Effect of a prebiotic mixture on intestinal comfort and general wellbeing in health
Open accessAbstract
Specific carbohydrates, i.e. prebiotics such as fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), are not digested in the small intestine but fermented in the colon. Besides beneficial health effects of an enhanced bifidobacteria population, intestinal gas production resulting from fermentation can induce abdominal symptoms. Partial replacement with slowly fermented acacia gum may attenuate side effects. The aim was to compare the effects of FOS with those of a prebiotic mixture (50 % FOS and 50 % acacia gum; BLEND) and a rapidly absorbed carbohydrate (maltodextrin) on general intestinal wellbeing, abdominal comfort and anorectal sensory function. Twenty volunteers (eight male and twelve female; age 20–37 years) completed this double-blind, randomised study with two cycles of a 2-week run-in phase (10 g maltodextrin) followed by 5 weeks of 10 g FOS or BLEND once daily, separated by a 4-week wash-out interval. Abdominal symptoms and general wellbeing were documented by telephone interview or Internet twice weekly. Rectal sensations were assessed by a visual analogue scale during a rectal barostat test after FOS and BLEND treatment. Both FOS and BLEND induced more side effects than maltodextrin. Belching was more pronounced under FOS compared with BLEND (P = 0·09 for females; P = 0·01 for males), and for self-reported general wellbeing strong sex differences were reported (P = 0·002). Urgency scores during rectal barostat were higher with FOS than BLEND (P = 0·01). Faced with a growing range of supplemented food products, consumers may benefit from prebiotic mixtures which cause fewer abdominal side effects. Sex differences must be taken in consideration when food supplements are used.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010 survives through the entire human digestive tract.
“The ability of the strain B. lactis DN-173 010 to survive through the entire digestive tract has been shown in human subjects (9 -12) , demonstrating the ability of this strain to exert its health effect all along the GI tract.”
Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010 can exert health effects along the entire gastrointestinal tract.
“The ability of the strain B. lactis DN-173 010 to survive through the entire digestive tract has been shown in human subjects (9 -12) , demonstrating the ability of this strain to exert its health effect all along the GI tract.”
This side effect has been reported in other studies of prebiotic supplementation as well.
“This side effect has been reported in other studies of prebiotic supplementation as well [75].”
From Pilot study of probiotic/colostrum supplementation on gut function in children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms (2019) · cites this paper as [75]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Modern Applied Statistics with S
Venables, W., & Ripley, B. (2010) · Statisctics and computing/Statistics and computing · doi:10.1007/978-0-387-21706-2 · Cited by 16,188 · see citing works
Mixed-Effects Models in Sand S-PLUS
Pinheiro, J. C., & Bates, D. M. (2000) · Statistics and Computing · doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-0318-1 · Cited by 11,187 · see citing works
Mixed-Effects Models in S and S-PLUS
(2001) · Technometrics · doi:10.1198/tech.2001.s574 · Cited by 9,278 · see citing works
Dietary Modulation of the Human Colonic Microbiota: Introducing the Concept of Prebiotics
Gibson, G. R., & Roberfroid, M. B. (1995) · Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1093/jn/125.6.1401 · Cited by 7,659 · see citing works
Prebiotics and probiotics: are they functional foods?
Roberfroid, M. B. (2000) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/71.6.1682s · Cited by 729 · see citing works
Regulatory effects of bifidobacteria on the growth of other colonic bacteria
Gibson, G. R., & Wang, X. (1994) · Journal of Applied Bacteriology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2672.1994.tb03443.x · Cited by 682 · see citing works
Dietary Fiber and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer and Adenoma in Women
Fuchs, C. S., Giovannucci, E. L., Colditz, G. A., Hunter, D. J., Stampfer, M. J., ROSNER, B. A., Speizer, F. E., & Willett, W. C. (1999) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm199901213400301 · Cited by 668 · see citing works
Coudray, C., Bellanger, J., Delavaud, C., Rémésy, C., Vermorel, M., & Rayssignuier, Y. (1997) · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600417 · Cited by 456 · see citing works
Wald's Test as Applied to Hypotheses in Logit Analysis
Hauck, W. W., & Donner, A. P. (1977) · Journal of the American Statistical Association · doi:10.1080/01621459.1977.10479969 · Cited by 395 · see citing works
Dietary modulation of the human gut microflora using prebiotics
Gibson, G. R. (1998) · British Journal Of Nutrition · doi:10.1017/s0007114500006048 · Cited by 322 · see citing works
Gastrointestinal effects of prebiotics
Cummings, J. H., & Macfarlane, G. T. (2002) · British Journal Of Nutrition · doi:10.1079/bjn/2002530 · Cited by 280 · see citing works
Gastrointestinal effects of prebiotics
J.H.*, C., & Macfarlane, G. T. (2002) · British Journal Of Nutrition · doi:10.1079/bjnbjn/2002530 · Cited by 278 · see citing works
Jackson, K. G., Taylor, G. R. J., Clohessy, A. M., & Williams, C. M. (1999) · British Journal Of Nutrition · doi:10.1017/s0007114599001087 · Cited by 223 · see citing works
Gender differences in regional brain response to visceral pressure in IBS patients
Berman, S. M., Munakata, J., Naliboff, B. D., Chang, L., Mandelkern, M. A., Silverman, D. H. S., Kovalik, E., & Mayer, E. A. (2000) · European Journal of Pain · doi:10.1053/eujp.2000.0167 · Cited by 165 · see citing works
Prevention of colon cancer by pre- and probiotics: evidence from laboratory studies
Reddy, B. S. (1998) · British Journal Of Nutrition · doi:10.1017/s0007114500006061 · Cited by 147 · see citing works
Sex differences in colonic function: a randomised trial.
