DIETARY FIBER
Moksha Chib
13FET1003
What is Dietary Fiber ?
▪ “Dietary fiber consists of remnants of edible plant cells, polysaccharides, lignin and associated plant
substances resistant to digestion by the alimentary enzymes of humans.”
▪ Resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial
fermentation in the large intestine
Dietary
Fiber
Soluble Insoluble
Classification based on water solubility/ fermentability
Characteristic Fiber Component Description Food Sources
Water
insoluble/ less
fermentable
Cellulose • Main structural component of plant cell wall
• Insoluble in conc. Alkali
• Soluble in conc. acid
Plants ( vegetables, sugar beet,
various brans)
Hemicellulose • Cell wall polysaccharide
• Contain backbone of β-1,4 glycosidic linkages
• Soluble in dilute alkali
Cereal grains
Lignin • Non carb cell wall component
• Complex cross-linked phenyl propane polymer
• Resists bacterial degradation
Woody plants
Water soluble/
more fermentable Pectin
• Component of primary cell wall with D- Galacturonic
acid as principal component
• Water soluble
• Gel forming
Fruits, vegetables, legumes,
sugar beet, potato
Gums • Secreted at site of plant injury by secretary glands
• Food & pharmaceutical use
Leguminous seed plants (guar,
locust bean), seaweed extracts
(carageenan, alginates), microbial
gums (xanthan, gellan)
Mucilages • Synthesized by plant, prevent desiccation of seed
endosperm
• Food industry use, hydrophilic, stabilizer
Plant extracts ( gum acacia, gum
karaya, gum tragacanth)
•Viscous polysacc.
Impede absorption
of nutrients
•More branching &
ionic groups
increase solubility
• Porosity &
surface area
influences
extent of
fermentation
•Coarser the particle
size, more effective
it is in increasing the
stool output
•Hydration increases
with decrease in
particle size
•Affects transit time,
fecal excretion &
fermentation
•Sugar residues
associate with H20
molecules by H-
bonds
•Insoluble fiber hold
onto water & give
fecal mass greater
water content
•Hydration allows
for formation of gel
matrix
Water
holding
capacity
Particle
Size
Viscosity
&
solubility
Surface
Area
Physico-chemical properties of Dietary Fiber
Food Sources
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Dietary Fiber content of various food sources (g/100g
edible portion)
Insoluble Fiber
Soluble Fiber
Fate of dietary fiber in the human
digestive system
Stomach
•Dietary fiber mixes with partially
digested food in the stomach
Small
Intestine
• Not hydrolyzed by pancreatic amylases
• Soluble fiber entraps sugar, cholesterol & fat,
hence slowing their absorption in the body
• Hydration of fiber allows for formation of gel
matrix & increases viscosity of food mass
Large
Intestine
• Polysaccharide fibers metabolized by bacteria
inhabiting the LI & create short chain fatty
acids (acetic, propionic & butyric acids or
VFAs), H2, CO2 & biomass
• Promote regularity & aid in bulking
Fermentation of fiber in colon
▪ Colonic fermentation is an efficient digestive process
since starch is almost totally degraded. Usually, more
than half of the consumed fibers are degraded in the LI,
rest being excreted in the stool
▪ Factors affecting utilization of fermentable sugars are:
o Solubility: More soluble substrates, being more
accessible to hydrolytic enzymes are likely to be
degraded rapidly
o Digestive motility & individual differences in
microflora can also modulate fermentation
DIETARY FIBER FERMENTABILITY (%)
Cellulose 20-80
Hemicellulose 60-90
Pectin 100
Guar gum 100
Ispaghula 55
Wheat bran 50
Resistant starch 100
Inulin,
oligosaccharides
100 (if they are not in
excess)
▪ Polysaccharides cannot penetrate in the bacterial cell, they are hydrolysed by the membranous or
extra cellular enzymes secreted by bacteria
▪ Monomeric sugars are metabolised in the bacterial cells using the EM pathway which leads to
pyruvate
▪ Pyruvate does not appear in the large bowel & is immediately converted to end products: SCFA (
acetate, propionate, butyrate) & gases like H2, CO2, CH4
Absorption & metabolism of end products
▪ A part of the fermentation products are utilized by bacteria yielding energy & carbon necessary for synthesis
and growth of flora
▪ Another part is eliminated in the stool
▪ Major part is absorbed by the colonic mucosa
Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA)
▪ Absorption of SCFA is rapid & leads to accumulation of bicarbonates and increase of pH in the lumen
▪ SCFA stimulate proliferation of colonic epithelial cells & growth of colon in general
▪ SCFA, not metabolized in mucosa, is oxidized in the liver
Gases
▪ Only a fraction of gases are available for absorption, H2 and CH4 are excreted as breath gases.
