Inhibitory actions of a high fibre diet on intestinal gas transit in healthy volunteers.
BACKGROUND
Fibre treatment often produces gaseous symptoms which have been attributed to fermentation by colonic bacteria with increased gas production. Effects of fibre ingestion on intestinal gas flow are unexplored.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to test the hypothesis that consumption of a high fibre diet retards gas transit.


METHODS
Ten healthy volunteers participated.


METHODS
To investigate the effects of fibre on gas dynamics, physiological gas mixtures were jejunally perfused at 12 ml/min x 2 hours after a standard diet for seven days with and without psyllium 30 g/day in a crossover fashion. Gas was collected from an intrarectal catheter to bypass the anus and evacuation was quantified in real time using a barostat.


RESULTS
On initiating gas perfusion under control conditions, an initial lag phase with no gas expulsion was observed (1129 (274) seconds). Thereafter, gas evacuation from the rectum proceeded with cumulative volumes of 1429 (108) ml by the end of the second hour. Evacuation was pulsatile with passage of 20.9 (2.5) boluses, with mean volumes of 68.2 (5.0) ml. Fibre prolonged the lag time (2265 (304) seconds; p<0.05) and reduced cumulative gas evacuation volumes (1022 (80) ml; p<0.05). Decreased gas evacuation resulted from reductions in the numbers of bolus passages (14.2 (1.1); p<0.05) but not bolus volumes (70.7 (3.4) ml; p = 0.66).


CONCLUSIONS
Consumption of a high fibre diet retards intestinal gas transit by decreasing bolus propulsion to the rectum. Thus, in addition to increasing gas production by colonic flora, fibre ingestion may elicit gaseous symptoms by promoting gas retention.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
S
S
Gonlachanvit
R
R
Coleski
C
C
Owyang
Wl
W
Hasler
D000328:Adult; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005414:Flatulence / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005740:Gases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000502:physiology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011620:Psyllium / Q000494:pharmacology; D012007:Rectum / Q000378:metabolism
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005740:Gases; D011620:Psyllium