Partially hydrolyzed guar gum and gut transit in healthy people
What it found
A single 20 g dose of partially hydrolyzed guar gum slowed movement through the small intestine in healthy people.
It did not change hunger, fullness or gut hormone levels.
What they found
Studies in people
Stomach emptying rate
The guar gum meal emptied 74% of the stomach within two hours. This was about the same as the 78% seen with the placebo meal.
Small intestine transit
Movement through the small intestine dropped to 24.2% after the guar gum meal. That was lower than the 41.20% seen with the placebo.
Gut hormone levels
Levels of three gut hormones stayed the same after all three meals. The authors found no differences between them.
Hunger and fullness
Feelings of hunger, fullness and the desire to eat did not change. All three meals had the same effect on appetite.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that a single dose of partially hydrolyzed guar gum slows movement through the small intestine in healthy people.
- They note it does not change gut hormone levels, hunger, fullness or the desire to eat.
How it was done
Dietary fibers like partially hydrolyzed guar gum play several roles in the gut. The researchers wanted to see how a single dose affects stomach emptying, gut movement, hormones and appetite.
Healthy people took part in a randomised crossover trial on three separate days. Each time they ate a test meal containing either 20 g of partially hydrolyzed guar gum, 20 g of another fiber, or 20 g of a placebo. Gut movement was tracked using imaging scans.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial only looked at a single 20 g dose. It cannot show what happens when people eat smaller amounts over many days.
- The study measured gut movement and appetite. It cannot tell us about other possible effects of this ingredient.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
The paper
- Title
- Acute intake of fructooligosaccharide and partially hydrolyzed guar gum on gastrointestinal transit: A randomized crossover clinical trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- da Silva MVT, Nunes SS, Costa WC, et al (2022). Acute intake of fructooligosaccharide and partially hydrolyzed guar gum on gastrointestinal transit: A randomized crossover clinical trial. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.). doi:10.1016/j.nut.2022.111737PubMed 35843106DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error