Effect of Chicory-derived Inulin on Abdominal Sensations and Bowel Motor Function.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of a prebiotic chicory-derived inulin-type fructan on the tolerance of intestinal gas.


BACKGROUND
Subjects with gas-related complaints exhibit impaired handling of intestinal gas loads and we hypothesized that inulin would have a beneficial effect.


METHODS
Placebo-controlled, parallel, randomized, double-blind trial. Subjects with abdominal symptoms and reduced tolerance of intestinal gas (selected by a pretest) received either inulin (8 g/d, n=18) or maltodextrin as a placebo (8 g/d, n=18) for 4 weeks. A gas challenge test (4 h jejunal gas infusion at 12 mL/min while measuring abdominal symptoms and gas retention for 3 h) was performed before and at the end of the intervention phase. Gastrointestinal symptoms and bowel habits (using daily questionnaires for 1 wk) and fecal bifidobacteria counts were measured before and at the end of the intervention.


RESULTS
Inulin decreased gas retention during the gas challenge test (by 22%; P=0.035 vs. baseline), while the placebo did not, but the intergroup difference was not statistically significant (P=0.343). Inulin and placebo reduced the perception of abdominal sensations in the gas challenge test to a similar extent (by 52% and 43%, respectively). Participants reported moderate gastrointestinal symptoms and normal bowel habits during baseline examination, and these findings remained unchanged in both groups during the intervention. Inulin led to a higher relative abundance of bifidobacteria counts (P=0.01 vs. placebo).


CONCLUSIONS
A daily dose of inulin that promotes bifidobacteria growth and may improve gut function, is well tolerated by subjects with gastrointestinal complaints.
*Digestive System Research Unit, University Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona †Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (Ciberehd) (Virtual Center for Biomedical Research Hepatic and Digestive Diseases), Madrid ‡Department de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Department of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona), Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Spain §BENEO-Institute, Obrigheim, Germany.
Fernando
F
Azpiroz
Laura
L
Molne
Sara
S
Mendez
Adoración
A
Nieto
Chaysavanh
C
Manichanh
Marianela
M
Mego
Anna
A
Accarino
Javier
J
Santos
Manuela
M
Sailer
Stephan
S
Theis
Francisco
F
Guarner
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018651:Cichorium intybus; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005414:Flatulence / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit; D006801:Humans; D007444:Inulin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056692:Prebiotics; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D056692:Prebiotics; D007444:Inulin
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