Abstract
The study’s objective was to ascertain whether a nutritional multivitamin and mineral supplement enriched with two different dietary fibers influences microbiota composition, mineral absorption, and some immune and metabolic biomarkers in adult rats. Nine-week-old Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups: the reference group; the group receiving a daily supplement based on a food matrix with proteins, vitamins, and minerals; and two other groups receiving this supplement enriched with inulin (V + I) or acacia (V + A) fiber for four weeks. Microbiota composition was determined in cecal content and mineral content in fecal, blood, and femur samples. Intestinal IgA concentration, hematological, and biochemical variables were evaluated. Both V + I and V + A supplementations increased Firmicutes and Actinobacteria phyla, which were associated with a higher presence of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. V + A supplementation increased calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc concentrations in femur. V + I supplementation increased the fecal IgA content and reduced plasma total cholesterol and uric acid concentration. Both fiber-enriched supplements tested herein seem to be beneficial to gut-health, although differently.
Highlights
The intake in an appropriate dose (20–35 g/day for healthy adults) of dietary fiber (DF) has long been linked to reduction of metabolic diseases incidence, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, among others, due to its capacity to lower blood cholesterol and C Reactive Protein (CRP), to attenuate glucose absorption and to improve insulin response [1,2,3]
One constituted the reference (REF) group which did not receive any supplement; another group received a daily supplement based on a food matrix with proteins, vitamins and minerals (V) (Table S1); and two other groups received this supplement enriched with inulin (V + I) or acacia fiber (V + A), containing 4.5 g of fiber/100 g of product each (La Piara S.A, Manlleu, Barcelona)
Regarding the body mass index (BMI) at the end of the nutritional intervention, only sex-associated significant differences were observed within all experimental groups
Summary
The intake in an appropriate dose (20–35 g/day for healthy adults) of dietary fiber (DF) has long been linked to reduction of metabolic diseases incidence, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, among others, due to its capacity to lower blood cholesterol and C Reactive Protein (CRP), to attenuate glucose absorption and to improve insulin response [1,2,3]. When non-digestible fiber reaches the colon unaltered and is selectively metabolized by microbiota, it induces specific changes, both in the composition and/or functionality of one or a limited number of bacteria potentially associated with health and well-being [4,5,6]. Meeting all these criteria, non-digestible fiber is considered a prebiotic as defined by Gibson and Roberfroid [1,4,5,6].
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