The relationship between fiber and digestive health is complicated, and fiber is by no means beneficial for everyone.
In my opinion, what primarily determines whether various indigestible carbohydrates (including fiber) will be beneficial or harmful is your microbiome. If you have a healthy microbiome composed of predominantly benevolent species, supporting their growth by feeding them with indigestible carbs is more likely to be a net positive. On the other hand, if your microbiome was carpet-bombed with 1000 rounds of antibiotic as a child by well-meaning but ignorant parents and doctors (describing myself here), you've got bacteria that look like this:
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In that case, the best thing you can do is starve them into submission, because supporting their growth only leads to inflammation and illness.
Removing fiber from the diet improves constipation:
Stopping or reducing dietary fiber intake reduces constipation and its associated symptoms
AIM: To investigate the effect of reducing dietary fiber on patients with idiopathic constipation.METHODS: Sixty-three cases of idiopathic constipation presenting between May 2008 and May 2010 were enrolled into the study after colonoscopy excluded an ...www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Fiber can cause inflammation in people with IBD:
Unfermented β-fructan Fibers Fuel Inflammation in Select Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients - PubMed
Although fibers are typically beneficial in individuals with normal microbial fermentative potential, some dietary fibers have detrimental effects in select patients with active IBD who lack fermentative microbe activities. The study is publicly accessible at the U.S. National Institutes of...pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
The low FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols) diet is a first line therapy for management of IBS with a ton of evidence supporting its efficacy. Here's an example meta-analysis:
A Low-FODMAP Diet Improves the Global Symptoms and Bowel Habits of Adult IBS Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - PubMed
<span><b>Background:</b> A low-fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet has been reported to be associated with improving the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); however, its efficacy as evaluated by different studies remains controversial. <b>Objective:</b> A...
Low FODMAP may also reduce fibromyalgia symptoms:
An anti-inflammatory and low fermentable oligo, di, and monosaccharides and polyols diet improved patient reported outcomes in fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial
Fibromyalgia (FM) has been associated with dysbiosis and low-grade inflammation. Studies have reported that diet influences clinical features in FM.To evaluate the effect of an anti-inflammatory and low fermentable oligo, di, and monosaccharides and polyols ...
Restricting starch and sugar can be equally beneficial as the low FODMAP diet (some starch and sugar will escape digestion and feed the microbiome as well):
A Starch- and Sucrose-Reduced Diet Has Similar Efficiency as Low FODMAP in IBS-A Randomized Non-Inferiority Study - PubMed
A diet with low content of fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) is established treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with well-documented efficiency. A starch- and sucrose-reduced diet (SSRD) has shown similar promising effects. The primary aim of this...
Meat is nearly 100% digestible and leaves little/no residue. If you were to try a carnivore style diet for a short while, you would observe that it is the plant-based components of the diet that interfere with the digestive process. They contain enzyme inhibitors to prevent your digestive enzymes from breaking down food, phytic acid to prevent mineral absorption, and fiber to physically block nutrient absorption and food/enzyme interaction.
The experience of eating meat alone includes a complete lack of gas, bloating, burping, farting - these are all symptoms of excessive fermentation and indigestion caused by plant material.
Restriction of carbohydrates improves GERD symptoms:
The Effects of Modifying Amount and Type of Dietary Carbohydrate on Esophageal Acid Exposure Time and Esophageal Reflux Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial - PubMed
A modification of dietary carbohydrate intake that targeted a substantial reduction in the intakes of simple sugars improved pH monitoring outcomes and symptoms of GERD that profoundly affect daily life. These findings provide a feasible and clinically applicable contribution to the limited...A very low-carbohydrate diet improves gastroesophageal reflux and its symptoms - PubMed
Obese patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may experience resolution of symptoms utilizing a very low-carbohydrate diet. The mechanism of this improvement is unknown. This studied aimed to prospectively assess changes in distal esophageal acid exposure and GERD symptoms among...
That's another aspect, yes: inflammation caused directly by plant defense chemicals and inflammatory proteins. Here's a good overview of the many ways plants you eat are trying to kill you:
Naturally Occurring Plant Food Toxicants and the Role of Food Processing Methods in Their Detoxification
Some plant foods evolve defense mechanisms to protect themselves from predators by producing inherent chemicals as secondary metabolites such as cyanogenic glycosides, glycoalkaloids, glucosinolates, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and lectins. These metabolites ...
Where can u go or who does gut biome testing? L-glutamine is also supposed to help alleviate issues… or so they say…
