TABLE 6.
Clinical trials that studied psyllium husk consumption in adults without gastrointestinal disease1
| Study | Population | Design | Duration | Dose | Control (vehicle) | Treatment (vehicle) | Assessment | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherbut, 1994 (61) | Healthy males in France (n = 6), 21–32 y | 4-period crossover | Participants studied on 4 occasions, separated by 7 d | 15 g/d | None (glucose solution) | Ispaghul Trouette–Perret ispaghula husk (glucose solution) | Duodenojejunal motor activity | Ispaghula ↑ propagation length and velocity of activity compared with control.2 |
| Marlett, 2000 (59) | Healthy adults in the United States (n = 15; 7 F, 8 M), 18–30 y, BMI 24.2 ± 0.9 | 2-period crossover | Two 7-d periods | 15 g/d | None (controlled diet) | Smooth Texture Metamucil psyllium seed husk (controlled diet) | Stool viscosity, moisture, and weight | Psyllium ↑ stool viscosity, daily wet weight, moisture, and frequency compared with control.2 |
| Marteau, 1994 (62) | Healthy adults in France (n = 7; 2 F, 5 M), 21–35 y | 2-period crossover | Two 15-d periods | 18 g/d | Sucrose (pellets, low-fiber controlled diet) | Spagulax ispaghula husk (pellets, low-fiber controlled diet) | Transit time, stool weight, flatulence | Ispaghula ↑ stool frequency and wet weight compared with control.2 |
| Jalanka, 2019 (63) | Healthy adults in the United Kingdom (n = 7), 18–65 y, BMI 18–30 | Randomized, controlled, double blind, 3-period crossover | 6-d treatments, 1-wk washouts | 10.5, 21 g/d | Maltodextrin (water) | Metamucil psyllium (water) | Gastrointestinal transit, fecal water content | Psyllium ↑ stool water content of participants |
| Eherer, 1993 (60) | Healthy adults in the United States (n = 9; 2 F, 7 M), 20–36 y | 4-d experimental diarrhea protocol repeated on 4 occasions with ≥10 d between episodes; additional dose–response study | ∼46 d (n = 6 for additional dose–response study ∼28 d) | 18 g/d; dose–response: 9, 18, 30 g/d | None (empty gelatin capsules + water) | Lafayette Pharmaceutical Co. Konsyl psyllium (capsules + water) | Stool consistency and viscosity | Psyllium ↑ stool viscosity and weight compared with control.2 Doses of 9, 18, and 30 g/d psyllium caused near linear ↑ in viscosity |
1
BMI is presented as kg/m2. T2D, type 2 diabetes.
2
Differences were statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05).