▪ Large part of gases are consumed in the colonic lumen by the bacteria. Unused gases are excreted.
TYPE OF
BACTERIA
SUBSTRATE PRODUCT
Acetogenic CO2 and H2 Acetate
Methanogenic CO2 and H2 CH4
Sulfate
reducing
Use H2 to reduce
sulfates
Sulfites or
H2S
Type of bacteria in the colon that utilize the
gases produced as a result of fermentation
Health Benefits
FUNCTIONS BENEFITS
Adds bulk to the diet, making feel fuller May reduce appetite
Attracts water & turns to gel during digestion,
trapping carbs & slowing absorption of glucose
Lowers variance in blood sugar levels
Lowers total & LDL cholesterol Reduces risk of heart diseases
Regulates blood pressure May reduce onset risk or symptoms of metabolic
syndrome & diabetes
Speeds the passage of foods through the digestive
system
Facilitates regularity
Adds bulk to stool Alleviates constipation
Balances intestinal pH & stimulates intestinal
fermentation production of SCFA
May reduce risk of colorectal cancer
Effects on carbohydrate digestion & absorption
Gastric emptying
• They may slow gastric filling, due
to bulking & energetic dilution
capacity
• Soluble fibers on mixing with
liquid meals, delay emptying of
gastric liquids by increasing
viscosity of gastric contents
• Insoluble fractions may also alter
gastric emptying by mechanisms
depending on their water
retention capacity or size of
particle
Lowers postprandial glycaemia
• Due to its WHC, dietary fiber
absorbs water and forms a gel
• The gel entraps carbohydrates
and lowers absorption of glucose
• Thus the blood glucose levels do
not shoot up after meals and are
maintained
Effects of fiber on large bowel function
Stool output
•Least fermentable show the greatest
effect on stool output
•Dietary fibers with high WHC are more
fermentable & are lost before they reach
the rectum (exception: ispaghula)
•For a large effect on the stool output, the
fiber should simply appear in the stool
•The rest then depends upon the amount
of fiber present in the stool
•Dietary fiber also has a role in changing
the consistency of the stool by increasing
the water content, plasticity & stool
frequency
Colonic motility & transit time
Other health benefits
Weight Control
• Prevent weight gain or promote weight
loss by extending the feeling of fullness
after a meal
• Average weight reductions were found to
be greatest for fructans and marine
polysaccharide groups
Diverticular disease
• High fiber intakes have been associated
with a decreased risk of Diverticulosis, a
common condition that is characterized
by the formation of small pouches in the
colon
• Men with the highest insoluble fiber
intakes, show a 37% lower risk of
developing symptomatic diverticular
disease
• Protective effect of DF against the disease
was strongest for cellulose & lignin
Reduction in risk of Cancers
COLORECTAL CANCER
▪ Incidence of colorectal cancer was found to be lower in people with high fiber intakes
▪ Even though the protective effect of fiber consumption on the occurrence of colorectal cancer is
still questionable, but it has been shown that the supplementation of psyllium resulted in a
significant decrease in it
BREAST CANCER
