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Psyllium Husk

Also known as Psyllium, Ispaghula, Plantago ovata

Soluble, gel-forming fibre from the seed husk of Plantago ovata (ispaghula). Meta-analyses of 28 and 29 randomised trials found it lowers LDL ('bad') cholesterol by about 0.33-0.35 mmol/L, and pooled trials show lower fasting blood sugar and HbA1c, mostly in people who already have type 2 diabetes. Reviews of its effect on body weight disagree.

What trials found, in numbers

Summaries of published trial results for this compound, grouped by condition. In these tables every number is exactly as the researchers published it. The headline figures above show a simple average where several studies measured the same thing in the same unit, and say so; nothing else is calculated or converted.

How to read this table

Benefit: What the trial saw happen: whether the measured outcome moved in the helpful direction in that one study (the tag on each row: “Benefit seen”, “No clear benefit”, “Possible harm” or “Unclear”). It is a study result — not advice, and not a promise it will work for you.
Evidence: How strong the research behind that result is. A meta-analysis pools many studies (strongest); a systematic review collates them; an RCT tests against a control (placebo); observational studies only watch — they can suggest, not prove.
Effect size: How large the measured change was, exactly as the researchers published it. “No number reported” means the abstract gave no effect size — we never invent one.

In short: benefit is what was observed; evidence is how much you should trust the observation. A “Benefit seen” tag on a weak study counts for far less than the same tag on a meta-analysis.

Blood Sugar (15 outcomes)

Outcome measured	What trials found	Effect size	People studied	Duration	Type of evidence	Study
body mass index	Psyllium consumption did not significantly improve body mass index with no comparator reported in 395.No clear benefit	no number reported	395	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 31919936
cholesterol	Psyllium consumption did not significantly improve cholesterol with no comparator reported in 395.No clear benefit	no number reported	395	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 31919936
fasting blood sugar	Psyllium consumption improved fasting blood sugar (-31.71 ml/dl; 95% CI [-50.04, -13.38]) with no comparator reported in 395. (95% CI [-50.04, -13.38])Benefit seen	-31.71 ml/dl	395	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 31919936
hemoglobin A1c	Psyllium consumption improved hemoglobin A1c (-0.91 %; 95% CI [-1.31, -0.51]) with no comparator reported in 395. (95% CI [-1.31, -0.51])Benefit seen	-0.91 %	395	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 31919936
high-density lipoprotein	Psyllium consumption did not significantly improve high-density lipoprotein with no comparator reported in 395.No clear benefit	no number reported	395	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 31919936
low-density lipoprotein	Psyllium consumption improved low-density lipoprotein (-8.96 mg/dl; 95% CI [-13.39, -4.52]) with no comparator reported in 395. (95% CI [-13.39, -4.52])Benefit seen	-8.96 mg/dl	395	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 31919936
triglycerides	Psyllium consumption improved triglycerides (-19.18 mg/dl; 95% CI [-31.76, -6.60]) with no comparator reported in 395. (95% CI [-31.76, -6.60])Benefit seen	-19.18 mg/dl	395	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 31919936
weight	Psyllium consumption did not significantly improve weight with no comparator reported in 395.No clear benefit	no number reported	395	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 31919936
Blood glucose in people with normal blood sugar (euglycaemic)	Psyllium did not significantly improve Blood glucose in people with normal blood sugar (euglycaemic) with no comparator reported.No clear benefit	no number reported	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2015	PMID 26561625
Fasting blood glucose in people treated for type 2 diabetes	Psyllium improved Fasting blood glucose in people treated for type 2 diabetes (-37.0 mg/dL; P < 0.001) with no comparator reported. (P < 0.001)Benefit seen	-37.0 mg/dL	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2015	PMID 26561625
HbA1c in people treated for type 2 diabetes	Psyllium improved HbA1c in people treated for type 2 diabetes (-0.97 %; -10.6 mmol/mol; P = 0.048) with no comparator reported. (P = 0.048)Benefit seen	-0.97 %	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2015	PMID 26561625
Fasting blood sugar (FBS)	Psyllium improved Fasting blood sugar (FBS) (-6.89; 95% CI: -10.62, -3.16; p < .001) compared with placebo in 962. (95% CI: -10.62, -3.16; p < .001)Benefit seen	-6.89	962	—	Systematic review · 2024	PMID 38844885
Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c)	Psyllium improved Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) (-0.75; 95% CI: -1.21, -0.29; p < .001) compared with placebo in 962. (95% CI: -1.21, -0.29; p < .001)Benefit seen	-0.75	962	—	Systematic review · 2024	PMID 38844885
Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA IR)	Psyllium improved Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA IR) (-1.17; 95% CI: -2.11, -0.23; p < .05) compared with placebo in 962. (95% CI: -2.11, -0.23; p < .05)Benefit seen	-1.17	962	—	Systematic review · 2024	PMID 38844885
Insulin levels	Psyllium did not significantly improve Insulin levels (-2.08; 95% CI: -4.21, -0.035; p > .05) compared with placebo in 962. (95% CI: -4.21, -0.035; p > .05)No clear benefit	-2.08	962	—	Systematic review · 2024	PMID 38844885

Cholesterol (5 outcomes)

