Encyclopedia of Vital Substances

Origin and history 

Psyllium seeds (Plantago psyllium ) are small, elliptical, reddish-brown, shiny seeds and are visually reminiscent of fleas. They owe their name to this appearance. The plants from which psyllium seeds come are native to the Mediterranean region, but today the main producer is India. There and also in China they are known for their traditional medicinal use for digestive problems.  

Using psyllium husks

Psyllium husks are used medicinally as a laxative. The seeds contain fiber, which swells in the intestines, stimulating and speeding up digestion. Psyllium husks have an even stronger swelling effect than whole psyllium seeds. They also contain small amounts of proteins, vitamins and minerals such as potassium, iron and calcium. Especially in the outer layer of the seed coats there are many mucilages that contain xylose, arabinose and galacturonic acid. The soluble fiber binds water in the intestines and swells. This increases the volume of the intestinal contents and stimulates digestion and softens the stool. Which can particularly help with constipation and diarrhea. In contrast to many phytopharmaceuticals that are based on empirical medicine, the effect of psyllium husk as a mild laxative has been confirmed in several clinical studies.  

Other health-promoting effects that have been found in clinical studies when taking psyllium husks include lowering cholesterol levels. Most studies found a reduction in LDL cholesterol, but HDL cholesterol remained unaffected. A possible cause of this observation is the formation of a mucous complex by the seeds in the small intestine, which binds cholesterol and bile acid and excretes them so that they are not reabsorbed into the serum.  

Blood sugar was also reduced in people with type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes when taking the seeds during a meal. In type 2 diabetes patients, this was also accompanied by weight loss in one study. Due to the possible positive influence of psyllium husks on blood sugar, it can make sense to incorporate this fiber into your diet as a preventive measure.  

Research has also shown that psyllium supplementation can help reduce BMI.  

Sustainability 

Growing psyllium is typically sustainable because the plant has low water and soil requirements .  

Possible side effects 

Since the psyllium husks are broken down by some intestinal bacteria and produce hydrogen and methane, increased flatulence can occur in some cases. It is important to drink enough when using psyllium seeds. Without sufficient fluid intake, the mucous substances cannot swell properly and thus lead to digestive problems.  

Dosage recommendations  

For constipation relief, a starting dose of 5 grams is often recommended, which can be gradually increased as needed up to a maximum of 30 grams per day  

Psyllium in the kitchen
Psyllium seeds can be used as a binding agent in baking. Especially when baking gluten-free, where there is no gluten protein, you can alternatively use the swelling effect of psyllium seeds. Psyllium seeds can also be added to mueslis, for example, if an additional portion of fiber is desired. Dough that is too thin can also be thickened with psyllium seeds.  

Which AgilNature® products contain psyllium husks? 

*Nutrient Reference Value = Percentage of the reference value according to Appendix XIII of the Food Information Regulation (EC) No. 1169/2011.  

** No recommendation available.  

Literature:  

Belorio M, Gómez M. Psyllium: a useful functional ingredient in food systems. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2022;62(2):527-538. 

A. Hensel et al.: Indian psyllium husks. An old drug for modern diseases of civilization. In: Deutsche Apothekerzeitung 2001, 01/36, p. 55. (Accessed on January 16, 2024)  

Jovanovski, Elena; Yashpal, Shahen; Komishon, Allison; et al. (September 15, 2018). "Effect of psyllium (Plantago ovata) fiber on LDL cholesterol and alternative lipid targets, non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials". The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 108 (5): 922–932.  

Everson GT, Daggy BP, McKinley C, Story JA. Effects of psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid on LDL-cholesterol and bile acid synthesis in hypercholesterolemic men. J Lipid Res. 1992 Aug;33(8):1183-92. 

Gibb RD, McRorie JW, Russell DA, Hasselblad V, D'Alessio DA (December 2015). "Psyllium fiber improves glycemic control proportional to loss of glycemic control: a meta-analysis of data in euglycemic subjects, patients at risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and patients being treated for type 2 diabetes mellitus". At the. J. Clin. Nutr. 102 (6): 1604–14. 

Abutair, AS, IA Naser, and AT Hamed. 2016. Soluble fibers from psyllium improve glycaemic response and body weight among diabetes type 2 patients (randomized control trial). Nutrition Journal 15(1):86. 

