Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Western Human Nutrition Research Center » Obesity and Metabolism Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314964
Title: Short chain fatty acid production and glucose responses by methane producers

Author
item RUST, BRET - University Of California
item Gray, Ira
item KEIFER, DOROTHY - University Of California
item Newman, John
item COOPER, DANIELLE - University Of California
item WELCH, LUCAS - University Of California
item Horn, William
item MARCO, MARIA - University Of California
item PELKMAN, CHRISTINE - Ingredion, Inc
item Keim, Nancy

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2015
Publication Date: 11/7/2014
Citation: Rust, B., Gray, I.J., Keifer, D., Newman, J.W., Cooper, D., Welch, L., Horn, W.F., Marco, M., Pelkman, C., Keim, N.L. 2014. Short chain fatty acid production and glucose responses by methane producers. Meeting Abstract. Experimental Biology Meeting, Boston MA, March 28-April 1, 2015.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Fermentation by gut microbiota has been linked to physiologic responses in the host. Methanogenic gut bacteria may remove more carbon from indigestible food matrices especially poorly digested carbohydrates. We sought to assess the effects of methane production on short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations in feces and on glucose homeostasis. Six breath methane producers (MP) and 6 non producers (NM) matched by gender and BMI were identified from 22 participants fed a 9-12 monomer oligosaccharide linked by 1-3 and 1-6 glycosidic bonds and terminated by a maltose group in a three-way crossover design. Participants consumed zero, 15 or 30 g/d of the polysaccharide for 3-wk test periods separated by at least 2-wk washout periods. In the 3rd wk of each test period, for 5 successive days all stool was collected and frozen. A meal challenge using half the daily dosage of polysaccharide was conducted at the end of each test period when blood, urine and breath samples were collected. Comparisons were made between the 0 and 15 g/d doses in MP and NM. SCFA were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Blood glucose and insulin excursions were measured in response to test meals periodically on the test day. Glucose excursions were lower in MP (p<.05) compared to NM. Insulin responses did not differ. Although the concentrations of acetate were nearly identical, the relative abundance of acetate was higher by 10.8% (p<.01) while propionate was lower by 8.7% in MP (p<.01). Removal of carbon by methanogenic bacteria may reduce propionate concentrations in the stool and potentially reduce glucose absorption.