Effect of a Liquid Diet With and Without Soluble Fiber Supplementation on Intestinal Transit and Cholecystokinin Release in Volunteers

Abstract

The effect of adding fiber to liquid formula diets on gastrointestinal transit is still controversial. Different fiber types (soluble vs insoluble) and different methodology of transit time measurements yielded variable results. Factors affecting transit include colonic fermentation, neural, and hormonal factors. We have therefore compared the effects of a standardized normal diet and two liquid formula diets with and without supplementation of a soluble fiber (21 g/L) on orocecal transit time measured by the hydrogen lactulose breath test, colonic transit time measured by radiopaque markers with an abdominal x-ray, bowel movements, stool consistency, and cholecystokinin release in 12 healthy male volunteers. The diets were consumed in a randomized order, each one for 7 days. The addition of soluble fiber did not affect orocecal transit time. Colonic transit time, however, was significantly prolonged (55 h) with fiber supplementation compared with the liquid diet (39 h) and the self-selected diet (30 h) (p < .01). Stool frequency and consistency was not significantly affected. During administration of both liquid diets, fasting cholecystokinin concentrations were significantly elevated compared with the concentrations found with a self-selected diet (p < .05). The fasting cholecystokinin concentration correlated significantly with the increase of segmental (right colon) colonic transit time (p = .02). The prolongation of colonic transit time in liquid diet-fed volunteers might be caused by the combined effect of increased colonic fermentation and high basal cholecystokinin concentrations.

The effect of guar gum addition to a semisolid meal on appetite related to blood glucose, in dieting men

“…Dietary fibers such as guar gum (GG) were found to effectively increase fullness and satiety resulting in reduced energy intake (Evans & Miller, 1975;Pasman et al, 1997), eg by decreasing the rate of gastric emptying and small intestinal transit (Harju, 1985;Wilmshurst & Crawley, 1980;Blackburn et al, 1984a). However, other more recent studies found no effects of GG supplementation on gastric emptying and=or intestinal transit rate (Rydning et al, 1985;Lavin & Read, 1995;Meier et al, 1993). It has also been observed that GG ingestion may modify glucose absorption (Blackburn et al, 1984b) resulting in a prolonged feeling of satiety (Leeds, 1987).…”

Lactobacillus supplementation for diarrhoea related to chemotherapy of colorectal cancer: a randomised study

“…The putative mechanisms of L. rhamnosus GG action may include stimulation of the cell proliferation rate of bowel epithelial cells, enhanced secretion of protective mucins leading to reduced adherence of enteropathogenic bacteria to the bowel wall, inhibition of bacterial translocation into the tissues, and stimulation of local and systemic immune response to pathogens (Mattar et al, 2001;Banasaz et al, 2002;Khaled et al, 2003;Mack et al, 2003;Vaarala, 2003). Partially hydrolysed guar gum fibre may also reduce duration of diarrhoea (Homann et al, 1994;Alam et al, 2000) and prolong the colonic transit time (Meier et al, 1993). Thus, hypothetically, besides themode of 5-FU administration, the frequency and severity of chemotherapy-associated gastrointestinal adverse events might be influenced by the diet and the bowel microbial flora.…”

Physiological Functions of Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum

“…It was also reported that PHGG prolonged colon transit time [31], by which the hydrolyzed form of guar gum offered the potential to reduce diarrhea and to positively influence the osmotic balance in the colon through increased fermentation by anaerobic bacteria that yield SCFA [32]. The effects of a standardized normal diet and two liquid formula diets with and without supplementation of PHGG (21 g/l) on orocecal transit time, colonic transit time, bowel movements, and stool consistency were studied in 12 healthy male volunteers [31], in which the diets were consumed in a randomized order, each one for 7 days. The addition of PHGG did not affect orocecal transit time.…”