Abstract
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that results in constipation (IBS-C) or diarrhoea with abdominal pain, flatulence, nausea and bloating. Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) are nutrient-dense fruit with a number of reported health benefits that include lowering glycaemic response, improving cardiovascular and inflammatory biomarkers, and enhancing gut comfort and laxation. This study investigated the effect of consuming three whole Zespri® SunGold kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis ‘Zesy002’) with or without skin on cytokine production and immune and gut health in healthy people and those with IBS-C symptoms. This study enrolled thirty-eight participants in a 16 week randomized cross-over study (19 healthy and 19 participants with IBS-C). Participants were randomized to consume either three kiwifruit without eating the skin or three kiwifruit including the skin for 4 weeks each, with a 4 week washout in between each intervention. There was a significant decrease in the pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α, for both the healthy and the IBS-C participants when they consumed whole kiwifruit and skin, and also for the healthy participants when they ate whole kiwifruit without the skin (p < 0.001). The kiwifruit interventions increased bowel frequency and significantly reduced the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale constipation and Birmingham IBS pain scores for both participant groups. We have demonstrated that consuming the skin of SunGold kiwifruit might have beneficial effects on gastrointestinal health that are not produced by consuming the flesh alone.
Highlights
Kiwifruit are recognised as a natural food that enhances laxation [1]
The secondary outcomes were improvements in the number of complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs), complete bowel motions (CBMs), spontaneous bowel motions (SBMs), bowel movement frequency (BM), number of strained bowel motions and stool form as well as gut symptoms and comfort using the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) and Birmingham Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) score compared with the baseline
Analysing the dietary intake data without the kiwifruit included in the intake values (Table 8), we found treatment effects for polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), dietary fibre, potassium, and Analysing the dietary intake data without the kiwifruit included inwere thesignificant intake values
Summary
Kiwifruit are recognised as a natural food that enhances laxation [1]. Laxation or defecation is an important process in maintaining human health and the feeling of well-being. Laxation induced by dietary fibre results in fermentation occurring more distally in the colon, providing protection against colorectal cancer and other disorders. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a widespread functional disorder that affects approximately 11% of the world’s population with a significant impact on their quality of life [2]. The presentation and aetiology of the condition are heterogeneous, with individuals. Nutrients 2020, 12, 1453 presenting with either constipation or diarrhoea and a host of other gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, flatulence, nausea and bloating. The mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of the disorder remain unclear [2,3]
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