Getting enough nutrients is complicated. In an ideal world, we’d all be eating nutritionally balanced, healthy meals every day, but the truth is that sometimes we could all do with a helping hand. Many of us are well used to taking a daily multivitamin, and we’re all advised to take daily vitamin D in the UK during winter. But recently, studies have suggested that the benefits of multivitamins for healthy adults could be negligible.

And with research showing that a whopping 70-80% of our immunity is housed in our gut, it makes sense that a healthier gut equals a healthier you. So, could taking a daily fibre tablet be the answer? 

According to the NHS, most of us in the UK need to eat more fibre. The recommended daily amount is around 30g a day, as part of a healthy, balanced diet – but on average, we’re only getting around 20g.

Why’s it so important? Well, studies show that a fibre-rich diet is associated with a lower risk of bowel cancer, stroke, heart disease and a decreased risk of developing type II diabetes, along with helping avoid constipation.

“Fibre keeps everything regulated,” explains medical scientist and nutritionist Dr Federica Amati. “It acts as fuel for your microbiome, and everybody needs and benefits from a diet high in fibre – a gut full of fibre is a gut full of goodness.” 

But our bodies can’t absorb or digest fibre – it passes straight through our body. What it does on its way, though, is pretty great for our health. Essentially, good sources of fibre, such as wholegrain bread, legumes and leafy vegetables, provide food for our gut microbes to munch on, making them healthier and able to multiply, keeping our good bacteria nicely topped up.

And because we can’t digest it, it’s vital to ensure a regular (daily) intake of high-fibre foods. This is where a high-quality supplement might be useful. 

“Fibre is essential for digestive health,” explains nutritionist Aneequa Godart. “Studies have shown that it can help to reduce the risk of many health conditions. Fibre supplements could be particularly useful for those who suffer from constipation, but speak to a healthcare professional if you’re unsure if a fibre supplement is for you.”

Nutritionist Thalia Pellegrini agrees that fibre supplements do have a place for some of us. “Fibre supplements, such as prebiotic powders like PHGG or FOS for example, can be gentle ways to up our dietary fibre and may be beneficial for our gut microbiome,” she explains. 

The experts are somewhat divided on this issue.

“Taking a daily multivitamin can be a convenient way to fill any nutrient gaps,” advises Godart. “It can be tricky to meet our requirements of crucial vitamins and minerals via diet alone.”

But Pellegrini warns that “you can’t out-supplement a bad diet. Unless you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or have specific nutritional needs, I don’t tend to recommend multivitamins – they’re more of an insurance policy.”

So where does this leave us? “As they both have different benefits, I would not suggest ditching the multivitamin in favour of the fibre supplements, but you may choose to take both alongside each other,” advises Godart. “It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day can help provide both necessary nutrients and fibre to your diet.”

When it comes to gut health, variety is key – we should be aiming to include 30 different plant species into our diets each week, so a supplement containing many different plant extracts could be a good way of achieving this – alongside a healthy diet, of course. 

“Our microbiome is composed of trillions of bacteria that live within us symbiotically and are intimately entwined with maintaining our health,” explains functional holistic practitioner Sandra Ishkanes. “Each type of bacteria or bacterial family feeds on a different type of fibre, which means that being healthy depends on eating as wide a variety of plants as possible. Favouring just one or another type of fibre can unbalance the composition of the microbiome, making it less diverse.”

So, there you have it – first place goes to a great, varied diet.

There is no either/or between fibre and multivitamins,” advises Ishkanes. “Our bodies are immensely complex, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of our knowledge, so it’s hard to say that one type of nutrient is better or unnecessary.”

As always though, if in doubt – consult a medical professional. 

Images: Getty