▪ It was found that the women with the highest fiber intakes had a risk of breast cancer 40% lower
than women with lower fiber intakes
▪ The results of small, short-term intervention trials in premenopausal and postmenopausal
women suggest that low-fat (10%-25% of energy), high-fiber (25-40 g/day) diets could decrease
circulating estrogen levels by increasing the excretion of estrogens and by promoting the
metabolism of estrogens to less estrogenic forms
Functional Fiber
▪ Consist of isolated, non digestible carbohydrates that have beneficial
physiological effects on humans
▪ May be non digestible carbohydrates that have been isolated or extracted from a
plant or an animal source, or may be manufactured/ synthesized
PSYLLIUM: Viscous
mucilage isolated from the
husks of psyllium seeds
CHITIN: Non digestible carb extracted from
exoskeleton of crustaceans, long polymer of
acetylated glucosamine units linked by β 1,4
glycosidic bonds
CHITOSAN: Non digestible glucosamine
polymer produced by deacetylation of chitin
FOS: Short synthetic
fructose chains
terminating with glucose
units
RESISTANT DEXTRINS:
Indigestible polysaccs
formed when starch is
heated & treated with
enzymes
INULIN: Fructans
terminating with
glucose units,
found in roots &
rhizomes of plants
like chicory
Synthesis of Inulin from Chicory Roots
Chicory Roots
Washing
Slicing
Sun Drying (30-
35°C) or Hot Oven
Drying (80-90°C)
Grinding to get a
chicory powder
Extraction by
diffusion in hot
water (70-80°c for
1 hr)
Filtered using a
double layer
muslin cloth
Precipitation of
filtrate using
20,40, 60% ethanol
Inulin obtained by
centrifugation &
dried at 45°C
Synthesis of Chitin & Chitosan
Marine
Crustacean Shells
Demineralization Deproteination Discoloration
ChitinDeacetylationChitosan
HCl NaOH KMnO4
NaOH
(40-50%)
Drug- nutrient interactions
INTERACTION WITH
TYPE OF DRUG
RESULTS
Drugs acting on nervous
system
• Lithium ingested ispaghula decreases the blood levels of the drugs, fiber also reduced
the absorption of lithium
• High fiber diet led to decrease in the serum levels of antidepressants
• Consumption of fiber supplements (wheat bran) with Levodopa (drug used for
treatment of Parkinson’s disease) led to elevation of levodopa plasma levels
Lipid lowering drugs • Gemfibrozil administered with guar gum resulted in higher lipid lowering effect.
Reduction in total and LDL cholesterol was greater
• In cholesterol-fed hamsters, greater decrease in LDL cholesterol levels were found in
animals receiving Cholestyramine with psyllium than in hamsters receiving the drug
alone
• Pectin reduces the intestinal absorption of Lovastatin, the cholesterol lowering agent
Hypoglycaemic agents • Glucomannan may influence the intestinal absorption of Glibenclamide, diminishing
the bioavailability of the drug
Drugs acting on
cardiovascular system
• Addition of wheat bran lowered Digoxin plasma levels
Anitmicrobials &
Chemotherapeutic
agents
• Rifamixin improves the benefits of dietary fiber by preventing its bacterial degradation
Nutrient- nutrient Interactions
It has been observed that increase in the dietary fiber intake decreases the absorption/bioavailability of most of
the minerals in the body.
