Fiber is important for virtually anyone. In addition to being very important in combating various digestive issues such as Celiac disease and Irritable Bowl Syndrome (IBS) fiber has been shown to be associated with improved heart health, improved insulin sensitivity, increased longevity and a host of other health benefits. Fiber weight loss is common as well.

Despite all these benefits, there are still some big questions to consider when choosing whether to supplement fiber.

First of all, the studies demonstrating the benefits of fiber are primarily correlation studies, meaning they don’t necessarily show that fiber causes increases in all those markers of health, but rather show that people eating more fiber tend to do better in those categories. What this means is that it may be other aspects of high fiber foods, such as fruits and vegetables, that are causing the improvements in health rather than the fiber itself. Moreover, whole grains – which are commonly marketed for health because of their high fiber content – have been shown to contribute to various stomach and digestive issues including Celiac and IBS. Because of it’s extreme processing and artificial modification, wheat can be particularly malicious.

The second issue with fiber is that fiber supplements tend to function differently than fiber in food. Fiber in food is the indigestable material integrated with all of the nutrients in the food, so when your body breaks down the food, fiber must slows down the digestion process and improves digestion. Fiber supplements, however, are already separate from food, so your body doesn’t have to remove them from the food source. Therefore, eating something with fiber in it like a banana or some asparagus would have a much different affect on digestion than taking a fiber-less food along with a fiber supplement.

Ideally, you want to get as much of your fiber as possible from food sources. However, there’s no harm in giving fiber supplements a try and seeing of you notice any difference in how you feel, especially if you have digestive-related issues.