1. Effects of wheat bran extract containing arabinoxylan oligosaccharides on gastrointestinal parameters in healthy preadolescent children.
- Author
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François IE, Lescroart O, Veraverbeke WS, Marzorati M, Possemiers S, Hamer H, Windey K, Welling GW, Delcour JA, Courtin CM, Verbeke K, and Broekaert WF
- Subjects
- Abdominal Pain etiology, Ammonia analysis, Bifidobacterium isolation & purification, Child, Cross-Over Studies, Double-Blind Method, Fatty Acids analysis, Fatty Acids, Volatile analysis, Feces chemistry, Feces microbiology, Female, Flatulence chemically induced, Gastrointestinal Tract drug effects, Humans, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Male, Oligosaccharides analysis, Patient Compliance, Placebos, Plant Extracts adverse effects, Prebiotics, Xylans analysis, Dietary Fiber analysis, Gastrointestinal Tract microbiology, Microbiota drug effects, Oligosaccharides administration & dosage, Plant Extracts administration & dosage, Xylans administration & dosage
- Abstract
Objectives: We assessed whether wheat bran extract (WBE) containing arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS) elicited a prebiotic effect and modulated gastrointestinal (GI) parameters in healthy preadolescent children upon consumption in a beverage., Methods: This double-blind randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial evaluated the effects of consuming WBE at 0 (control) or 5.0 g/day for 3 weeks in 29 healthy children (8-12 years). Fecal levels of microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, branched-chain fatty acids, ammonia, moisture, and fecal pH were assessed at the end of each treatment and at the end of a 1-week run-in (RI) period. In addition, the subjects completed questionnaires scoring distress severity of 3 surveyed GI symptoms. Finally, subjects recorded defecation frequency and stool consistency., Results: Nominal fecal bifidobacteria levels tended to increase after 5 g/day WBE consumption (P = 0.069), whereas bifidobacteria expressed as percentage of total fecal microbiota was significantly higher upon 5 g/day WBE intake (P = 0.002). Additionally, 5 g/day WBE intake induced a significant decrease in fecal content of isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid (P < 0.01), markers of protein fermentation. WBE intake did not cause a change in distress severity of the 3 surveyed GI symptoms (flatulence, abdominal pain/cramps, and urge to vomit) (P > 0.1)., Conclusions: WBE is well tolerated at doses up to 5 g/day in healthy preadolescent children. In addition, the intake of 5 g/day exerts beneficial effects on gut parameters, in particular an increase in fecal bifidobacteria levels relative to total fecal microbiota, and reduction of colonic protein fermentation.
- Published
- 2014
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