The effects of soluble corn fibre and isomaltooligosacharides on blood glucose, insulin, digestion and fermentation in healthy young males and females

Ryan P Lowery,Gabriel J Wilson,William A Wallace,Matthew Stefan,Jacob M Wilson,Andrew Barninger,Michael D Roberts,Matthew H Sharp,Ronald Wagner,Christopher Irvin

doi:10.4102/jir.v3i1.32

Ryan P Lowery, Gabriel J Wilson + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4102/jir.v3i1.32

Copy DOI

Abstract

Dietary fibre refers to nutrients in the diet that gastrointestinal enzymes do not digest. If properly labelled, dietary fibres should not significantly elevate blood glucose or insulin and should ferment in the large intestine. Because of the recent rise in low-carbohydrate products on the market, consumers use these various fibres without adequate knowledge concerning whether or not these ingredients affect any blood parameters and constitute a dietary fibre. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of isomaltooligosaccharides (IMO) as compared to soluble corn fibre (SCF) consumption on blood glucose, insulin and breath hydrogen responses in healthy young men and women. After an overnight fast, nine individuals consumed 25 g of either placebo (PLA), IMO or SCF. Breath hydrogen was significantly higher in the SCF condition than in the IMO and PLA at 90, 120, 150 and 180 min (p 0.0001). Blood glucose and insulin were higher in the IMO condition (p 0.0001) at 30 min compared to the SCF or PLA conditions, which were not significantly different from each other. These data suggest that IMO does not constitute a dietary fibre and instead should be explored as a slow-digesting carbohydrate.

Highlights

Dietary fibres are non-digestible carbohydrates in the diet that, when consumed, pass through the small intestine into the large intestine where colonic microflora may partially or wholly ferment them.[1,2] While fibre intake is associated with lower body fat and decreased occurrence of diabetes and heart disease, less than 5% of the United States population meets the standard general recommendation of 25 g to 30 g daily.[2]
A group by time interaction was demonstrated for breath hydrogen response (p < 0.0001) and post-hoc analysis revealed that soluble corn fibre (SCF) was significantly higher than IMO and PLA at 90, 120, 150 and 180 min (Figure 1a and Table 2)
A group by time interaction was demonstrated for blood glucose response (p < 0.0001) and post-hoc analysis revealed that IMO was significantly higher than SCF at 30 min (p < 0.0001; Figure 1b and Table 3)

Summary

Introduction

Dietary fibres are non-digestible carbohydrates in the diet that, when consumed, pass through the small intestine into the large intestine where colonic microflora may partially or wholly ferment them.[1,2] While fibre intake is associated with lower body fat and decreased occurrence of diabetes and heart disease, less than 5% of the United States population meets the standard general recommendation of 25 g to 30 g daily.[2]. In vitro resistance to pancreatic enzyme digestion has led nutrition companies to list IMO as a fibre.[5] previous research has demonstrated that isomaltose itself is almost completely digested (83% or more) by enzymes on the small intestinal border.[4,6] Soluble corn fibre is a newer digestion-resistant substance that still allows for the versatility of IMO in various food preparations.[7] Soluble corn fibre forms first through exposing corn syrup to a suite of pancreatic and brush border enzymes for 48 h or more, which leaves a stream of sugars and digestion-resistant carbohydrates.[3] This syrup is filtered repeatedly until the substance is composed of virtually all non-digestible fibres.[8,9]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion