
Background
Psyllium seed husks absorb water in the stomach and form a large mass. This mass stimulates the bowel in people with constipation. In people with diarrhea, it can slow down the bowel and reduce bowel movements. This mass can also reduce the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed into the body.
Blond psyllium is commonly used as a stool softener in people with constipation and hemorrhoids. It is also used for diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes. It's used for many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these other uses.
Safety Safety definitions
Blond psyllium is likely unsafe when taken without enough fluids. It might cause choking or block the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
When applied into the eye: Blond psyllium mucilage in eyedrops is possibly safe for most people.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if blond psyllium is safe or what the side effects might be.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Blond psyllium is likely safe when taken by mouth appropriately when pregnant or breast-feeding.Growths in the large intestine and rectum (colorectal adenoma): Blond psyllium might increase the risk of new growths in people with a history of colorectal adenoma. People who have had this condition should avoid blond psyllium.
Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders: Don't use blond psyllium if you tend to develop hard stools in the rectum due to GI tract narrowing, obstruction, or conditions that can lead to obstruction, such as spastic bowel.
Allergy: Some people can have severe allergic reactions to blond psyllium. This is more likely in people who have been exposed to blond psyllium at work. Don't use blond psyllium if you are sensitive to it.
Phenylketonuria: Some blond psyllium preparations are sweetened with aspartame and should be avoided in patients with phenylketonuria.
Swallowing disorders: Do not use blond psyllium if you have problems swallowing. Blond psyllium might increase your risk of choking.
Effectiveness
- Constipation. Taking blond psyllium by mouth, alone or as a combination product, can relieve constipation and improve stool consistency.
- Heart disease. Blond psyllium is a soluble fiber. Eating foods high in soluble fiber as part of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet can help prevent heart disease. You must eat at least 7 grams of psyllium husk daily to reduce the risk for heart disease.
- High levels of cholesterol or other fats (lipids) in the blood (hyperlipidemia). Taking blond psyllium by mouth reduces low density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol in people with mild to moderate high cholesterol. But it seems to be less effective in older people.
- Diabetes. Taking blond psyllium by mouth can improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes. But it's not clear if it helps prevent diabetes.
- Diarrhea. Taking blond psyllium by mouth seems to reduce diarrhea symptoms.
- Hemorrhoids. Taking blond psyllium by mouth seems to relieve bleeding and pain in people with hemorrhoids.
- A long-term disorder of the large intestines that causes stomach pain (irritable bowel syndrome or IBS). Taking blond psyllium by mouth can relieve constipation and improve stomach pain, diarrhea, and overall well-being in people with IBS. It might take up to four weeks for it to help.
- Treating side effects of a drug called Orlistat (Xenical, Alli). Taking blond psyllium by mouth with each dose of orlistat seems to relieve orlistat side effects such as gas, stomach rumbling, stomach cramps, and oily spotting.
- Non-cancerous growths in the large intestine and rectum (colorectal adenoma). Taking blond psyllium by mouth doesn't seem to reduce the risk of colorectal adenoma.
Dosing & administration
Blond psyllium is available in many different types of products, including cereals, breads, and snack bars. Metamucil is a well-studied, commonly used brand of blond psyllium. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what type of product and dose might be best for a specific condition.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Blond psyllium contains large amounts of fiber. Fiber can decrease how much carbamazepine the body absorbs. This might decrease the effects of carbamazepine.
Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Interaction Rating=Minor Be watchful with this combination.
Blond psyllium is high in fiber. Fiber can decrease the absorption and decrease the effects of digoxin. To avoid this interaction, take digoxin one hour before or four hours after blond psyllium.
Ethinyl estradiol
Interaction Rating=Minor Be watchful with this combination.
Ethinyl estradiol is a form of estrogen that's in some estrogen products and birth control pills. Psyllium might decrease how much ethinyl estradiol the body absorbs. But this is unlikely to be a big concern.
Lithium
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Blond psyllium contains large amounts of fiber. Fiber can decrease how much lithium the body absorbs. To avoid this interaction, take blond psyllium at least one hour after lithium.
Medications taken by mouth (Oral drugs)
Interaction Rating=Minor Be watchful with this combination.
Psyllium contains large amounts of fiber. Fiber can decrease, increase, or have no effect on how much medicine the body absorbs. Taking psyllium along with medicine you take by mouth may impact the effects of your medicine. To avoid this interaction, take psyllium 30-60 minutes after medications you take by mouth.
Metformin (Glucophage)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Blond psyllium might change how much metformin the body absorbs. This might increase or decrease the effects of metformin. To avoid this interaction, take blond psyllium 30-60 minutes after taking metformin.
Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Blond psyllium contains large amounts of fiber. Fiber can decrease how much olanzapine the body absorbs. This might decrease the effects of olanzapine.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
Riboflavin: Psyllium seems to slightly reduce the amount of riboflavin that the body absorbs. But this probably isn't a big concern.
