From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris)
Newsgroups: sci.med.nutrition,sci.med.pharmacy,sci.med.nursing
Subject: Re: Vitamin toxicity?  Over-medication in the elderly?
Date: 8 Sep 1998 21:15:24 GMT

In <35f4b44f.2610846@newsagent.csu.edu.au> cjb@(Nospam)mylaptop.com
writes:

>As I'm not from the US, I have little idea as to the composition of
>this cereal, however I am wondering what the fibre content of Total
>cereal is.  High amounts (and we're talking pretty high here) of fibre
>in the diet can cause diarrhea.


  I'm skeptical about that.  Since fiber absorbs water, it's often used
to treat diarrhea.  Loose and frequent stools it may cause.  Frank and
watery diarrhea I don't believe.

    Some foods (especially fruits like plums) will cause diarrhea while
being counted as "fiber".   But it's not the fiber that's causing the
problem there, but rather chemicals the fruit makes to move your gut
motility along.  That's good for the seeds, don't you know.

                                      Steve Harris, M.D.