Blond Psyllium - What is it & How to use

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

The effectiveness ratings for BLOND PSYLLIUM are as follows:

Effective for…

• Constipation. Some evidence suggests that taking blond psyllium by mouth, alone or as a combination product, can relieve constipation and improve stool consistency.

Likely effective for…

• Lowering cholesterol in people with high cholesterol. Taking blond psyllium by mouth reduces cholesterol levels in people with mild to moderate high cholesterol. Blond psyllium seed husk or seed added to food or as a separate supplement in a dose of approximately 10-12 grams daily, in combination with a low-fat or a high-fat diet, can reduce levels of total cholesterol by 3% to 14% and low density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol by 5% to 10 after 7 weeks or more of treatment. Blond psyllium also does not seem to lower other blood fats called triglycerides. Lower doses of blond psyllium (no more than 6 grams daily) may not be effective.

  In children with high cholesterol, taking psyllium can further decrease LDL cholesterol levels by 7% to 15% when added to a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet such as the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Step 1 diet. Interestingly, taking blond psyllium along with a stricter low-fat, low-cholesterol diet such as the NCEP Step 2 diet may have less of an additional effect in lowering LDL cholesterol.

  Psyllium seems to be less effective in older people. There is some evidence that it lowers LDL cholesterol levels to a lesser degree in people 60 years or older compared to people under 60.

  Some evidence suggests that psyllium seed might be more effective than the seed husk for lowering total cholesterol and increasing levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL or “good”) cholesterol.

  Blond psyllium seems to be most effective when taken with foods at mealtime. Breakfast cereal containing blond psyllium can decrease total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by 5% and 9%, respectively.

  There is some evidence that taking blond psyllium for high cholesterol makes it possible to reduce the dose of certain medications used to lower cholesterol. For example, taking 15 grams of blond psyllium (Metamucil) along with 10 mg of simvastatin (Zocor) daily seems to lower cholesterol about as well as taking a higher dose (20 mg) of simvastatin daily. Similarly, a combination of blond psyllium with colestipol (Colestid) at half their usual doses seems to be as effective as colestipol alone. Blond psyllium also seems to reduce colestipol and cholestyramine (Questran, Questran Light, Cholybar) side effects such as constipation and abdominal pain. However, do not adjust the dose of your medication without consulting your healthcare provider.

Possibly effective for…

• Diabetes. Blond psyllium’s maximum effect on the blood sugar levels occurs when psyllium is mixed with or taken with foods. In addition to lowering blood sugar, blond psyllium seed husk also lowers cholesterol in people with diabetes who have high cholesterol. Some studies show blond psyllium can lower total cholesterol by about 9%, and LDL cholesterol by 13%. Blond psyllium does not lower after-meal blood sugar levels in people who do not have 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.
• High blood pressure. Taking blond psyllium by mouth, alone or in combination with soy protein, seems to lower blood pressure in adults.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). While not all studies agree, there is evidence that blond psyllium seed husk can relieve constipation and improve abdominal pain, diarrhea, and overall well-being. It may take up to four weeks of treatment to get the best results.
• Obesity. While not all studies agree, there is early evidence that blond psyllium might reduce body weight and appetite in people who are overweight or obese.
• Treating side effects of a drug called Orlistat (Xenical, Alli). Taking blond psyllium with each dose of orlistat seems to relieve orlistat side effects such as gas, stomach rumbling, stomach cramps, and oily spotting without decreasing the weight-reducing effect of orlistat.
• Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis). There is some evidence that taking blond psyllium seeds by mouth might be effective for preventing a relapse of inflammatory bowel disease. Blond psyllium also appears to relieve symptoms of this condition.

Possibly ineffective for…

• Growths in the large intestine and rectum (colorectal adenoma). Taking 3.5 grams of blond psyllium per day does not seem to reduce the risk of colorectal adenoma. There is some evidence that it might actually increase the risk of adenoma recurrence, particularly in people who get a lot of calcium from their diet. However, more evidence is needed to determine the relationship of psyllium and calcium to colorectal adenoma.
• Serious kidney disease. Taking blond psyllium by mouth does not improve serious kidney disease.

Insufficient evidence to rate effectiveness for…

• Colorectal cancer. Population research suggests that people who consume more blond psyllium in the diet might have a lower chance of dying from colorectal cancer.
• Crohn’s disease. Early research suggests that taking blond psyllium daily along with probiotics improves symptoms of Crohn’s disease.
• Fat redistribution in people with HIV disease. Eating a high fiber diet might prevent fat redistribution in people with HIV.
• Some types of cancer.
• Some types of skin conditions.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate blond psyllium for these uses.