Outcome measured	What trials found	Effect size	People studied	Duration	Type of evidence	Study
apolipoprotein B (apoB)	Psyllium (Plantago ovata) fiber improved apolipoprotein B (apoB) (-0.05 g/L; 95% CI: -0.08, -0.03 g/L; P < 0.0001) with no comparator reported in 1924. (95% CI: -0.08, -0.03 g/L; P < 0.0001)Benefit seen	-0.05 g/L	1924	—	Meta-analysis · 2018	PMID 30239559
LDL cholesterol	Psyllium (Plantago ovata) fiber improved LDL cholesterol (-0.33 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.38, -0.27 mmol/L; P < 0.00001) with no comparator reported in 1924. (95% CI: -0.38, -0.27 mmol/L; P < 0.00001)Benefit seen	-0.33 mmol/L	1924	—	Meta-analysis · 2018	PMID 30239559
non-HDL cholesterol	Psyllium (Plantago ovata) fiber improved non-HDL cholesterol (-0.39 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.50, -0.27 mmol/L; P < 0.00001) with no comparator reported in 1924. (95% CI: -0.50, -0.27 mmol/L; P < 0.00001)Benefit seen	-0.39 mmol/L	1924	—	Meta-analysis · 2018	PMID 30239559
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)	Plantago consumption improved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (0.35 mmol/L) with no comparator reported in 2769.Benefit seen	0.35 mmol/L	2769	—	Systematic review · 2024	PMID 38688104
total cholesterol (TC)	Plantago consumption improved total cholesterol (TC) (0.28 mmol/L) with no comparator reported in 2769.Benefit seen	0.28 mmol/L	2769	—

Digestive Health (9 outcomes)

Outcome measured	What trials found	Effect size	People studied	Duration	Type of evidence	Study
Constipation response and stool frequency, psyllium subgroup	Psyllium improved Constipation response and stool frequency, psyllium subgroup with no comparator reported in 1251.Benefit seen	no number reported	1251	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 35816465
Flatulence (all fibre types pooled)	Fiber supplementation showed harm (adverse effect) on Flatulence (all fibre types pooled) (0.80 SMD; 95% CI: 0.47, 1.13; P < 0.00001) compared with control in 1251. (95% CI: 0.47, 1.13; P < 0.00001)Possible harm	0.80 SMD	1251	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 35816465
Response rate (all fibre types pooled)	Fiber supplementation improved Response rate (all fibre types pooled) (66%; P = 0.001) compared with control in 1251. (P = 0.001)Benefit seen	66%	1251	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 35816465
Stool consistency (all fibre types pooled)	Fiber supplementation improved Stool consistency (all fibre types pooled) (0.32 SMD; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.46; P < 0.0001) compared with control in 1251. (95% CI: 0.18, 0.46; P < 0.0001)Benefit seen	0.32 SMD	1251	—	Meta-analysis · 2022	PMID 35816465
Stool frequency (all fibre types pooled)	Fiber supplementation improved Stool frequency (all fibre types pooled) (0.72 SMD; 95% CI: 0.36, 1.08; P = 0.0001) compared with control in 1251. (95% CI: 0.36, 1.08; P = 0.0001)

Weight Management (9 outcomes)

Outcome measured	What trials found	Effect size	People studied	Duration	Type of evidence	Study
body weight	Psyllium improved body weight (-2.1 kg; 95% CI: -2.6 to -1.6; p < .001) with no comparator reported in 354 (4.8 months). (95% CI: -2.6 to -1.6; p < .001)Benefit seen	-2.1 kg	354	4.8 months	Meta-analysis · 2023	PMID 37163454
waist circumference	Psyllium improved waist circumference (-2.2 cm; 95% CI: -2.9 to -1.4; p < .001) with no comparator reported in 354 (4.8 months). (95% CI: -2.9 to -1.4; p < .001)Benefit seen	-2.2 cm	354	4.8 months	Meta-analysis · 2023	PMID 37163454
body mass index (BMI)	Psyllium supplementation did not significantly improve body mass index (BMI) (-0.19 kg/m2; 95% CI: -0.55, 0.15, p = 0.27) with no comparator reported. (95% CI: -0.55, 0.15, p = 0.27)No clear benefit	-0.19 kg/m2	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 30880409
body weight	Psyllium supplementation did not significantly improve body weight (-0.28 kg; 95% CI: -0.78, 0.21, p = 0.268) with no comparator reported. (95% CI: -0.78, 0.21, p = 0.268)No clear benefit	-0.28 kg	—	—	Meta-analysis · 2020	PMID 30880409
waist circumference	Psyllium supplementation did not significantly improve waist circumference (-1.2 cm; 95% CI: -2.6, 0.2, p = 0.09) with no comparator reported. (95% CI: -2.6, 0.2, p = 0.09)No clear benefit

Important: This page reflects observational, aggregate-only community reporting and independent published research. It is not medical advice, and it does not claim any compound treats, cures, or is effective for any condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement or treatment.

Understand what people are taking.

Psyllium Husk

What the research actually shows

The headline results, condition by condition

Blood Sugar Control

Why people look into Psyllium Husk — and what they report

Where to get Psyllium Husk (UK)

Weight Management

Cholesterol

Digestive Health

Where the evidence is concentrated

Suggested uses (unproven)

Where the evidence is negative

What trials found, in numbers