Experts say regular intake of psyllium fiber helps lower the risk of heart disease.
Researchers reviewed 19 studies of men and women with mildly to moderately high cholesterol. In each study, participants received 10.2 grams per day of either psyllium fiber, provided as Metamucil, or placebo. But beforehand, subjects followed the American Heart Association Step I diet for eight weeks or more. Though older adults showed greater reductions, the treatment effect was consistent between sexes and there were no clinically significant effects on vital signs and nutritional status. Anderson tells WebMD that a low-fat diet may not always be enough.