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Pilot Study of the Effect of Fructans on Fermentation in the Colon & Transit

NCT01963364 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 16

Last updated 2014-01-17

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Some carbohydrates (complex sugars) which are found in grains, fruit and vegetables, cannot be digested by humans. When eaten they pass through the small bowel to the large bowel, or colon. Some bacteria that live in the colon are able to digest these carbohydrates, and use them as an energy source. This releases energy that humans can absorb, and may have other effects on health as well. The process also releases gases such as hydrogen and methane into the colon, which will eventually be released as flatulence.

There is some evidence in animals, and humans, that changing the carbohydrate content of the diet may increase the numbers of bacteria in the colon that can use this energy source. Recent work has looked at how changes in colon bacteria and carbohydrate in the diet affect transit, the speed at which food and stool moves through the stomach and bowels. This undergraduate project will use techniques in Magnetic Resonance Imaging developed in Nottingham to investigate how a prolonged change in dietary carbohydrate might affect speed of transit through the bowel and gas production in the colon, and whether there is any evidence of a change in the level of signalling chemicals that may affect bowel function.

Conditions

  • Evidence of Adaptation to Dietary Exposure to Fructans

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Inulin challenge

On two study days one week apart, fasted participants will consume 500ml of water, flavoured with lime juice, containing 40g inulin.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

oligofructose supplement

Starting at the end of study day 1, consumption of 5 grams oligofructose coloured with carmine red food dye(\<5%), dissolved in a hot drink, twice daily for 6 1/2 days/ 13 doses. The 14th dose of the week is the inulin challenge consumed as part of study day 1.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Nottingham

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Robin C Spiller, MD · University of Nottingham

  • Giles Major, MD · University of Nottingham

  • Luca Marciani, PhD · University of Nottingham

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
55 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2013-10-31
Primary Completion
2013-12-31
Completion
2013-12-31

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01963364 on ClinicalTrials.gov