[Effect of the dietary fiber content in nutrition on various stool parameters, in man]

Ten subjects were studied for two periods of six days each during which they were fed respectively a regular diet (control diet) followed by a fiber-supplemented diet (experimental diet). The experimental diet consisted of a regular diet in which some foods where substracted and some bran biscuits, specially produced for this investigation, were added. The experimental diet produced a significant increase in daily stool weight, dried stool weight, water contents of the stools and intestinal transit time. The study has shown that special bran biscuits is effective in promoting a increase in bowel transit time, and therefore should be submitted to therapeutic trial in patients with constipation.