MINERAL/MINERAL
BINDING FACTOR
MECHANISM
Oxalate Oxalate & dietary fiber bind to the mineral to form DF-mineral-oxalate
complex which is less easily broken down during digestion, thus decreasing
bioavailability of the mineral
Tannins Bind Fe by forming insoluble iron tannates leading to impaired heme-iron
absorption
Iron Tannins & phytates present in the bran impair Fe absorption. Both heme &
non heme Fe absorption is impaired due to the chelating property of phytates
Zinc Rye, barley, oatmeal , triticale, rick sources of phytates hamper the absorption
of Zn. Resistant starch in cornflakes chelates minerals
Calcium & Copper Wheat bran constitute phytates
Chromium Cr is not bound by phytates, doesn’t show any altered uptake
Role of dietary fiber in absorption of Phenolic Compounds
Role of dietary fiber in absorption of Carotenoids
Adequate Intake for Total Fiber
LIFE STAGE AGE MALES (g/day) FEMALES (g/day)
Infants 0-6 months Not Determined Not Determined
Infants 7-12 months Not Determined Not Determined
Children 1-3 yrs 19 19
Children 4-8 yrs 25 25
Children 9-13 yrs 31 26
Adolescents 14-18 yrs 38 26
Adults 19-50 yrs 38 25
Adults 51 yrs and older 30 21
Pregnancy All ages 28
Breast feeding All ages 29
Adverse effects & Safety Measures
DIETARY FIBER
Some people experience abdominal cramping, bloating or flatulence on abruptly increasing the DF intake.
These can be minimized by increasing the DF intake gradually & increasing the fluid intake to at least 2
liter/day
ISOLATED FIBERS & FIBER SUPPLEMENTS
▪ Gastrointestinal symptoms: Use of guar gum, inulin, FOS, RS & psyllium can cause gastrointestinal
distress. Guar gum containing supplements for weight loss have been associated with esophageal & small
bowel obstruction
▪ Colorectal Adenomas: Supplementation with 3.5g/day psyllium for 3years can result in significant
increase in colorectal adenomas
▪ Allergy & Anaphylaxis: People with shellfish allergies should avoid supplements with chitin/chitosan in
it. Intravenous administration of inulin as well as ingestion of margarine containing inulin extracted from
chicory can lead to Anaphylaxis
Marketed Products
Amway Nutrilite
Fiber (0.2kg)
Acacia Fiber (Ayurvedic
Digestion Support)
NutriCology Dietary
Fiber Cellulose
Apple Fiber with
Apple Pectin
Marketed Products
Psyllium Husk Caps Fiber Choice Weight
Management Tablets
BarnDad’s Fober DX- German
Chocolate Shake
Oat Bran (250
tablets)
Yummi Bears
Fiber (60
gummies)
References
▪ (Food Science and Technology) Susan Sungsoo Cho-Handbook of Dietary Fiber Food Science and Technology-CRC Press (2001)
▪ (GWUMC Department of Biochemistry Annual Spring Symposia) D. A. T. Southgate (auth.), George V. Vahouny, David Kritchevsky (eds.)-
Dietary Fiber in Health and Disease-Springer US (1982)
▪ Role of Dietary Fiber in the Bio accessibility and Bioavailability of Fruit and Vegetable Antioxidants by Hugo Palafox Carlos, Jesus Fernando
Ayala-Zavala, Gustavo A. Gonzalez- Aguilar (Concise Reviews in Food Science)
▪ Dietary Fiber in foods: a Review by Devinder Dhingra, Mona Michael, Hradesh Rajput, R.T Patil in J Food Sci Technol (May- June 2012)
49(3):255-266, DOI 10.1007/s13197-011-0365-5
▪ Dietary Fiber and mineral Bioavaialbility by Barbara F. Harland, Department of Human Nutrition and Food, School Of Human Ecology,
Howard University, Washington DC, 20059, USA (Nutrition Research Reviews (1989), 2, 133-147)
▪ Handbook of Nutraceuticals and functional Foods, 2nd edition, Edited by Robert C. Wildman
▪ Jan Willem van der Kamp_ Julie Jones_ Barry McCleary_ David Topping-Dietary fibre_ New frontiers for food and health-Wageningen
Academic Publishers (2010)
▪ Robert R. Selvendran, A. Verena F. V. Verne (auth.), David Kritchevsky, Charles Bonfield, James W. Anderson (eds.)-Dietary Fiber_ Chemistry,
Physiology, and Health Effects-Springer US (1990)
▪ Dietary fiber and its interaction with Drugs by A. González Canga, N. Fernández Martínez, A. M.ª Sahagún Prieto, J. J. García Vieitez, M.ª J. Díez
Liébana, R. Díez Láiz and M. Sierra Vega
▪ TheVitaminShoppe for various marketed goods

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Dietary fiber

  • 2. What is Dietary Fiber ? ▪ “Dietary fiber consists of remnants of edible plant cells, polysaccharides, lignin and associated plant substances resistant to digestion by the alimentary enzymes of humans.” ▪ Resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine Dietary Fiber Soluble Insoluble
