Relevant Research
When we set out with our vision of making the world's best fiber supplement, we were extremely intentional about every aspect of the product - down to every ingredient we selected and sourced.
We had the amazing opportunity to partner with some incredible doctors, dietitians, food scientists, and high performance individuals, working through the different specifications, benefits, tradeoffs, and flavor profiles.
The ingredients and formulation used in Pinch are supported by hundreds (if not thousands) of research findings that continue to uncover the many ways they can help you upgrade your poops, gut, and mind.
Since then, we've avidly followed along with the proliferation of emerging research on the microbiome, gut health, digestive wellness, mental health, the gut-brain axis, and related ingredient spaces.
We also have a bunch of customers that also love to review the medical research and academic findings to learn more about their microbiome, gut health, and how Pinch can help, so we've compiled a repository of the research in one place. Of course, new research is always emerging and we encourage everyone to also conduct their own additional research - let us know what you find that is interesting!
See below for info on:
- The Fiber Gap
- Wide-Ranging Benefits & the Microbiome
- Gut-Brain Connection
- Constipation
- Loose Stools / Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Specific Gut and Digestive Health
- Challenges
- Weight Management / Appetite Suppressant
- Ingredients we AVOID
- Additional Resources / Topics
The Fiber Gap
Americans are falling critically short of fiber intake guidelines.
The Fiber Consumption Gap: A Continuing Public Health Concern
“Adequate intake of dietary fiber is associated with digestive health and reduced risk for heart disease, stroke, hypertension, certain gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers…only about 5% of the population meets recommendations, and inadequate intakes have been called a public health concern.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6124841/
UCSF Patient Education: Increasing Fiber Intake
“Total dietary fiber intake should be 25 to 30 grams a day from food, not supplements. Currently, dietary fiber intakes among adults in the United States average about 15 grams a day. That's about half the recommended amount.”
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing_fiber_intake/
Health.gov: Dietary Guidelines for Americans
“Of the under-consumed nutrients, calcium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamin D are considered nutrients of public health concern because low intakes are associated with health concerns.”
Wide-Ranging Benefits & the Microbiome
Mayo Clinic: Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet
“Just some of the benefits include normalizing bowel movements and maintaining bowel health, lowering cholesterol levels, controlling blood sugar levels, and helping achieve a healthy weight.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983
Psyllium: The Gel-Forming Nonfermented Isolated Fiber That Delivers Multiple Fiber-Related Health Benefits
“Psyllium has also been shown clinically to be effective in disease states (eg, hypercholesterolemia, type 2 diabetes, obesity, chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, hemorrhoids, ulcerative colitis, enteral nutrition–induced diarrhea, fecal incontinence, and irritable bowel syndrome).”
“In the large intestine, the nonfermented psyllium gel arrives intact in stool, providing a stool-normalizing effect that softens hard stool in constipation, firms loose/liquid stool in diarrhea, and normalizes stool form in IBS. Psyllium is 3.4 times more effective than wheat bran in constipation, making psyllium the gold standard fiber for regularity”
Health benefits of dietary fiber
“Individuals with high intakes of dietary fiber appear to be at significantly lower risk for developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases. Increasing fiber intake lowers blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels. Increased intake of soluble fiber improves glycemia and insulin sensitivity in non-diabetic and diabetic individuals. Fiber supplementation in obese individuals significantly enhances weight loss. Increased fiber intake benefits a number of gastrointestinal disorders including the following: gastroesophageal reflux disease, duodenal ulcer, diverticulitis, constipation, and hemorrhoids.”
https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article-abstract/67/4/188/1901012?redirectedFrom=fulltext
The health benefits of dietary fiber: Beyond the usual suspects of type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and colon cancer
“DF is hypocholesterolemic and modulates the expression of HMG-CoA reductase, which decreases cholesterol synthesis and increases the excretion of cholesterol in the bile.”
Gut-Brain Connection
Harvard Health: The Gut-Brain Connection
This gut-brain connection is bi-directional: the health of the gut can affect the health of the brain, and vice versa. Harvard Medical School emphasizes how important this is.
“The gut-brain connection is no joke; it can link anxiety to stomach problems and vice versa.”
