[How much does partially hydrolyzed guar gum affect the weight, moisture and hardness of feces?]

The ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends Japanese people to intake a certain amount of dietary fiber, believing that incorporating more dietary fiber into our diet can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. The present study aimed to demonstrate and confirm the theory's validity by applying it to reality-to what extent is the intake of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) useful in promoting bowel movements, and what problems are involved? We therefore investigated to what extent PHGG affects the weight, moisture and hardness of feces when healthy female students consumed PHGG as a supplement.

During two fourteen-day sessions in spring and autumn, 9 healthy female students took the same diets. During the first session, the students were provided a strict dietary formula, while during the second session, they were administered an amount of 12.5 g/day PHGG (purity 80%, equivalent to 10 g of dietary fiber) dissolved in adequate amount of water at the end of each meal. Feces of the subjects were collected and weighted just after defection. A moisture meter was used to measure fecal moisture and a rheometer was used to measure fecal hardness. Fecal conditions and intestinal motility were also examined.

(1) Due to the PHGG intake, the fecal bulk increased in 4 subjects and decreased in 2 subjects, significantly, out of 9. (2) Due to the PHGG intake, the fecal condition softened in 3 subjects while significantly hardening in 4 subjects. (3) The PHGG intake induced an increased of fecal moisture in 5 subjects, while moisture decreased in 2 subjects. (4) Fecal hardness measured more than 150 g/cm when it is classified as "frozen hard". (5) A significant inverse correlation could be seen between fecal hardness and fecal bulk, and between fecal hardness and its moisture. When PHGG was administered a significant inverse correlation could be seen between fecal hardness and its moisture.

The conclusion is that the PHGG intake resulted in increase of the fecal bulk for 4 subjects and fecal moisture for 5 out of 9 subjects, but decrease of fecal hardness in 3 subjects; the benefit of bowel movements provided by the PHGG intake, however, varied greatly among the subjects.