Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is an indelicate subject for an open online review, I know, but someone has to do it. This is about hemorrhoids and their treatment with psyllium fiber (ie. serious business). I have been using Metamucil psyllium capsules for several years now. It was originally purchased with the hope that its consumption with my lunch would limit my appetite and help control my weight. In so doing I also discovered that it helps to keep my hemorrhoids at bay. Subsequently I have learned from experience that not taking these Metamucil psyllium capsules leads to aggravated hemorrhoid problems in a matter of just a few days. We are talking about significant and noticeable discomfort here. Thus I have been buying Metamucil psyllium capsules from Costco for years and my ass has been happier ever since. So what's the problem? Well Metamucil psyllium capsules are very expensive, even from Costco. That's where the Now Foods, Psyllium Husk Caps came into this not so pretty picture. I was hoping that I could save 50% on psyllium fiber capsules from Now Foods and get exactly the same results. Sadly, this proved not to be the case. Similar to what had occurred in the past (when I failed to consume my Metamucil pills for just a few days), I had the same experience after eating the Now Foods, Psyllium Husk Caps in lieu of the Metamucil psyllium capsules. It was as if I had taken nothing at all even though I consumed exactly the same quantity I had been taking of the Metamucil pills. Hard to believe I know, but butts do not lie. Mine complained rather quickly (ie. after just a few days). And it took about a week after reverting back to the Metamucil capsules before it got back to normal. How can Now Foods, Psyllium Husk Caps be so different? How can Now Foods sell something that appears to be the same as Metamucil psyllium yet is somehow very different? I had no idea. So I did a little research. "Plantago asiatica" comes from China and elsewhere in Asia. Now Foods lists this as their source of "psyllium". Yet apparently it is not equivalent to "Plantago ovata" ("Blond Psyllium", see Wikipedia, direct links not allowed here ), what is used in Metamucil. Also, it looks like only the latter is actually referred to as "psyllium" (see see Wikipedia, direct links not allowed here ). As stated, this product was purchased to replace the Metamucil psyllium capsules since the Now psyllium capsules cost about half as much. But when I checked the Now Foods ingredient list and found "plantago asiatica", I also found "magnesium stearate". Yet magnesium stearate is not found on the Metamucil label either. I learned that magnesium stearate is actually just a filler that helps lubricate pill making equipment. When I took apart capsules of each product I noticed that the Now product appears lighter in color and also is a finer grind (ie. the Metamucil pills contain a grainier powder). I suspect that Now is saving money by using more magnesium stearate and less fiber. Does magnesium stearate cost less? I really don't know. But if not, why are they using it? If my butt didn't hurt so much I would find it laughable that this company describes their product as "Made in the U.S.A" when the main ingredient comes from India, China or anywhere else but the US.