Effect of Repeated Consumption of Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum on Fecal Characteristics and Gut Microbiota: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, and Parallel-Group Clinical Trial

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 11; no. 9; p. 2170
• Main Authors: Yasukawa, Zenta, Inoue, Ryo, Ozeki, Makoto, Okubo, Tsutomu, Takagi, Tomohisa, Honda, Akira, Naito, Yuji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 10.09.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Abdomen; Adult; Autism; bacteria; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - growth & development; Bifidobacterium; bile acids; Bile Acids and Salts - blood; Clinical trials; Constipation; Defecation; Diarrhea; Diarrhea - diagnosis; Diarrhea - microbiology; Diarrhea - physiopathology; Diarrhea - therapy; Dietary fiber; Dietary Fiber - administration & dosage; Dietary Fiber - adverse effects; digestive system; Disease prevention; Double-Blind Method; Double-blind studies; Family medical history; Feces; Feces - microbiology; Female; females; Galactans - administration & dosage; Galactans - adverse effects; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; guar gum; Gut microbiota; Hematology; Humans; Hydrolysis; intestinal microorganisms; Irritable bowel syndrome; liquids; Male; males; Mannans - administration & dosage; Mannans - adverse effects; microbiome; Microbiota; Middle Aged; nucleotide sequences; Pain; Physiology; placebos; Plant Gums - administration & dosage; Plant Gums - adverse effects; Prebiotics - administration & dosage; Prebiotics - adverse effects; Quality of Life; ribosomal RNA; Systematic review; Time Factors; Tokyo; Treatment Outcome; volunteers; water solubility; Young Adult; Tokyo; Japan; 16S rRNA; Bristol stool scale; diarrhea; partially hydrolyzed guar gum; gut microbiota
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu11092170

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is a water-soluble dietary fiber and is used in solid and liquid food to regulate gut function. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of PHGG on bowel movements (stool form and frequency), plasma bile acids, quality of life, and gut microbiota of healthy volunteers with a tendency toward diarrhea, i.e., irritable bowel syndrome diarrhea (IBS-D)-like symptoms. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and parallel trial was performed on 44 healthy volunteers (22 males, 22 females, 41.9 ± 6.3 years old (average ± SD)) with minimum 7 bowel movements every week, wherein above 50% of their stool was between the Bristol stool scale (BSS) value of 5 and 6. Intake of the PHGG for 3 months significantly improved stool form, evaluated using BSS, and had no effects on stool frequency. BSS was significantly normalized in the group consuming the PHGG compared with the placebo. Comprehensive fecal microbiome analysis by the 16S rRNA-sequence method detected significant changes in the ratio of some bacteria, such as an increase of Bifidobacterium (p < 0.05) in the PHGG group. Our results suggest that intake of PHGG improves human stool form via regulating intestinal microbiota.