Dietary polydextrose increases calcium absorption in normal rats

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Gastric surgery is known to cause bone disorders, possibly related to an impaired capacity for the absorption of dietary calcium. AIM: To verify if polydextrose (PDX) could stimulate calcium absorption in partially gastrectomized and sham operated rats. METHODS: The rats were laparotomized (sham-operated control) or partially gastrectomized (Billroth II), in groups of 20 each. Half in each operated group were fed a control diet (AIN-93M) without PDX or the same diet containing (PDX 50g/Kg of diet) for eight weeks. The rats were divided into four subgroups: sham-operated and gastrectomized without PDX; sham-operated and gastrectomized with PDX. On the final day of the study, total blood was collected for determination of serum calcium concentration. RESULTS: In the diet with PDX, excretion of calcium in the feces was significantly lower than in the groups not receiving PDX, irrespective of the operation. Apparent calcium absorption and serum calcium was higher in the sham operated PDX fed group than in the control group. In sham operated rats, the calcium concentration in bone was higher in the PDX fed group. CONCLUSION: The polydextrose feeding increased calcium absorption and bone calcium concentration in normal rats, which may be relevant for decreasing the risk of osteoporosis. Partially gastrectomy did not affect the bone calcium concentration in 56 days of experimental period.

Prebiotics in infant formula

“…46 The addition of a specific mixture of 0.6 g/100 mL of scGOS and lcFOS in a ratio of 9/1 to infant formula did not decrease cholesterol concentrations, although the levels in formula fed infants were significantly lower than in breast-fed infants. 47 Early prebiotic supplementation may alleviate symptoms associated with crying and fussing in preterm infants.…”

Polydextrose Enhances Calcium Absorption and Bone Retention in Ovariectomized Rats

“…PDX is a soluble fiber that could be fermented in the gut with production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and reduction of pH. Several studies showed that PDX increases Ca absorption and retention [ 26 , 27 ]. Mineo et al [ 26 ] “in vitro” found that PDX enhances net Ca transport from the small and large intestine epithelium of rats.…”

“…Mineo et al [ 26 ] “in vitro” found that PDX enhances net Ca transport from the small and large intestine epithelium of rats. Hara et al and dos Santos et al [ 4 , 27 ] demonstrated that the ingestion of PDX increases Ca absorption in normal and total gastrectomized rats suggesting that the small intestine rather than the large one is the responsible for Ca absorption increase. However, no studies were done to demonstrate PDX effect on OVX rats in which an extra Ca supplied may be relevant for avoiding bone mass diminution.…”

The Importance of Prebiotics in Functional Foods and Clinical Practice

“…Santos et al [85] showed in a study to verify if polydextrose could stimulate calcium absorption in partially gastrectomized and sham operated rats that the polydextrose feeding (50 g/kg of diet) increased calcium absorption and bone calcium concentration in normal rats and the partially gastrectomy did not affect the bone calcium concentration. In a recent study, Santos et al [86] investigated whether polydextrose stimulates iron absorption in rats submitted to partial gastrectomy and sham operated and the diet with polydextrose reduced the excretion of iron and apparent iron absorption was higher in the polydextrose fed groups than in the control group.…”