Metabolic effects of polydextrose, lactitol and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in rats fed with high‐fat diet

Abstract

Polydextrose (PDX) and lactitol enhance satiety and influence postprandial glucose and lipid levels. Furthermore, low levels of Bacteroidetes are associated with increased BMI. We investigated the supplementation of PDX, lactitol and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron on metabolic parameter in rats on high‐fat diet. Hundred male rats were fed a high fat (42%) diet for two weeks. Rats, allocated into four groups, were administered orally 2 ml saline containing B. thetaiotaomicron (1010bacteria/day) with or without addition of PDX or lactitol (2 g/day), or saline alone for 8 days. Postprandial blood samples were collected at 0, 1, 3, 5 and 8 h for the determination of triglycerides (TG), glucose, insulin, gastrointestinal peptides and caecal material collected. B. thetaiotaomicron supplementation alone did not have any significant effect on body weight gain, but when administered together with lactitol or PDX, there was a significant decline in mean body weight. TG were decreased by the combination of B. thetaiotaomicron and lactitol or B. thetaiotaomicron and PDX. Plasma insulin levels were lower in all test groups. Caecal branched SCFAs and SCFAs were significantly decreased in both lactitol and PDX‐treated groups, while there were no significant changes in these parameters in rats receiving B. thetaiotaomicron alone. Both lactitol and PDX in combination with B. thetaiotaomicron significantly decreased the dry matter, while heat values were increased in the B. thetaiotaomicron‐fed rats.ConclusionOur results suggest that B. thetaiotaomicron has only minor effects on body weight, whereas polydextrose and lactitol may be useful in weight management and attenuating post‐prandial TG.