Supplements make it possible to improve body functions without the use of chemical compounds. Psyllium is used as an active substance, which helps to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and other organs. This article is for informational purposes only. Consult a specialist about the use of the supplement.
What is psyllium
Psyllium is a dietary supplement that includes a type of natural fiber produced from the seeds of the plantain plantago ovate Plantago ovata. This herb is predominantly found in India. Psyllium is best known as a natural laxative. However, studies have shown that this element has a positive effect on the heart and pancreas.
The drug is available in several pharmacological forms:
- husk;
- granules;
- capsules;
- powder.
Since the additive is highly soluble in water, when it enters the body, it actively begins to absorb water. After that, the consistency becomes like a thick substance with a certain amount of viscosity, which is not digested in the small intestine. This property of the additive allows you to regulate the work of the digestive tract, eliminate cholesterol, promote weight loss, and help cope with diarrhea and constipation.
What does psyllium do
To answer the question of what psyllium is needed for, what it does and what useful properties it has, it is necessary to understand its positive properties. Since the supplement forms a thick compound inside the body when it comes into contact with liquid, it is a good helper in reducing appetite, which in turn contributes to weight loss.
This is due to the fact that fibers combine with fat, as well as with bile acids and actively remove them from the body. This process helps to lower cholesterol levels, as the liver begins to produce it on its own in order to replenish bile acids.
Since psyllium fibers are rich in fiber, they have a beneficial effect on the work of the heart, help to lower blood pressure, which eliminates the risk of heart disease.
What is the benefit of the supplement for the gastrointestinal tract
Improving gastrointestinal function is due to the fact that psyllium is a natural laxative. Its action takes place in several stages:
- ensuring the connection of semi-digested food;
- absorption of water into the mass to increase the volume and impart moisture to the substance;
- an increase in the volume of feces and their easy removal from the body.
Research has shown that psyllium fiber has more beneficial effects than bran.
You can also get rid of diarrhea with this supplement. Since fibers are highly absorbent, they absorb water, thereby increasing the density and volume of the stool, which slows down its passage through the colon.
Since this dietary supplement is a prebiotic, it has a beneficial effect on the nutrition and growth of bacteria in the intestine, which makes it possible to improve the microflora in it.