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-gut-brain-connection
Cleveland Clinic: The Gut-Brain Connection
“The ‘second brain’ in our gut, in communication with the brain in our head, plays a key role in certain diseases in our bodies and in our overall mental health.”
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/the-gut-brain-connection
Going with the grain: Fiber, cognition, and the microbiota-gut-brain-axis
“More recently, adequate dietary fiber intake (often a hallmark of diet quality) has also emerged as an important factor in supporting mental well-being by lowering odds of developing depression.”
Constipation
The Effect of Fiber Supplementation on Chronic Constipation in Adults: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
“Fiber supplementation is effective at improving constipation. Particularly, psyllium…”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35816465/
The Gel-Forming Nonfermented Isolated Fiber That Delivers Multiple Fiber-Related Health Benefits
“Psyllium is 3.4 times more effective than wheat bran in constipation, making psyllium the gold standard fiber for regularity”
The Effect of Psyllium Husk on Intestinal Microbiota in Constipated Patients and Healthy Controls
“Psyllium is a widely used treatment for constipation. It traps water in the intestine increasing stool water, easing defaecation and altering the colonic environment.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30669509/
The Effect of Psyllium Husk on Intestinal Microbiota in Constipated Patients and Healthy Controls
“...we showed that consumption of psyllium husks introduced small but significant changes in the intestinal microbiota of both healthy and constipated patients. This change was more pronounced in the constipated patients.”
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6358997/
Psyllium is superior to docusate sodium for treatment of chronic constipation
“Psyllium is superior to docusate sodium for softening stools by increasing stool water content, and has greater overall laxative efficacy in subjects with chronic idiopathic constipation.”
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1365-2036.1998.00336.x
Loose Stools / Diarrhea
Determinants of decreased fecal consistency in patients with diarrhea
“Psyllium has been shown to soften hard stool/reduce symptoms in patients with chronic constipation,and improve stool form/reduce symptoms in chronic diarrhea, lactulose-induced diarrhea, Crohn’s disease, and phenolphthalein-induced diarrhea.”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0016508595901345
The Gel-Forming Nonfermented Isolated Fiber That Delivers Multiple Fiber-Related Health Benefits
“...psyllium is effective for normalizing stool consistency in acute and chronic diarrhea, without the risk of constipation that can be caused by loperamide.”
Bloating
Dietary fibre, physicochemical properties and their relationship to health
“Psyllium has advantages over other types of soluble fibre because it is less readily fermented and therefore causes less flatulence and abdominal bloating.”
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/146642400012000412
Specific Gut and Digestive Health Challenges
CROHN’S
Avoidance of Fiber is Associated with Greater Risk of Crohn’s Disease Flare in a 6 Month Period
“Intake of dietary fiber is associated with reduced disease flares in patients with Crohn’s disease”
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4930425/
DIVERTICULITIS
A Brief Review of Nutraceutical Ingredients in Gastrointestinal Disorders: Evidence and Suggestions
“[Psyllium husk can] improve bowel function and gastrointestinal symptoms”
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7084955/
GERD
Comparing the Effect of Psyllium Seed on Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease With Oral Omeprazole in Patients With Functional Constipation
“The use of Psyllium seed in the treatment of functional constipation in patients with GERD is very safe, effective, cheap, and easily available, and this treatment also minimizes the chance of recurrence of GERD compared to omeprazole.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5888803/
IBS
The Gel-Forming Nonfermented Isolated Fiber That Delivers Multiple Fiber-Related Health Benefits
“In the large intestine, the nonfermented psyllium gel has a paradoxical “stool normalizing” effect: psyllium softens hard stool in constipation, firms loose/liquid stool in diarrhea, and normalizes stool form/reduces symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome. [(IBS)]”
Weight Management / Appetite Suppressant
Dietary Fiber and Weight Regulation
“Under conditions of fixed energy intake, the majority of studies indicate that an increase in either soluble or insoluble fiber intake increases postmeal satiety and decreases subsequent hunger.”
https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article-abstract/59/5/129/1875096
The effect of a fibre supplement compared to a healthy diet on body composition, lipids, glucose, insulin and other metabolic syndrome risk factors in overweight and obese individuals
“The present study demonstrated that simply adding psyllium fibre supplementation to a normal diet was sufficient to obtain beneficial effects in risk factors. However, a high-fibre diet consisting of a psyllium supplement plus fibre from a healthy diet provided the greatest improvements in metabolic syndrome risk factors.”
