Fermentable Polyols Research Articles

A Comparison of the Low-FODMAPs Diet and a Tritordeum-Based Diet on the Gastrointestinal Symptom Profile of Patients Suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Diarrhea Variant (IBS-D): A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The dietary approach low in oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and fermentable polyols (FODMAPs-LFD) is a good strategy for treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Beyond the LFD, other dietary approaches with beneficial effects may be hypothesized. Among them, consumption of Tritordeum-based foods (TBD, bread, bakery products, and pasta) in substitution of other cereals seem to achieve promising results. In a randomized controlled trial, we compared the effects of 12 weeks of LFD to TBD in improving the symptom profile of IBS-diarrhea (IBS-D) patients. The two diets equally improved gastrointestinal symptoms and QoL, measured by the IBS Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) questionnaire, reducing the total score after four weeks and maintaining this range until the end of treatment (IBS-SSS total score change: −132.1; 95% CI: −74.9 to −189.4 and −130.5; 95% CI: −73.2 to −187.7; p < 0.0001 after LFD and TBD, respectively). The two diets did not modify the micronutrients content when extended for 12 weeks. LFD could be regarded as a first-line dietary approach for IBS-D patients. However, TBD may represent a valid alternative, with high palatability, especially among Italian patients, for whom pasta is considered one of the main assets of dietetic culture, and would be easier to manage in their daily habits.

Effectiveness of a nutritional intervention in the reduction of gastrointestinal toxicity during teletherapy in women with gynaecological tumours

ObjectiveTo evaluate whether nutritional intervention through a diet low in oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and fermentable polyols reduces acute gastrointestinal toxicity by pelvic teletherapy in patients with gynaecological tumours. Material and methodsA prospective unicentric randomised clinical trial comparing patients on a diet low in oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and fermentable polyols versus a standard Mexican diet, designed to detect a decrease from 80% of grade 1–2 acute gastrointestinal toxicity in the normal diet group versus a 25% of acute gastrointestinal toxicity grade 1–2 in patients assigned to a diet low in oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and fermentable polyols. ResultsThirteen patients were recruited per group, with a higher gastrointestinal toxicity in the normal diet group, grade 1–2 (85% vs 77%) and 3 (23% vs 0%) compared to the diet low in oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and fermentable polyols (p 0.16). The diet low in oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and fermentable polyols group had a lower symptom score at the end of treatment in the quality of life questionnaire of patients with cervical cancer (1.41 vs 1.85, p 0.01) and a lower mean deterioration in performance status (0.61 of 0.5 vs 0.23 of 0.43, p 0.049). 85% of the patients had an excellent attachment to the diet. No significant factors associated with the presence of grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity were found. ConclusionThe implementation of a diet low in oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and fermentable polyols during treatment with pelvic teletherapy is a low cost and high attachment intervention, which decreases the deterioration of functional status and symptomatology at the end of treatment in patients with cervical cancer.

Effect of polyol gums on dental plaque in orthodontic patients

Sixty 11- to 15-year-old children wearing fixed orthodontic appliances were given chewing gums containing polyol for daily use after meals and snacks, to study whether the chewing of gums that contained slowly fermentable polyols (xylitol and sorbitol) affects the amount of dental plaque and the number of mutans streptococci present in plaque and saliva. The 60 subjects were randomly divided into four groups, each of which was provided with a supply of 1.35 gm pellet-shaped gums for a period of 1 month, as follows: (1) xylitol; (2) sorbitol; (3) xylitol-sorbitol mixture I (3:2); and (4) xylitol-sorbitol mixture 11 (4:1). In each group, two pellets with a total initial gum mass of 2.7 gm (maximum polyol dose per day: 10.5 gm), were used six times a day. The fresh and dry weight of dental plaque, collected at baseline and 28 days later from incisors, canines, and premolars from the area between gingival margin and the bracket, reduced in all groups, but most significantly (by 43% to 47%) in children receiving xylitol gum. The plaque and saliva levels of mutans streptococci did not change in the sorbitol group, but was significantly (in most cases) reduced by 13% to 33% in groups that received gum containing xylitol. Provided that the quantity of dental plaque and the plaque and salivary levels of mutans streptococci can be regarded as risk factors in dental caries, these results suggest that regular use of polyol gum—and especially gum that contains xylitol as the predominant sweetener—can reduce the caries risk in young patients wearing fixed orthodontic appliances. (AM J ORTHOD DENTOFAC ORTHOP 1995;107:497-504.)