Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-fqc5m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T05:05:08.132Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effect of resistant starch on colon function in humans

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

J. Tomlin
Affiliation:
Sub-department of Human Gastrointestinal Physiology and Nutrition, Floor K, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield SIO 2JF
N. W. Read
Affiliation:
Sub-department of Human Gastrointestinal Physiology and Nutrition, Floor K, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield SIO 2JF
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Starch that is resistant to human amylases forms during the cooking and subsequent cooling of some foods, and may therefore be a substrate for the bacterial flora of the colon. It is thus possible that resistant starch (RS) will affect colon function in a similar manner to non-starch polysaccharides. To test this theory, a group of eight volunteers took two diet supplements for 1 week each in a random order with a 1 week separation. One supplement comprised mainly 350 g Cornflakes/d and the other 380 g Rice Krispies/d, providing 10.33 and 0.86 g RS/.d respectively. The amounts of amylase-digestible starch, non-starch polysaccharides, total carbohydrate, energy, protein and fat were balanced between the two periods by giving small amounts of Casilan, wheat bran, butter and boiled sweets. The volunteers made faecal collections during day 3 to day 7 of each period. Whole-gut transit time was calculated using the continuous method. Stool consistency and ease of defaecation were assessed by the volunteers. All episodes of flatulence noticed were recorded in a diary, along with food intake. Serial breath hydrogen measurements were made at 15 min intervals for 8 h on day 1 of each supplement. Questionnaires regarding colon function were completed at the end of each dietary period. There were no significant differences in the stool mass, frequency or consistency, ease of defaecations, transit time or flatulence experienced during the two supplements (P > 0.05). Significantly more H2 (area under curve) was produced while eating Cornflakes than Rice Krispies (P < 0.05). The difference of 9.47 g RS/d between the two diets was over three times the calculated normal daily RS intake of 2.76 g/d. As the only significant difference observed was in the breath H2 excretion on day 1, we suggest that either RS is rapidly and completely fermented to end-products including H2 gas, which is subsequently excreted via the lungs and has little influence on colon function, or that bacterial adaptation removed any observable effect on faecal mass and transit time by day 3.

Type
Lower Gut Digestion
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1990

References

Annual Report of the National Food Survey Committee (1985). Household Food Consumption and Expenditure: 1983. London: H.M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Cummings, J. H., Jenkins, D. J. A. & Wiggins, H. S. (1976). Measurement of the mean transit time of dietary residue through the human gut. Gut 17, 210218.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Davies, G. J., Crowder, M., Reid, B. & Dickerson, J. W. T. (1986). Bowel function measurements of individuals with different eating patterns. Gut 27, 164169.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dreher, M. L., Dreher, C. J. & Berry, J. W. (1984). Starch digestibility of foods: a nutritional perspective. CRC Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 20, 4771.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Englyst, H. N., Anderson, V. & Cummings, J. H. (1983). Starch and NSP in some cereal foods. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 34, 14341440.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Englyst, H. N. & Cummings, J. H. (1984). Simplified method for the measurement of total NSP by GLC of constituent sugars as alditol acetates. Analyst 109, 937942.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Englyst, H. N. & Cummings, J. H. (1986). Digestion of carbohydrates of banana in the human small intestine. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 44, 4250.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Englyst, H. N. & Cummings, J. H. (1987). Digestion of polysaccharides of potato in the small intestine of man. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 45, 423431.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Englyst, H. N. & MacFarlane, G. T. (1986). Breakdown of resistant and readily digestible starch by human gut bacteria. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 37, 699706.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Englyst, H. N., Trowell, H., Southgate, D. A. T. & Cummings, J. H. (1987). Dietary fibre and resistant starch. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 46, 873874.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Faulks, R. M., Southon, S. & Livesey, G. (1989). Utilization of α-amylase (EC 3.2. 1.1) resistant maize and pea (Pisum sativum) starch in the rat. British Journal of Nutrition 61, 291300.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fleming, S. E., Marthinsen, D. & Kuhnlein, H. (1983). Colonic function and fermentation in men consuming high fibre diets. Journal of Nutrition 113, 25352544.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flourie, B., Florent, C., Jouany, J.-P., Thivend, P., Etanchaud, F. & Rambaud, J. C. (1986). Colonic metabolism of wheat starch in healthy humans. Gastroenterology 90, 111119.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hespell, R. B. & Bryant, M. P. (1979). Efficiency of rumen microbial growth: influence of some theoretical and experimental factors on ATP. Journal of Animal Science 49, 16401659.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paul, A. A. & Southgate, D. A. T. (1978). McCance & Widdowson's The Composition of Foods, 4th edn. London: H.M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Stephen, A. M. & Cummings, J. H. (1980). Microbial contribution to human faecal mass. Journal of Medical Microbiology 13, 4556.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tomlin, J., Taylor, J. S. & Read, N. W. (1988). The effects of mixed faecal bacteria on a selection of viscous polysaccharides in vitro. Nutrition Reports International 39, 121135.Google Scholar