  • 3. Classification based on water solubility/ fermentability Characteristic Fiber Component Description Food Sources Water insoluble/ less fermentable Cellulose • Main structural component of plant cell wall • Insoluble in conc. Alkali • Soluble in conc. acid Plants ( vegetables, sugar beet, various brans) Hemicellulose • Cell wall polysaccharide • Contain backbone of β-1,4 glycosidic linkages • Soluble in dilute alkali Cereal grains Lignin • Non carb cell wall component • Complex cross-linked phenyl propane polymer • Resists bacterial degradation Woody plants Water soluble/ more fermentable Pectin • Component of primary cell wall with D- Galacturonic acid as principal component • Water soluble • Gel forming Fruits, vegetables, legumes, sugar beet, potato Gums • Secreted at site of plant injury by secretary glands • Food & pharmaceutical use Leguminous seed plants (guar, locust bean), seaweed extracts (carageenan, alginates), microbial gums (xanthan, gellan) Mucilages • Synthesized by plant, prevent desiccation of seed endosperm • Food industry use, hydrophilic, stabilizer Plant extracts ( gum acacia, gum karaya, gum tragacanth)
  • 4. •Viscous polysacc. Impede absorption of nutrients •More branching & ionic groups increase solubility • Porosity & surface area influences extent of fermentation •Coarser the particle size, more effective it is in increasing the stool output •Hydration increases with decrease in particle size •Affects transit time, fecal excretion & fermentation •Sugar residues associate with H20 molecules by H- bonds •Insoluble fiber hold onto water & give fecal mass greater water content •Hydration allows for formation of gel matrix Water holding capacity Particle Size Viscosity & solubility Surface Area Physico-chemical properties of Dietary Fiber
  • 6. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Dietary Fiber content of various food sources (g/100g edible portion) Insoluble Fiber Soluble Fiber
  • 7. Fate of dietary fiber in the human digestive system Stomach •Dietary fiber mixes with partially digested food in the stomach Small Intestine • Not hydrolyzed by pancreatic amylases • Soluble fiber entraps sugar, cholesterol & fat, hence slowing their absorption in the body • Hydration of fiber allows for formation of gel matrix & increases viscosity of food mass Large Intestine • Polysaccharide fibers metabolized by bacteria inhabiting the LI & create short chain fatty acids (acetic, propionic & butyric acids or VFAs), H2, CO2 & biomass • Promote regularity & aid in bulking
  • 8. Fermentation of fiber in colon ▪ Colonic fermentation is an efficient digestive process since starch is almost totally degraded. Usually, more than half of the consumed fibers are degraded in the LI, rest being excreted in the stool ▪ Factors affecting utilization of fermentable sugars are: o Solubility: More soluble substrates, being more accessible to hydrolytic enzymes are likely to be degraded rapidly o Digestive motility & individual differences in microflora can also modulate fermentation DIETARY FIBER FERMENTABILITY (%) Cellulose 20-80 Hemicellulose 60-90 Pectin 100 Guar gum 100 Ispaghula 55 Wheat bran 50 Resistant starch 100 Inulin, oligosaccharides 100 (if they are not in excess)
  • 9. ▪ Polysaccharides cannot penetrate in the bacterial cell, they are hydrolysed by the membranous or extra cellular enzymes secreted by bacteria ▪ Monomeric sugars are metabolised in the bacterial cells using the EM pathway which leads to pyruvate ▪ Pyruvate does not appear in the large bowel & is immediately converted to end products: SCFA ( acetate, propionate, butyrate) & gases like H2, CO2, CH4
  • 10. Absorption & metabolism of end products ▪ A part of the fermentation products are utilized by bacteria yielding energy & carbon necessary for synthesis and growth of flora ▪ Another part is eliminated in the stool ▪ Major part is absorbed by the colonic mucosa Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) ▪ Absorption of SCFA is rapid & leads to accumulation of bicarbonates and increase of pH in the lumen ▪ SCFA stimulate proliferation of colonic epithelial cells & growth of colon in general ▪ SCFA, not metabolized in mucosa, is oxidized in the liver Gases ▪ Only a fraction of gases are available for absorption, H2 and CH4 are excreted as breath gases. ▪ Large part of gases are consumed in the colonic lumen by the bacteria. Unused gases are excreted.
