscular contraction, producing peristalsis.
These actions promote reduced food intake and a shorter intestinal transit time brought on by
increased motility in the presence of ingested fiber.
For weight control, eating enough calories to sustain a BMI between 20 and 25, reduces the stomach
volume in the fasting state, triggering the "full feeling" after intake of less food.
Obese individuals have a BMI of 30 or greater, with expanded gastric capacities, allowing the taking
of a single meal per day. Large volumes of food can be accommodated, and the satiety signal is
overwhelmed.
Lean body mass is increased by the bulk of skeletal muscles needed to lift and control the expanded
trunk and limb weights. Basal metabolism is high, and increased Calorie intake is needed to
maintain the status quo, even expand it.
Displacing high-carb calories in the diet by taking complex carbohydrates available in vegetables,
fruit, whole grains, oatmeal and other fiber sources reduces net daily Caloric intake.
Aerobic and anaerobic exercise raise intracompartment muscle temperatures to 104 to 105 degrees
F, increasing body temperature, burning glycogen and fat. Increased metabolic rate persists up to
four hours after the exercise session.
Weight loss follows expenditure of energy stores in excess of net Calorie intake. Psyllium offers a
dual weight control attack:
o Psyllium is a complex carbohydrate, with low calorie content, displacing calories from energy-
dense foods, lowering net Calorie intake;
o The bulk-forming nature of psyllium stimulates the satiety center, promoting a "full feeling" and
increasing gastrointestinal motility, reducing food bolus contact time with the intestinal mucosa.
The effects of psyllium intake by mouth encourage a net reduction in oral calorie load, and, when
combined with a nutritious meal plan and regular aerobic and anaerobic exercise, promote sustained
weight loss.
References:
American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. 2001;58(17) 2001 American Society of Health-
System Pharmacists
Obesity Research (2001) 9, 1S-5S; doi: 10.1038/oby.2001.113
J Epidemiol Community Health 2009;63:582-588 doi:10.1136/jech.2008.082214
jking@whnrc.usda.gov
JAMA. 1999;282:1539-1546.