Evidence Suggesting That Difructose Anhydride III Is an Indigestible and Low Fermentable Sugar during the Early Stages after Ingestion in Humans

Abstract

We investigated the influences of difructose anhydride III (DFAIII), a novel commercially available disaccharide, on sugar metabolism, breath hydrogen and serum ace tate in the early stages after ingestion to determine whether DFAIII is an indigestible sugar and to what degree it is fermentable in humans. This study was designed as a randomized controlled single-blind crossover test with 9 healthy subjects, who drink a 200mL water solution containing 10g of DFAIII, lactulose or sucrose following overnight fasting. Blood samples (for analysis of glucose, fructose, insulin, triacylglycerol, free fatty acids, and ace tate) were collected at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8h after the ingestion and breath samples (for analysis of hydrogen and methane gases) were collected at 1h intervals until 8h after the ingestion. We also interviewed each subject hourly about the incidence and severity of specific abdom inal complaints and other symptoms. The results revealed that ingestion of 10g of DFAIII did not change the serum levels of glucose, fructose, and insulin, similarly to the case with lactulose, and no increase in breath hydrogen excretion was comparable to the case with sucrose. The incidence of specific abdominal symptoms tended to be lower after DFAIII inges tion than after lactulose ingestion. It thus turned out that DFAIII was indigestible and low fermentable in the early stages after ingestion.

Comparative Effect of Repeated Ingestion of Difructose Anhydride III and Palatinose on the Induction of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Humans

“…observe a slightly higher level of breath hydrogen at h 8 in the post-DFAIII DL test as compared to the values for the pre-ingestion DL test. These higher levels of breath hydrogen observed in the post-DFAIII ingestion DL test, however, were much lower than the breath hydrogen levels of above 25 and 60 ppm seen after respectively ingestiing of 10 g of lactulose 14) and FOS. 20) These results indicate that DFAIII can still be classified as low fermentable until h 9 after a 12-day feeding period of DFAIII, and that repeated ingestion of DFAIII does not promote fermentability during the period.…”

“…The supernatant were then analyzed as previously reported. 14) Breath samples were collected in bags designed to obtain the alveolar air (GaSampler Ò ; Quintron, Milwaukee, USA) and analyzed by gas chromatography (Microlyzer DP; Quintron) on the same day.…”

“…[15][16][17][18][19][20][21] However there are no reports on the low or slowly fermentable oligosaccharides. In single-ingestion studies, an excessive intake of low-molecular-weight indigestible saccharides such as lactulose, 14) tagatose, 16) palatinit, 18) and maltitol 21,22) caused diarrhea and other abdominal symptoms as represented by borborygmi, falatus, and distention. These adverse events result from the raised osmotic pressure caused by the presence of too many unabsorbable substances in the intestine, and also excessive enterobacterial gas production that is derived from the indigestible saccharides.…”

“…13) We have also shown that DFAIII was indigestible with little fermentation during the 8 h after ingestion in humans, because the sugar had no influence on the blood sugar, insulin, fructose, and breath hydrogen levels, an indicator of enterobacterial fermentation in humans. 14) There have been many previous reports that have evaluated the safety of highly and rapidly fermentable saccharides in humans. [15][16][17][18][19][20][21] However there are no reports on the low or slowly fermentable oligosaccharides.…”

Effect of Lactulose on Calcium and Magnesium Absorption: A Study Using Stable Isotopes in Adult Men

“…The evertedsac and Ussing-chamber techniques have shown that indigestible disaccharides (e.g., maltitol and difructose anhydride (DFA)) directly increase the intestinal permeability of Ca in the absence of fermentation (21)(22)(23). This increase depends on the types of indigestible saccharides used in the Ussing-chamber technique (22,24).…”