Effect of guar gum on the serum lipid profile of Sprague Dawley rats

Soluble Dietary Fibers as Antihyperlipidemic Agents: A Comprehensive Review to Maximize Their Health Benefits

The number of hypercholesterolemic people is increasing rapidly worldwide, with elevated lipid profiles representing a major risk factor of coronary heart diseases. Dietary intervention was shown to improve the lipid profile, thus enhancing the quality of life. Dietary fiber is a nondigestible form of carbohydrates, due to the lack of the digestive enzyme in humans required to digest fiber, and is classified according to its water solubility properties as either soluble (SDF) or insoluble dietary fiber (IDF). Consumption of SDF is associated with several health benefits such as reduced lipid levels, lower blood pressure, improved blood glucose control, improved immune function, and reduced inflammation. SDF has been shown to lower blood cholesterol by several action mechanisms including directly due to the gelling, mucilaginous, and viscous fiber nature, and indirectly due to its fermented products and modulation of the gut microbiome. This review aims to provide a holistic overview on how SDF impacts the lipid profile. We start by providing an overview of the chemical structure of the major SDFs including mucilage, gums (gum arabic and guar gum), pectin, and inulin.

Effect of guar gum on glucose and lipid metabolism in white sea bream Diplodus sargus

The aim of this study was to assess the role of soluble non-starch polysaccharide (guar gum) on white sea bream Diplodus sargus, glucose and lipid metabolism. A control diet was formulated to contain 40 % crude protein, 14 % crude lipids and 35 % pregelatinized maize starch, and three other diets were formulated similar to the control diet except for guar gum, which was included at 4 % (diet GG4), 8 % (diet GG8) or 12 % (diet GG12). Diets were fed to the fish for 9 weeks on a pair-feeding scheme. Guar gum had no effect on growth performance, feed efficiency, glycaemia, cholesterolaemia and plasma triacylglyceride levels. Hepatic glucokinase and pyruvate kinase activities, liver glycogen content and liver insulin-like growth factor-I gene expression were not affected by dietary guar gum, while fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activity was lower in fish fed guar gum-supplemented diets. Hepatic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity was higher in fish fed diets GG4 and GG8 than in the control group. Overall, data suggest that in contrast to mammals guar gum had no effect on white sea bream glucose utilization and in lowering plasma cholesterol and triacylglyceride levels. However, it seems to contribute to lower endogenous glucose production.

Partially hydrolyzed guar gums reduce dietary fatty acid and sterol absorption in guinea pigs independent of viscosity

This study investigated the effect of two partially hydrolyzed guar gums (PHGG) on fatty acid and sterol excretion. PHGG were obtained by chemical hydrolysis of guar gum (GG) with H(2)O:EtOH (1:1) at 100 °C for 1 h (PHGG1) or 2 h (PHGG2). The viscosity of the PHGG in a 1 % (w/v) aqueous solution corresponded to that of a pseudoplastic fluid and was higher for PHGG1 than PHGG2. Guinea pigs (n = 8 per group) were fed high fat diets (17/100 g) that contained 12/100 g of cellulose, PHGG1, or PHGG2 for 4 weeks. Despite the differences in viscosity, the two PHGG exerted similar physiological effects. Compared to the control cellulose group, the body weight gain was lower in animals fed PHGG, although no effect on food consumption was observed. PHGG increased the excretion of fatty acids and neutral sterols, but not bile acids. Consumption of PHGG did not alter the fecal fatty acid profile, while intestinal bioconversion of sterols tended to increase in response to PHGG2. A reduction in the viscosity within the range tested did not correlate with losses in the hypocholesterolemic capacity of PHGG as both were effective in reducing plasma cholesterol. Thus, we conclude that the chemical hydrolysis of guar gum renders the gum suitable for inclusion in food products without significantly altering its beneficial health effects.