Food and the Large Intestine

Macfarlane, Sandra; Macfarlane, G.T.

doi:10.1002/9780470774595.ch2

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 103 publications

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“…There is still a widespread belief that while food intake may regulate certain metabolic activities associated with intestinal micro‐organisms, changing diet has little effect on the overall composition and structure of microbial communities in the human gut (Macfarlane and Macfarlane 2003). However, the introduction of prebiotics into the diet in recent years has raised a serious challenge to this concept, and it is increasingly being recognized that the species composition of the microbiota, as well as many of its physiological traits, can be modified by relatively small changes in food consumption.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacterial metabolism and health-related effects of galacto-oligosaccharides and other prebiotics

2007

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Summary Most studies involving prebiotic oligosaccharides have been carried out using inulin and its fructo‐oligosaccharide (FOS) derivatives, together with various forms of galacto‐oligosaccharides (GOS). Although many intestinal bacteria are able to grow on these carbohydrates, most investigations have demonstrated that the growth of bifidobacteria, and to a lesser degree lactobacilli, is particularly favoured. Because of their safety, stability, organoleptic properties, resistance to digestion in the upper bowel and fermentability in the colon, as well as their abilities to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, these prebiotics are being increasingly incorporated into the Western diet. Inulin‐derived oligosaccharides and GOS are mildly laxative, but can result in flatulence and osmotic diarrhoea if taken in large amounts. However, their effects on large bowel habit are relatively minor. Although the literature dealing with the health significance of prebiotics is not as extensive as that concerning probiotics, considerable evidence has accrued showing that consumption of GOS and FOS can have significant health benefits, particularly in relation to their putative anti‐cancer properties, influence on mineral absorption, lipid metabolism, and anti‐inflammatory and other immune effects such as atopic disease. In many instances, prebiotics seem to be more effective when used as part of a synbiotic combination.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacterial metabolism and health-related effects of galacto-oligosaccharides and other prebiotics

2007

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“…[17,18] Enteral nutrition modifies the intestinal microbiota. Total parenteral nutrition decreases anaerobic and facultative anaerobe numbers, whereas enteral nutrition reduces anaerobes and increases facultative aerobes.…”

Section: Factors Affecting Microbial Colonisation Of the Large Bowelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acquisition, Evolution and Maintenance of the Normal Gut Microbiota

Macfarlane

Macfarlane²

2009

Dig Dis

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The gut is sterile at birth, but is rapidly colonised by faecal and vaginal bacteria of maternal origin. Over the succeeding weeks, months and years, a complex microbiota develops that plays a major role in host physiology. While the digestive tract is colonised to varying degrees by micro-organisms throughout its length, due to acid pH and the short retention time of gastric contents, bacterial numbers in the stomach are usually low. The rapid passage of digestive materials through the upper gut does not provide time for significant bacterial growth to occur, but cell numbers increase considerably in the distal ileum. The rate of movement of intestinal contents slows in the colon, which facilitates the development of complex bacterial communities. The large intestine is an intricate ecosystem that contains a complex microbiota composed of several hundred different types of bacteria. The growth and metabolism of microbial communities in the large intestine are determined by many factors, such as diet, environment and host physiological processes, as well as the anatomic structure of the digestive tract, disease, immunity, host genetics, drugs and ageing. Modifications in diet and host immune system activity, as well as physiological changes in the digestive tract affect microbiota composition in older people. The elderly have fewer bifidobacteria and higher numbers of enterobacteria and clostridia than young adults. Increased antibiotic use in older people and simply going into hospital have been shown to change bacterial community structure in the colonic microbiota, although the metabolic significance of this is unclear.

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“…The large intestine is also a site of intense protein turnover, with the amount of dietary protein rather than its source determining how much reaches the colon (Macfarlane et al 1986;Silvester and Cummings 1995;Macfarlane and Macfarlane 2003). Numerically important proteolytic species identified in the colon include species of Bacteroides, Propionibacterium, Clostridium, Fusobacterium and Streptococcus (MacFarlane and Cummings 1991).…”

Section: The Impact On Health Of the Metabolic Activities Of The Intementioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in the intestinal microbiota after a short period of dietary over-indulgence, representative of a holiday or festival season

Gougoulias¹,

Sandaradura²,

Meng³

et al. 2009

Food Science & Technology Bulletin: Functional Foods

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The effects on the intestinal microbiota of a short period of marginal over-eating, characteristic of holiday or festival periods, were investigated in a pilot study. Fourteen healthy male subjects consumed a diet rich in animal protein and fat for seven days. During this period, the subjects significantly increased their dietary energy, protein, carbohydrate and fat intakes by 56, 59, 53 and 58%, respectively (all P < 0.05). The mean weight gain of 0.27 kg was less than the expected 1 kg, but this was consistent with a degree of under-reporting on the baseline diet. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation analysis confirmed the relative stability of each individual's faecal microbiota but showed considerable variations between them. The diet was associated with a significant increase in numbers of total faecal bacteria and the bacteroides group, as detected by the universal bacterial probe (DAPI) and Bacteroides probe (Bac 303), respectively. Overall, there was a decrease in numbers of the Lactobacillus/Enterococcus group (Lab 158 probe; 2.8 AE 3.0% to 1.8 AE 1.8%) and the Bifidobacterium group (Bif 164 probe; 3.0 AE 3.7% to 1.7 AE 1.2%), although there was considerable inter-individual variation. Analysis of the relative proportions of each bacterial group as a percentage of the subject's total bacteria showed a trend for a change in the intestinal microbiota that might be considered potentially unhealthy.

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Food and the Large Intestine

Cited by 18 publications

References 103 publications

Bacterial metabolism and health-related effects of galacto-oligosaccharides and other prebiotics

Bacterial metabolism and health-related effects of galacto-oligosaccharides and other prebiotics

Acquisition, Evolution and Maintenance of the Normal Gut Microbiota

Changes in the intestinal microbiota after a short period of dietary over-indulgence, representative of a holiday or festival season

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