Interactions with foods
Products
View all products- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium) 1 g
- Wheatgrass powder 500 mg
- Brassica oleracea (Broccoli) 400 mg
- Hordeum vulgare powder 500 mg
- Citrus limon (Lemon) 400 mg
- Withania somnifera 750 mg
- Fucus vesiculosus 200 mg
- Zingiber officinale 400 mg
- Actaea racemosa 40 mg
- Rosmarinus officinalis 500 mg
- Ulmus rubra 800 mg
- Silybum marianum 1 g
- Glycyrrhiza glabra 800 mg
- Vitex agnus-castus 500 mg
- Eleutherococcus senticosus 500 mg
- Taraxacum officinale 250 mg
- Stevia rebaubiana 40 mg
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
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- Lactobacillus helveticus
- Lactobacillus bulgaricus
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- Lactobacillus brevis
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Lactobacillus delbrueckii
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae (boulardii) (SB)
- Cinnamon zeylanicum 70 mg
- Punica granatum 250 mg
- Rubus idaeus 300 mg
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium) 100 mg
- Pea protein isolate 8.3 g
- Lactobacillus acidophilus 1.5 billion CFU
- Bifidobacterium lactis 1.5 billion CFU
- Marine algae 500 mg
- Linum usitatissimum (seed) (Flaxseed) 250 mg
- Sunflower lecithin 200 mg
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach) 100 mg
- Beta vulgaris (root) powder (Beetroot) 100 mg
- Daucus carota powder (Carrot) 100 mg
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) 100 mg
- Wheatgrass powder 100 mg
- Zingiber officinale powder 40 mg
- Ribes nigrum powder 200 mg
- Vitis vinifera powder 200 mg
- Malpighia glabra powder 100 mg
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- Vaccinium myrtillus powder 100 mg
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- Taraxacum officinale powder 30 mg
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- Citric acid anhydrous 150 mg
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- Ananas comosus (Bromelain) 30 mg
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- Beta glucan 8 mg
- Dunaliella salina 8 mg
- Lutein 2 mg
- Zeaxanthin (Carotenoids) 400 µg
- Natural chocolate flavour
- Calcium citrate
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
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- d-alpha-Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
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- Tocopherols concentrate - mixed (Vitamin E)
- Selenomethionine (Selenium)
- Retinyl palmitate (Vitamin A)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
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- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
- Folate
- Chromium picolinate
- Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3)
- Fucus vesiculosus powder 98 mg
- Stevia rebaubiana powder
- Phytomenadione (Vitamin K1)
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- Calendula officinalis powder
- Biotin
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
- Theobroma cacao powder 2.1 g
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala powder 100 mg
- Carica papaya 50 mg
- Hordeum vulgare 100 mg
- Natural vanilla flavour
- Potassium phosphate - dibasic
- Magnesium gluconate
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Larix occidentalis (arabinogalactan) (Larch)
- Cichorium intybus (root) (Chicory)
- Lactobacillus fermentum
- Pediococcus acidilactici
- Bifidobacterium infantis
- Streptococcus thermophilus
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus casei
- Lactobacillus bulgaricus
- Lactobacillus salivarius
- Entero-coccus faecium
- Bacillus subtilis
- Lactobacillus acidophilus (DDS-1)
- Apple pectin
- Lactobacillus gasseri
- Lactobacillus sporogenes
- Ulmus rubra (bark inner) powder
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
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- Cichorium intybus (fibre)
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- Citrus limon (juice) (Lemon)
- Paprika
- Carya juice
- Water
- Sea Salt
- Brassica juncea (seed) powder
- Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (Guar gum)
- Luo Han Guo (fruit) ext. (Monk fruit)
- Tamarindus indica
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
- Pea protein isolate
- Malus (Apple)
- Apple pectin
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina)
- Linum usitatissimum (seed) (Flaxseed)
- Sunflower lecithin
- Marine algae
- Wheatgrass powder
- Beta vulgaris (root) powder (Beetroot)
- Brassica oleracea (Broccoli)
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)
- Daucus carota powder (Carrot)
- Zingiber officinale
- Glycyrrhiza glabra (root)
- Cynara scolymus
- Ribes nigrum
- Vitis vinifera
- Malpighia glabra
- Vaccinium myrtillus
- Camellia sinensis
- Rosa canina
- Curcuma longa
- Centella asiatica
- Silybum marianum
- Rhodiola rosea
- Rosmarinus officinalis
- Withania somnifera
- Resveratrol
- Taraxacum officinale
- Lycium chinese (berry)
- Crataegus laevigata
- Citric acid anhydrous
- Citrus bioflavonoids extract
- R,S-alpha lipoic acid
- Ananas comosus (Bromelain)
- Beta glucan
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- Dunaliella salina
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Potassium phosphate - dibasic
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- Natural vanilla flavour
- Natural pineapple flavour
- Zinc gluconate
- Tocopherols concentrate - mixed (Vitamin E)
- Selenomethionine (Selenium)
- D-calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5)
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3)
- Nicotinic acid (Vitamin B3)