  • 11. TYPE OF BACTERIA SUBSTRATE PRODUCT Acetogenic CO2 and H2 Acetate Methanogenic CO2 and H2 CH4 Sulfate reducing Use H2 to reduce sulfates Sulfites or H2S Type of bacteria in the colon that utilize the gases produced as a result of fermentation
  • 12. Health Benefits FUNCTIONS BENEFITS Adds bulk to the diet, making feel fuller May reduce appetite Attracts water & turns to gel during digestion, trapping carbs & slowing absorption of glucose Lowers variance in blood sugar levels Lowers total & LDL cholesterol Reduces risk of heart diseases Regulates blood pressure May reduce onset risk or symptoms of metabolic syndrome & diabetes Speeds the passage of foods through the digestive system Facilitates regularity Adds bulk to stool Alleviates constipation Balances intestinal pH & stimulates intestinal fermentation production of SCFA May reduce risk of colorectal cancer
  • 13. Effects on carbohydrate digestion & absorption Gastric emptying • They may slow gastric filling, due to bulking & energetic dilution capacity • Soluble fibers on mixing with liquid meals, delay emptying of gastric liquids by increasing viscosity of gastric contents • Insoluble fractions may also alter gastric emptying by mechanisms depending on their water retention capacity or size of particle Lowers postprandial glycaemia • Due to its WHC, dietary fiber absorbs water and forms a gel • The gel entraps carbohydrates and lowers absorption of glucose • Thus the blood glucose levels do not shoot up after meals and are maintained
  • 14. Effects of fiber on large bowel function Stool output •Least fermentable show the greatest effect on stool output •Dietary fibers with high WHC are more fermentable & are lost before they reach the rectum (exception: ispaghula) •For a large effect on the stool output, the fiber should simply appear in the stool •The rest then depends upon the amount of fiber present in the stool •Dietary fiber also has a role in changing the consistency of the stool by increasing the water content, plasticity & stool frequency Colonic motility & transit time
  • 15. Other health benefits Weight Control • Prevent weight gain or promote weight loss by extending the feeling of fullness after a meal • Average weight reductions were found to be greatest for fructans and marine polysaccharide groups Diverticular disease • High fiber intakes have been associated with a decreased risk of Diverticulosis, a common condition that is characterized by the formation of small pouches in the colon • Men with the highest insoluble fiber intakes, show a 37% lower risk of developing symptomatic diverticular disease • Protective effect of DF against the disease was strongest for cellulose & lignin
  • 16. Reduction in risk of Cancers COLORECTAL CANCER ▪ Incidence of colorectal cancer was found to be lower in people with high fiber intakes ▪ Even though the protective effect of fiber consumption on the occurrence of colorectal cancer is still questionable, but it has been shown that the supplementation of psyllium resulted in a significant decrease in it BREAST CANCER ▪ It was found that the women with the highest fiber intakes had a risk of breast cancer 40% lower than women with lower fiber intakes ▪ The results of small, short-term intervention trials in premenopausal and postmenopausal women suggest that low-fat (10%-25% of energy), high-fiber (25-40 g/day) diets could decrease circulating estrogen levels by increasing the excretion of estrogens and by promoting the metabolism of estrogens to less estrogenic forms