Lampe, J. W., Fredstrom, S. B., Slavin, J. L., & Potter, J. D. (1993) · Gut · doi:10.1136/gut.34.4.531 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Influence of Galactooligosaccharides on the Human Fecal Microflora.
Ito, M., Deguchi, Y., Matsumoto, K., et al. (1993) · Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology · doi:10.3177/jnsv.39.635 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Gender differences in cortical representation of rectal distension in healthy humans
Kern, M., Jaradeh, S. S., Arndorfer, R. C., Jesmanowicz, A., Hyde, J. S., & Shaker, R. (2001) · American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology · doi:10.1152/ajpgi.2001.281.6.g1512 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Tolerance to low-digestible carbohydrates: symptomatology and methods
Marteau, P. R., & Flourié, B. (2001) · British Journal Of Nutrition · doi:10.1079/bjn2000258 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Fat, fiber, fruits, vegetables, and risk of colorectal adenomas
Mathew, A., Peters, U., Chatterjee, N., et al. (2003) · International Journal of Cancer · doi:10.1002/ijc.10984 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Acacia Gum is a Bifidogenic Dietary Fibre with High Digestive Tolerance in Healthy Humans
Cherbut, C., Michel, C., Raison, V., et al. (2003) · Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease · doi:10.1080/08910600310014377 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Brunser, O., Figueroa, G., Gotteland, M., Haschke‐Becher, E., Magliola, C., Rochat, F., Cruchet, S., Palframan, R. J., Gibson, G. R., Chauffard, F., et al. (2006) · PubMed · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Self-citationQuantitative estimates of fermentation in the hind gut of man.
Cummings, J. H., Gibson, G. R., & Macfarlane, G. T. (1989) · PubMed · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Fiber, sex, and colorectal adenoma: results of a pooled analysis
Jacobs, E. T., Lanza, E., Alberts, D. S., Hsu, C., Jiang, R., Schatzkin, A. G., Thompson, P. A., & Martı́nez, M. E. (2006) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/83.2.343 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Acacia Gum is a Bifidogenic Dietary Fibre with High Digestive Tolerance in Healthy Humans
Cherbut, C., Michel, C., Raison, V., et al. (2003) · Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease · doi:10.3402/mehd.v15i1.7977 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Thumshirn, Coulie, Camilleri, Zinsmeister, Burton, & Dyke, V. (2000) · Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2036.2000.00786.x · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Association of Diet and Colorectal Adenomatous Polyps
Martnez, M. E., McPherson, R. S., Annegers, J. F., & Levin, B. (1996) · Epidemiology · doi:10.1097/00001648-199605000-00008 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Fox, M. R., Stutz, B., Menne, D., Fried, M., Schwizer, W., & Thumshirn, M. (2005) · Digestive Diseases and Sciences · doi:10.1007/s10620-005-2900-6 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Self-citationFibre, fermentation, flora, and flatus.
GRIMBLE, G. K. (1989) · Gut · doi:10.1136/gut.30.1.6 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Cingulate cortex: a closer look at its gut-related functional topography
Lawal, A., Kern, M., Sanjeevi, A., Hofmann, C. L., & Shaker, R. (2005) · American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology · doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00016.2005 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
[Chronic idiopathic constipation in adults. Pathogenesis and treatment].
Bouhnik, Y., Coffin, B., & Rambaud, J. C. (1996) · PubMed · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Sanctuary, M. R., Kain, J. N., Chen, S. Y., Kalanetra, K., Lemay, D. G., Rose, D. R., Yang, H. T., Tancredi, D. J., German, J. B., Slupsky, C. M., et al. (2019) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0210064 · Cited by 255 · see citing works
Guyonnet, D., Schlumberger, A., Mhamdi, L., Jakob, S., & Chassany, O. (2009) · British Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1017/s0007114509990882 · Cited by 95 · see citing works
NAGAMINE, T., IDO, Y., NAKAMURA, M., & OKAMURA, T. (2018) · Bioscience of Microbiota Food and Health · doi:10.12938/bmfh.17-016 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
- Authors
- Goetze, O., Fruehauf, H., Pohl, D., Giarrè, M., Rochat, F., Ornstein, K., Menne, D., Fried, M., & Thumshirn, M.
- Affiliations
- University Hospital Zurich (CH)
- Nestlé (Switzerland) (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Thumshirn, Miriam
- Venue
- British Journal of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2008-11
- Volume
- 100
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1077-1085
- ISSN
- 0007-1145 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-2662
- OpenAlex
- W2096501458
- Cited by
- 49
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- British Journal Of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- reroDoc Digital Library (submittedVersion)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Keywords
- prebiotics, fructooligosaccharides, gum arabic, maltodextrin, intestinal gas, abdominal discomfort, belching, rectal sensation, Bifidobacterium, sex differences, dietary supplements, general well-being
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Bifidobacterium, Colon, Dietary Carbohydrates, Double-Blind Method, Female, Fermentation, Flatulence, Gum Arabic, Health, Humans, Intestines, Male, Oligosaccharides, Polysaccharides, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sex Factors, Telemedicine, Cross-Over Studies, Dietary Supplements, Probiotics
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