Effects of isolated soluble fiber supplementation on body weight, glycemia, and insulinemia in adults with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
“Isolated soluble fiber supplementation improves anthropometric and metabolic outcomes in overweight and obese adults, thereby indicating that supplementation may improve fiber intake and health in these individuals.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29092878/
Ingredients we AVOID
ASPARTAME
Aspartame hazard and risk assessment results released
“IARC classified aspartame as possibly carcinogenic to humans”
https://www.who.int/news/item/14-07-2023-aspartame-hazard-and-risk-assessment-results-released
INULIN
Inulin fiber exacerbates inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), study finds
“Inulin, a type of fiber found in certain plant-based foods and fiber supplements, causes inflammation in the gut and exacerbates inflammatory bowel disease in a preclinical model, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.”
Good or bad fiber? Inulin promotes production of type 2 inflammation, study finds
“The researchers from the Friedman Center for Nutrition and Inflammation, Jill Roberts Institute for Inflammatory Bowel Disease and the Boyce Thompson Institute at US-based Cornell University unveiled that dietary inulin fiber changes the metabolism of specific gut bacteria, which in turn causes type 2 inflammation.”
Inulin fiber exacerbates inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), study finds
“The study, published March 20 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, shows that inulin, which is found in foods like garlic, leeks and sunchoke, as well as commonly used fiber supplements and foods with added fiber, stimulates microbes in the gut to release bile acids that increase the production of molecules that promote intestinal inflammation. One such protein, called IL-33, causes immune cells called group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) to become activated, triggering an excessive immune response similar to an allergic reaction. That excessive immune response then exacerbates intestinal damage and symptoms in an animal model of inflammatory bowel disease. ”
Inulin and The Low FODMAP Diet
“Inulin acts like a high FODMAP food item by causing symptoms as experienced in IBS ”
https://theibsdietitian.com/blog/inulin-and-fodmaps
SILICON DIOXIDE
Silicon dioxide nanoparticles induced neurobehavioral impairments by disrupting microbiota–gut–brain axis
“This study provides a novel idea that the SiO2NPs induced neurotoxic effects may occur through distinctive gut–brain axis…”
https://jnanobiotechnology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12951-021-00916-2
Evaluating the Effects of Chronic Oral Exposure to the Food Additive Silicon Dioxide on Oral Tolerance Induction and Food Sensitivities in Mice
“...our study provides evidence that a chronic exposure to 𝑓𝑔-SiO2, a common food additive in the human diet, can disrupt intestinal immune homeostasis and initiate loss of OT and Th1 immunity to dietary antigens.”
MALTODEXTRIN
What is maltodextrin and is it safe?
“Maltodextrin has a higher glycemic index (GI) than table sugar. This means that maltodextrin can cause a sharp increase, or spike, in people’s blood sugar shortly after they eat foods that contain it.”
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322426#safety-and-side-effects
What Is Maltodextrin?
“Research in its early stages suggests that maltodextrin may reduce the number of good bacteria and increase the harmful bacteria. This can cause damage to the intestine and increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease. (IBS)”
https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-is-maltodextrin
Is Maltodextrin Bad for Me?
“”Maltodextrin is generally used as a thickener or filler to increase the volume of a processed food…It’s even used as a thickener in personal care items such as lotion and hair care products.”
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/is-maltodextrin-bad-for-me
Additional Resources / Topics
CHILDREN
We have not come across any studies showing our active ingredient (psyllium) is NOT safe but here is one where they tested children 10-16, with good results: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5064811/
ELDERLY / INCREASING LONGEVITY
The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease in the Elderly
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11894-024-00932-w
Association between gut microbiota and longevity: a genetic correlation and mendelian randomization study
https://bmcmicrobiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12866-022-02703-x
Unique gut microbiome patterns linked to healthy aging, increased longevity
https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/unique-gut-microbiome-patterns-linked-healthy-aging-increased-longevity
Onwards!
Again, the research above is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg - there is SO MUCH research out there that we used to ensure Pinch was the best fiber supplement we could make, and the best fiber supplement that could address such a wide range of digestive issues and needs.
Hope this helps, and wishing you health and happiness on your gut health journey!