  • 17. Functional Fiber ▪ Consist of isolated, non digestible carbohydrates that have beneficial physiological effects on humans ▪ May be non digestible carbohydrates that have been isolated or extracted from a plant or an animal source, or may be manufactured/ synthesized PSYLLIUM: Viscous mucilage isolated from the husks of psyllium seeds CHITIN: Non digestible carb extracted from exoskeleton of crustaceans, long polymer of acetylated glucosamine units linked by β 1,4 glycosidic bonds CHITOSAN: Non digestible glucosamine polymer produced by deacetylation of chitin FOS: Short synthetic fructose chains terminating with glucose units RESISTANT DEXTRINS: Indigestible polysaccs formed when starch is heated & treated with enzymes INULIN: Fructans terminating with glucose units, found in roots & rhizomes of plants like chicory
  • 18. Synthesis of Inulin from Chicory Roots Chicory Roots Washing Slicing Sun Drying (30- 35°C) or Hot Oven Drying (80-90°C) Grinding to get a chicory powder Extraction by diffusion in hot water (70-80°c for 1 hr) Filtered using a double layer muslin cloth Precipitation of filtrate using 20,40, 60% ethanol Inulin obtained by centrifugation & dried at 45°C
  • 19. Synthesis of Chitin & Chitosan Marine Crustacean Shells Demineralization Deproteination Discoloration ChitinDeacetylationChitosan HCl NaOH KMnO4 NaOH (40-50%)
  • 20. Drug- nutrient interactions INTERACTION WITH TYPE OF DRUG RESULTS Drugs acting on nervous system • Lithium ingested ispaghula decreases the blood levels of the drugs, fiber also reduced the absorption of lithium • High fiber diet led to decrease in the serum levels of antidepressants • Consumption of fiber supplements (wheat bran) with Levodopa (drug used for treatment of Parkinson’s disease) led to elevation of levodopa plasma levels Lipid lowering drugs • Gemfibrozil administered with guar gum resulted in higher lipid lowering effect. Reduction in total and LDL cholesterol was greater • In cholesterol-fed hamsters, greater decrease in LDL cholesterol levels were found in animals receiving Cholestyramine with psyllium than in hamsters receiving the drug alone • Pectin reduces the intestinal absorption of Lovastatin, the cholesterol lowering agent Hypoglycaemic agents • Glucomannan may influence the intestinal absorption of Glibenclamide, diminishing the bioavailability of the drug Drugs acting on cardiovascular system • Addition of wheat bran lowered Digoxin plasma levels Anitmicrobials & Chemotherapeutic agents • Rifamixin improves the benefits of dietary fiber by preventing its bacterial degradation
  • 21. Nutrient- nutrient Interactions It has been observed that increase in the dietary fiber intake decreases the absorption/bioavailability of most of the minerals in the body. MINERAL/MINERAL BINDING FACTOR MECHANISM Oxalate Oxalate & dietary fiber bind to the mineral to form DF-mineral-oxalate complex which is less easily broken down during digestion, thus decreasing bioavailability of the mineral Tannins Bind Fe by forming insoluble iron tannates leading to impaired heme-iron absorption Iron Tannins & phytates present in the bran impair Fe absorption. Both heme & non heme Fe absorption is impaired due to the chelating property of phytates Zinc Rye, barley, oatmeal , triticale, rick sources of phytates hamper the absorption of Zn. Resistant starch in cornflakes chelates minerals Calcium & Copper Wheat bran constitute phytates Chromium Cr is not bound by phytates, doesn’t show any altered uptake
