title: Non-digestible oligosaccharides and calcium absorption in girls with adequate calcium intakes.
abstract: Non-digestible oligosaccharides such as inulin and oligofructose have been shown to consistently increase calcium absorption in experimental animals, but data in humans are less clear-cut. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of 8 g/d of oligofructose or a mixture of inulin and oligofructose on calcium absorption in girls at or near menarche. A total of fifty-nine subjects were studied using a balanced, randomized, cross-over design. They received, in random order, 8 g/d placebo (sucrose), oligofructose or the mixture inulin+oligofructose for 3 weeks, separated by a 2-week washout period. Throughout the study, subjects consumed a total of approximately 1500 mg/d dietary calcium, by adding two glasses of calcium-fortified orange juice to their diet. Four grams of placebo, oligofructose or the mixture inulin+oligofructose was added to each glass of orange juice immediately before it was consumed. At the end of each 3-week adaptation period, calcium absorption was measured, using a dual stable isotope technique, from the cumulative fractional excretion of an oral and an intravenous tracer over 48 hours. Calcium absorption was significantly higher in the group receiving the inulin+oligofructose mixture than in the placebo group v. P=0.01), but no significant difference was seen between the oligofructose group and the placebo group v. P=NS). We conclude that modest intakes of an inulin+oligofructose mixture increases calcium absorption in girls at or near menarche.
authors.affiliation: USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. igriffin@neo.bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Davila
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Abrams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005243:Feces; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D002118:Calcium