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
- Retinyl palmitate (Vitamin A)
- Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3)
- Copper sulphate pentahydrate
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Folate
- Chromium picolinate
- Panax ginseng
- Fucus vesiculosus
- Stevia rebaubiana (leaf)
- Phytomenadione (Vitamin K1)
- Biotin
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
- Lentinula edodes (fruiting body)
- Ulmus rubra (bark inner) powder
- Carica papaya
- Hordeum vulgare
- Theobroma cacao
- d-alpha-Tocopheryl acid succinate (Vitamin E)
- Astragalus membranaceus
- Manganese gluconate
- Aloe barbadensis
- Menaquinone 7 (Vitamin K2)
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
- Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (Guar gum (SunFibre®))
- Zingiber officinale (root) powder
- Ulmus rubra (bark inner) powder
- Inulin (Dietary fibre)
- Linum usitatissimum (seed) flour (Flaxseed)
- Oryza sativa (Rice fibre (NuFlow))
- Malus powder (Apple)
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- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
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- Daucus carota powder (Carrot) 1.2 g
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- Green banana
- Malus (Apple)
- Mango (fruit)
- Lucuma
- Brassica oleracea (Broccoli)
- Oryza sativa (Rice)
- Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato)
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)
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- Ulmus rubra (bark)
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- Opuntia ficus indica (cladode) (Prickly pear)
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- Luo Han Guo (fruit) ext. (Monk fruit)
- Foeniculum vulgare (seed)
- Glycyrrhiza glabra (root)
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- Aloe barbadensis
- Amorphophallus konjac (root) (Konjac root)
- Yucca schidegera
- Acacia sp. (gum)
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
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- Phoenix dactylifera (Date)
- Malus (Apple)
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- Potassium phosphate - dibasic
- Linum usitatissimum (seed) (Flaxseed)
- Magnesium gluconate
- Sunflower lecithin
- Natural vanilla flavour
- Marine algae
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
- Natural pineapple flavour
- Wheatgrass powder
- Hordeum vulgare (leaf) powder (Barley)
- Citrus bioflavonoids extract
- Apple pectin
- Citric acid anhydrous
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (sprout) powder (Broccoli)
- Beta vulgaris
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)
- Carica papaya
- Daucus carota powder (Carrot)
- Zingiber officinale
- Glycyrrhiza glabra (root)
- R,S-alpha lipoic acid
- Lentinula edodes (mushroom)
- Ananas comosus (Bromelain)
- Resveratrol
- Curcuma longa ext.
- Rosa canina ext.
- Laminaria digitara (Kelp)
- Zinc gluconate
- Beta glucan
- Cynara scolymus ext.
- Ulmus rubra
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- d-alpha-Tocopheryl acid succinate (Vitamin E)
- Ubiquinol-10 (Coenzyme Q10)
- Astragalus membranaceus ext.
- Camellia sinensis ext.
- Manganese gluconate
- Withania somnifera ext.
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Selenomethionine (Selenium)
- Tocopherols concentrate - mixed
- Lycium chinese (berry) ext.
- Taraxacum officinale ext.
- D-calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5)
- Panax ginseng ext.
- Rosmarinus officinalis ext.
- Centella asiatica ext.
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3)
- Nicotinic acid (Vitamin B3)
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
- Retinol palmitate
- Cholecalciferol
- Dunaliella salina cell powder (Green micro-algae)
- Rhodiola rosea ext.
- Aloe barbadensis ext.
- Crataegus monogyna ext.
- Copper gluconate
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Vitis vinifera ext.
- Vaccinium myrtillus ext.
- Ribes nigrum ext.
- Menaquinone 7 (Vitamin K2)
- Silybum marianum ext.
- Phylloquinone (Vitamin K1)
- Calcium L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (Methyl folate)
- Chromium picolinate
- Biotin
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
- Coconut sugar
- Anacardium occidentale (Cashew nut)
- Sunflower seed
- Prunus dulcis (Almond)
- Chia (seed)
- Theobroma cacao ext.
- Malpighia glabra ext.
- Stevia rebaubiana
- Prunus armeniaca
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
- Pea protein isolate
- Vaccinium corymbosum powder
- Rubus idaeus powder
- Euterpe oleracea (berry) ext. (Acai)
- Medium chain triglycerides (goMCT®️)
- Natural flavours
- Linum usitatissimum (seed) (Flaxseed)
- Sunflower seed
- Quinoa powder
- Amaranth powder
- Buckwheat powder
- L-leucine
- L-isoleucine
- L-valine
- L-glutamine
- L-Carnitine
- Stevia rebaubiana
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
- Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (Partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG))
- Bambusa vulgaris (fibre)
- Cichorium intybus (root) (Chicory)
- Malus (fibre) powder (Apple)
- Glucomannan powder
- Linum usitatissimum (seed) flour (Flaxseed)
- Prunus domestica powder (Prune)
- Daucus carota powder (Carrot)
- Apple pectin
- Vaccinium macrocarpon
- Acacia sp. (gum)
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
- Yucca schidegera 1.04 g
- Ulmus rubra (bark)
- Artichoke inulin
- Oryza sativa (Rice bran)
- Ceratonia siliqua (pod) powder (Carob)
- Sunflower lecithin
- Luo Han Guo (fruit) ext. (Monk fruit)
- Natural flavours
- Oryza sativa (Brown rice protein)