title: Metabolic effects of non-absorbable carbohydrates.
abstract: Food components which are incompletely absorbed in the small intestine or not absorbed at all but are delivered to the colon have been part of the diet throughout the course of human evolution. Our great ape cousins may derive 30% or more of their dietary calories from colonic uptake of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) generated in the colon. The metabolic effects of dietary carbohydrate entering the colon are many and include laxation, the growth of the fecal biomass, nitrogen entrapment and SCFA generation. These SCFAs in turn may nourish mucosal cells, spare glutamine utilization, enhance hepatic gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis and possibly influence renal handling of uric acid. The health implications are significant in terms of modifying risk factors for disease and disease prevention and justify interest in the metabolic effects of non-absorbable sugars such as lactulose.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Popovich
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Wolever
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tariq
authors.forename: L U
authors.initials: LU
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cunnane
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D015186:Hominidae; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007792:Lactulose / Q000494:pharmacology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D008055:Lipids; D005973:Glutamine; D007792:Lactulose