Yusof HM, Liew YW, Ali A, Zakaria NS. Supplementation of psyllium husk and selected herb mixture improves cardiovascular disease risk factors in female adults. J Appl Pharm Sci, 2023; 13(11):161–169.

Folate is probably the most well-known vitamin in pregnancy. It is one of the water-soluble B vitamins and can occur in different physiologically active forms. Folates are found primarily in leafy greens, such as spinach and lettuce, and in grains (wheat bran and germ). But animal foods such as egg yolk, beef and pork liver are also sources of folate. The synthetic or The industrially produced representative of the vitamin is folic acid. It is used to fortify foods and in dietary supplements (1, 2).  

Folate - importance in pregnancy 

Pregnant women consume only a third of the recommended amount of folate in the 1st trimester. The body can then fall back on the body's own stores, but these are quickly exhausted due to the increased need during pregnancy and especially in young mothers who have lower reserves. Rapid succession or multiple pregnancies also represent a particular burden on the folate balance. Especially in the early stages, when many do not yet know that they are pregnant, a folic acid deficiency in the mother can have serious consequences for the unborn child. These include low birth weight, premature birth and miscarriage, birth defects and congenital malformations such as neural tube defects. It should therefore be ensured that there is sufficient intake, even before pregnancy. This can be done through a folate-rich diet and folic acid supplementation agreed with your doctor. But watch out, the folate-rich liver should be consumed by pregnant women, especially in the first trimester should be avoided as it provides excessive amounts of vitamin A, which can be harmful to the fetus (2, 4). 

Folate – the most important tasks in brief 

• Folate contributes to normal amino acid synthesis 
• Folate contributes to normal blood formation 
• Folate plays a role in the process of cell division 
• Folate helps reduce tiredness and fatigue 
• Folate contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system 
• Folate contributes to normal psychological function 
• Folate contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism  
• Folate contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy (3) 

However, if you have a folate deficiency, the cell division and growth processes in particular are disrupted, which can lead to anemia (1). Consequently, one of the first symptoms is fatigue, followed by pallor, irritability, shortness of breath and dizziness. A severe deficiency can lead to depression, confusion and even dementia (4). 

Your daily folate requirement 

The German Society for Nutrition recommends consuming 300 mg folate equivalent* per day. Pregnant women should even consume 550 mg and breastfeeding women 450 mg folate equivalent per day. In addition, women who want or could become pregnant are recommended to take 400 μg folate equivalent in the form of a supplement with a folate-rich diet to prevent a neural tube defect. This additional intake of a folic acid or folate supplement should be started at least 4 weeks before the onset of pregnancy and continued throughout the 1st trimester of pregnancy (1).  

*The different physiologically active forms of folate differ in their bioavailability. The folate equivalent was therefore introduced for a more reliable calculation of folate intake. 1 folate equivalent corresponds to the effect of 1 mg of free folate (2). 

Which AgilNature® products contain folic acid?  

*NutrientReference Value=percentage of the reference value according to Annex XIII of the Food Information Regulation VO (EC) No. 1169/2011. 

Literature: 

1. DGE (2018): Selected questions and answers on folate. In: German Society for Nutrition e. V. (DGE). https://www.dge.de/wissenschaft/faqs/folat/#folat (accessed on February 18, 2022) 
2. Biesalski, Hans Konrad; Bischoff, Stephan C.; Pirlich, Matthias; Weimann, Arved (ed.) (2018): Nutritional Medicine. Based on the curriculum for nutritional medicine of the German Medical Association. With the collaboration of Michael Adolph, Jann Arends, Ulrike Arens-Azevêdo and Christine von Arnim. 5th, completely revised and expanded edition. Stuttgart: Georg Thieme Verlag. 
3. European Commission (2022): Nutrition and Health Claims. In: European Commission. https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/claims/register/public/?event=search (accessed on 02/18/2022) 
4. Johnson, Larry E.: Folic Acid Deficiency. In: MSD Manual Patient Edition. Available online at https://www.msdmanuals.com/de-de/heim/feeding disorders/vitamins/folic acid deficiency. (accessed on 02/21/2022)