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Perspectives
Effect of Fiber Intake on Microbial Interactions Within the Human Colon |
| Sep 21 2009 |
The Phenomenon of Metabolic Cross-Feeding
Traditional schools of thought have said that if a patient exhibits low levels of bifidobacteria or butyrate in their stool, then supplementation with fiber should serve to increase both bifidobacteria and their major metabolic by-product, namely, butyrate. However, as is often the case with simplistic theories in science and medicine, research has revealed that there are more complex interrelated mechanisms which govern the reported bifidogenic or butyrogenic effect of fiber. Recent elucidation1 of some of these mechanisms has helped to shed light on why certain individuals may experience bloating or distention when consuming certain types of fibre.2
If we take the example of the effect of the popular fructans, inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) on bifidobacteria, it was traditionally thought that both have a bifidogenic effect in the human gut due to the ability of each to act as a direct substrate for bifidobacteria. However, while bifidobacteria have been shown to produce lactate, acetate, formate, ethanol, and even minor amounts of succinate,3-6 they have not been reported to directly produce butyrate.7 Instead, cross-feeding between different members of the colonic microbiota has been suggested as a possible mechanism responsible for colonic butyrate production.8-12
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