Fibermaxxing Trend Promotes Fiber and Pooping Amid GLP-1 and Cancer Concerns

The Verge described @hallysicle, a self-described 'chaotic wellness' creator, whose video for 'poopmaxxer pesto' used two cups of blanched peas in a standard pesto recipe to yield 18 grams of fiber. It said many TikTok fiber advocates are 'gleefully unhinged' when preaching the benefits of fiber. The report cited Liam, a nutritional fad debunker known as 'the Bean Guy' for his love of beans and fiber, and Fiber Daddy, who says people are 'a total dumdum' for throwing away broccoli stems, claims he poops four times daily, and sells a supplement called Liquid Salad. Healthcare providers are also joining the trend, The Verge said.

According to The Verge, roughly 95 percent of Americans fall short of the daily recommended amount of fiber. The article said there is no single reason for the internet's sudden focus on fiber and pooping, but several larger health trends have converged with the influencer content economy.

One factor is GLP-1 use. The Verge reported that a recent Gallup survey found GLP-1 usage in the United States rose to 11 percent in 2026 from 3 percent two years earlier. Because GLP-1s can suppress appetite, people on the medications have to prioritize protein and fiber to prevent muscle loss and alleviate gastrointestinal side effects, the article said. It cited Grüns gummy bears appealing to GLP-1 users in their marketing.

Another factor is rising colorectal cancer awareness. The Verge said more videos feature young people in their 20s and 30s sharing stories of battling colon cancer, often amplified by social media-savvy gastroenterologists and dietitians. The article said a recent study found mortality from colorectal cancer in people under 50 has increased by 1.1 percent per year since 2005, making it the leading cause of cancer-related death in that group. The American Cancer Society estimates that 45 percent of new diagnoses come from people under 65, up from 27 percent in 1995.

The Verge said a fiber-rich diet can help reduce risk compared with the typical American diet, and that the concern is not baseless fearmongering or a viral trend taking science out of context. It also contrasted the attention on fiber with RFK Jr.'s MAHA movement, which has focused on protein, a nutrient that the vast majority of Americans are not deficient in. Fiber, by contrast, is an important macronutrient that virtually everyone gets too little of, according to the article.

The Verge explained that dietary fiber is a type of complex carbohydrate the body cannot digest and primarily comes from plant foods. It comes in two types: soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance in the gut that helps lower cholesterol and blood glucose levels; insoluble fiber adds bulk to stools, making them easier to pass and helping prevent constipation.

The article said that while fibermaxxing could be a good thing in some respects, 'maxxing' trends do not always tell the whole story. It advised readers to be wary of the trend even as it acknowledges fiber's benefits.