Effects of Cellulose Supplementation on Fecal Consistency and Fecal Weight

Abstract

We investigated the effects of cellulose supplementation on fecal consistency and fecal weight. About 26 women were classified into two groups-normal defecation and constipation groups. All subjects ate the following meals during the experiment: ordinary meals (first week), experimental meals (second week), and experimental meals mixed with 4 g (third week) and 8 g (fourth week) cellulose. The experimental meal contained 16.7 g fiber. Fecal weights, fecal water content, fecal consistency, and defecation frequency were measured during the experimental period. As a result, in the normal defecation group, the mean fecal weight was 222.9 g day(-1) in the first week, and thereafter decreased. Although 20/24 g of fiber intake in the third/fourth week increased the fecal weight to over 150 g, the fecal consistency was still lower than the optimal consistency of around 300 g cm(-2). However, these changes were not observed in the constipated group.

Bile and fat excretion are biomarkers of clinically significant diarrhoea and constipation in irritable bowel syndrome

“…Thus, we utilised the 10th and 90th percentiles in 126 healthy volunteers in our database, in accordance with a validated approach in smaller patient samples . In fact, assigning low‐faecal weight as <120 g/48 hours, based on the 10th percentile of the healthy controls, corresponded with previous reports of faecal weight in patients with chronic constipation …”

Preventing constipation: a review of the laxative potential of food ingredients

“…This criterion may help to determine the relative efficacy of laxatives. Faecal weight for chronically constipated subjects would be 54–135 g day −1 (Danjo et al ., ), that is close to that of many Westernised populations (80–120 g day −1 ; Cummings et al ., ). According to these authors, average faecal weight in India, Peru, Malaysia and Uganda is 300–470 g. Patients suffering from tropical sprue (chronic diarrhoea) produce 350–900 g faeces per day (mean = 580 g; Jayanthi et al ., ).…”

“…For example, carboxymethylcellulose would have a tendency to make smeary stools (Kajs & Sagel, 1995). Addition of cellulose powder increased the dietary fibre value of a meal to 25 g day À1 , but this had no effect on faecal weight, consistency and bowel movement of either normal or constipated subjects (Danjo et al, 2008). According to Nakamura et al (2001), pure cellulose had a lower laxative potential than brewer's yeast cell wall.…”

“…Moisture content of faeces of healthy individuals is 70-75% (Stephen & Cummings, 1980a). Stool of chronically constipated subjects is much drier and firmer (1.5-1.99) and 40-50% less frequent (Aichbichler et al, 1998;Danjo et al, 2008). A worsening situation, the longer the stool remains in the colon, the drier it becomes because one of the main functions of the colon is to absorb most fluids, leaving only 20% of the water in stool exiting earlier from the small intestine (Andrews & Storr, 2011).…”

Nutritional composition of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. aril flour and its effect on serum lipids and glucose in rats

“…Several authors have reported an increase in feces weight in rats and humans fed with different sources of fiber (Adam et al, 2001;Keenan et al, 2006;Danjo et al 2008. Although it did not affect the weight gain, the addition of CAF to the chow promoted higher fecal output.…”