The effect of viscous soluble dietary fiber on nutrient digestion and metabolic responses II: In vivo digestion process

Viscous soluble dietary fibers (VSDF) have received much attention for their potential role in energy regulation through the reduction of energy intake due to increased satiety. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of low and high viscosities of xanthan and guar gum solutions on postprandial nutrient intake and plasma biomarkers of nutrient metabolism by an in vivo animal experiment. This study examined the effects of short-term and long-term intake of different VSDF on metabolism and physical condition in rats. On the third day the 4 h food intake (FI) after gavage of the high viscosity xanthan gum (HX) group was decreased from 13.07 g to 6.79 g and the blood glucose (BG) 30 min postprandial was lowered from 14.1 mmol/L to 7.9 mmol/L compared to Control. The amount of gastrointestinal chyme in the HX group was significantly higher than the other groups after 2 h of gavage. The long-term (3 weeks) consumption of VSDF reduced the rats' FI, body weight, fasting blood glucose, apparent protein digestibility, insulin and leptin concentrations, indicating that VSDF may reduce weight gain by inhibiting nutrient digestion. The long-term intake of VSDF increased the length of the small intestine. HX group had the lowest weight gain and nutrient digestion than the other groups.