goods to improve metabolic health

Research in mice suggests that fermentation of flax fiber in the intestine modifies the microbiota to improve metabolic health and protect against diet-induced obesity.

What do you know about flax fiber?

Flax seed is a high fiber plant that has been shown to be effective in improving cholesterol levels and inflammation of the colon. However, little research has been conducted on the fermentability of flaxseed and the effect of flax fiber on the gut microbiota.

The organisms that live in the gut, the gut microbiota, play a vital role in regulating weight and how the body treats glucose tolerance. The breakdown of dietary fiber in the intestine, a process otherwise known as fermentation, can produce favorable changes to the digestive system.

This degradation includes modifications such as an increase in beneficial fatty acids, which can reduce the development of adipose tissue in the body and improve immune function.

Details of the study

The researchers measured the amount of oxygen used by the mice, the carbon dioxide produced, the food and water consumed, as well as the energy expended over a 12 – week period. Glucose tolerance was also measured towards the end of the test.

The subjects were divided into four groups of different diets: a standard diet ("control"), a high fat diet containing no fiber ("high fat"), a high fat diet containing 10% of fiber non-digestible cellulose (cellulose) and a high-fat diet containing 10% flax fiber ("flaxseed").

After 12 weeks, researchers examined the caecal content of animals, bacteria and other biological materials in the pocket that forms the beginning of the large intestine (cecum).

The high-fat group had fewer bacteria badociated with improved metabolic health, lower levels of beneficial fatty acids and more of a bacteria related to obesity compared to other groups.

Bacteria levels in the cellulose and flaxseed groups returned to healthier levels compared to the high-fat group.

The flaxseed group was more physically active and gained less weight than other high fat groups.

Mice receiving flaxseed supplements also had better control of blood glucose and levels of beneficial fatty acids comparable to those of the healthy control group. When examining the contents of the faeces, the research team found that the bacteria had ferment fibers from the thick, sticky layer of the flax shell. The bacteria that perform the fermentation then produce more beneficial fatty acids.

So, how did the researchers conclude that it would improve metabolic health?

The researchers added, "Our data suggest that flax fiber supplementation affects host metabolism by increasing energy expenditure and reducing obesity, as well as improving glucose tolerance." .

"Future research should aim to understand the relative contribution of different microbes and to define the underlying mechanisms of how flax fibers affect the host's metabolism."