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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2010 Apr;31(8):874-82.
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04237.x. Epub 2010 Jan 22.

Dietary poorly absorbed, short-chain carbohydrates increase delivery of water and fermentable substrates to the proximal colon

J S Barrett  1 , R B Gearry, J G Muir, P M Irving, R Rose, O Rosella, M L Haines, S J Shepherd, P R Gibson
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Dietary poorly absorbed, short-chain carbohydrates increase delivery of water and fermentable substrates to the proximal colon

J S Barrett et al. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2010 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Functional gut symptoms are induced by inclusion and reduced by dietary restriction of poorly absorbed short-chain carbohydrates (FODMAPs), but the mechanisms of action remain untested.

Aims: To determine the effect of dietary FODMAPs on the content of water and fermentable substrates of ileal effluent.

Methods: Twelve ileostomates without evidence of small intestinal disease undertook two 4-day dietary periods, comprising diets differing only in FODMAP content in a randomized, cross-over, single-blinded intervention study. Daytime (14 h) ileal effluent was collected on day four of each diet. Patients rated effluent volume and consistency on a 10-cm visual analogue scale. The FODMAP content of the diet and effluent was measured.

Results: Ingested FODMAPs of 32% (range 6-73%) was recovered in the high FODMAP diet effluent. Effluent collection weight increased by a mean of 22% (95% CI, 5-39), water content by 20% (2-38%) and dry weight by 24% (4-43%) with the high compared to low FODMAP diet arm. Output increased by 95 (28-161) mL. Volunteers perceived effluent consistency was thicker (95% CI, 0.6-1.9) with the low FODMAP diet than with the high FODMAP diet (3.5-6.1; P = 0.006).

Conclusions: These data support the hypothetical mechanism; FODMAPs increase delivery of water and fermentable substrates to the proximal colon.

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