  • 22. Role of dietary fiber in absorption of Phenolic Compounds
  • 23. Role of dietary fiber in absorption of Carotenoids
  • 24. Adequate Intake for Total Fiber LIFE STAGE AGE MALES (g/day) FEMALES (g/day) Infants 0-6 months Not Determined Not Determined Infants 7-12 months Not Determined Not Determined Children 1-3 yrs 19 19 Children 4-8 yrs 25 25 Children 9-13 yrs 31 26 Adolescents 14-18 yrs 38 26 Adults 19-50 yrs 38 25 Adults 51 yrs and older 30 21 Pregnancy All ages 28 Breast feeding All ages 29
  • 25. Adverse effects & Safety Measures DIETARY FIBER Some people experience abdominal cramping, bloating or flatulence on abruptly increasing the DF intake. These can be minimized by increasing the DF intake gradually & increasing the fluid intake to at least 2 liter/day ISOLATED FIBERS & FIBER SUPPLEMENTS ▪ Gastrointestinal symptoms: Use of guar gum, inulin, FOS, RS & psyllium can cause gastrointestinal distress. Guar gum containing supplements for weight loss have been associated with esophageal & small bowel obstruction ▪ Colorectal Adenomas: Supplementation with 3.5g/day psyllium for 3years can result in significant increase in colorectal adenomas ▪ Allergy & Anaphylaxis: People with shellfish allergies should avoid supplements with chitin/chitosan in it. Intravenous administration of inulin as well as ingestion of margarine containing inulin extracted from chicory can lead to Anaphylaxis
  • 26. Marketed Products Amway Nutrilite Fiber (0.2kg) Acacia Fiber (Ayurvedic Digestion Support) NutriCology Dietary Fiber Cellulose Apple Fiber with Apple Pectin
  • 27. Marketed Products Psyllium Husk Caps Fiber Choice Weight Management Tablets BarnDad’s Fober DX- German Chocolate Shake Oat Bran (250 tablets) Yummi Bears Fiber (60 gummies)
  • 28. References ▪ (Food Science and Technology) Susan Sungsoo Cho-Handbook of Dietary Fiber Food Science and Technology-CRC Press (2001) ▪ (GWUMC Department of Biochemistry Annual Spring Symposia) D. A. T. Southgate (auth.), George V. Vahouny, David Kritchevsky (eds.)- Dietary Fiber in Health and Disease-Springer US (1982) ▪ Role of Dietary Fiber in the Bio accessibility and Bioavailability of Fruit and Vegetable Antioxidants by Hugo Palafox Carlos, Jesus Fernando Ayala-Zavala, Gustavo A. Gonzalez- Aguilar (Concise Reviews in Food Science) ▪ Dietary Fiber in foods: a Review by Devinder Dhingra, Mona Michael, Hradesh Rajput, R.T Patil in J Food Sci Technol (May- June 2012) 49(3):255-266, DOI 10.1007/s13197-011-0365-5 ▪ Dietary Fiber and mineral Bioavaialbility by Barbara F. Harland, Department of Human Nutrition and Food, School Of Human Ecology, Howard University, Washington DC, 20059, USA (Nutrition Research Reviews (1989), 2, 133-147) ▪ Handbook of Nutraceuticals and functional Foods, 2nd edition, Edited by Robert C. Wildman ▪ Jan Willem van der Kamp_ Julie Jones_ Barry McCleary_ David Topping-Dietary fibre_ New frontiers for food and health-Wageningen Academic Publishers (2010) ▪ Robert R. Selvendran, A. Verena F. V. Verne (auth.), David Kritchevsky, Charles Bonfield, James W. Anderson (eds.)-Dietary Fiber_ Chemistry, Physiology, and Health Effects-Springer US (1990) ▪ Dietary fiber and its interaction with Drugs by A. González Canga, N. Fernández Martínez, A. M.ª Sahagún Prieto, J. J. García Vieitez, M.ª J. Díez Liébana, R. Díez Láiz and M. Sierra Vega ▪ TheVitaminShoppe for various marketed goods