title: Dietary supplementation of different doses of NUTRIOSE FB, a fermentable dextrin, alters the activity of faecal enzymes in healthy men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is well documented that fermentation of carbohydrates that escape digestion exert several effects supposed to be beneficial for (colonic) health, including an increase in stool volume, a shorter intestinal transit time, production of short chain fatty acids and a decrease of colonic pH (Kritchevsky 1988). NUTRIOSE FB is a dextrin that is not completely hydrolysed and absorbed in the small intestine, due to many alpha-1.6 linkages and the presence of non-digestible glucoside linkages (e. g. alpha-1.2 and alpha-1.3). To be beneficial for 'colonic' health effective NUTRIOSE FB must reach the cecum in some form.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate how much non digested NUTRIOSE FB is fermented and to determine the fibre-like effect of the wheat dextrin NUTRIOSE((R))FB by analysing enzymatic activity in faeces.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized, double-blind,multiple dose, placebo-controlled, combined cross-over and parallel trial, 20 healthy men (age 31.7 +/- 9.1 yrs; BMI 24.5 +/- 2.9 kg.m(-2) received different treatments. One group of ten subjects consumed on top of their diet 10, 30 and 60 g daily of NUTRIOSE FB or maltodextrin (placebo). The other group of 10 subjects consumed 15, 45 and 80 g daily. Each dose was consumed for 7 days. On the last two days of each of the 7-day period, faeces were collected in which the enzymatic activity and NUTRIOSE FB residue were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As expected, the faecal residue of NUTRIOSE FB non-linearly increased with the dose of NUTRIOSE FB to approximately 13% of 80 g/d. Compared with the placebo, 30, 45, 60 and 80 g/d of NUTRIOSE FB increased the concentration of alpha-glucosidase significantly. All daily doses of NUTRIOSE FB (10 g/d to 80 g/d) led to significant changes in concentration of beta-glucosidase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The small amount of the residue of NUTRIOSE FB in the faeces suggests that approximately 87% or more of NUTRIOSE FB is digested or fermented in the gastrointestinal tract. Fermentation of NUTRIOSE FB led to an increased faecal concentration of alpha- and beta-glucosidase.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Physiological Sciences, TNO Nutrition and Food Research Business Unit Physiological Sciences, P. O. Box 360, 3700 AJ Zeist, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ellen G H M
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: van den Heuvel
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wils
authors.forename: Wilrike J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Pasman
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Saniez
authors.forename: Alwine F M
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kardinaal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003912:Dextrins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005243:Feces / Q000201:enzymology*; D005285:Fermentation; D005959:Glucosidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003912:Dextrins; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005959:Glucosidases; D001617:beta-Glucosidase