Partially hydrolyzed guar gum and gut transit in people
What it found
In healthy people, a single dose of partially hydrolyzed guar gum slowed the movement of food through the small intestine.
It did not change gut hormone levels, hunger, fullness or the desire to eat.
What they found
Studies in people
Stomach emptying
The fructooligosaccharide meal emptied from the stomach faster than the placebo and partially hydrolyzed guar gum meals within 2 hours. The authors report this difference as statistically significant.
Small intestine transit
Both fructooligosaccharide and partially hydrolyzed guar gum reduced the percentage of small intestinal transit compared with the placebo. The authors report this difference as statistically significant.
Gut hormones
There were no changes in the levels of active glucagon-like peptide-1, pancreatic polypeptide, or gastric inhibitory peptide after any of the three meals.
Hunger and fullness
Feelings of hunger and satiety and the desire to eat did not change after consuming the three meals.
What the authors conclude
“The acute intake of FOS increased gastric emptying, whereas both FOS and PHGG reduced small intestine transit without altering the levels of intestinal hormones, hunger feelings and satiety, or the desire to eat.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that acute intake of fructooligosaccharide increased gastric emptying.
- They state that both fructooligosaccharide and partially hydrolyzed guar gum reduced small intestine transit without altering the levels of intestinal hormones, hunger feelings and satiety, or the desire to eat.
How it was done
The authors note that dietary fibers such as fructooligosaccharide and partially hydrolyzed guar gum have several gastrointestinal functions. They wanted to see how a single dose of each fiber affects stomach emptying, small intestine transit, gut hormones and feelings of hunger and fullness.
In a randomized crossover trial, healthy participants ate a test meal on three different days. The meals contained 20 g of digestible maltodextrin (placebo), 20 g of fructooligosaccharide, or 20 g of partially hydrolyzed guar gum. Stomach emptying and small intestine transit were measured using scintigraphy.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This was a single dose in healthy people, so it cannot show what happens with longer term use.
- The study did not test people with digestive conditions, so the results may not apply to them.
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 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error