Publication no. C-2002-1204-02R |  VIEW ARTICLE

Physiological Responses of Men and Women to Barley and Oat Extracts (Nu-trimX). I. Breath Hydrogen, Methane, and Gastrointestinal Symptoms.

Judith Hallfrisch (1,2) and Kay M. Behall (1). (1) Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, USDA, ARS, Diet and Human Performance Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705. (2) Corresponding author. E-mail: <hallfrij@ba.ars.usda.gov> Phone: 301-504-9061. Fax: 301-504-9098. Cereal Chem. 80(1):76-79. Accepted September 14, 2002. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc., 2003.

While consumption of diets high in fiber is perceived to result in undesirable gastrointestinal symptoms, the fermentation of undigested carbohydrate in the large intestine may, in fact, have beneficial health effects. In this study, we compared the effects of oats, barley, and their extracts with a glucose control for 24 hr on breath hydrogen and methane production as a marker of colonic fermentation and also assessed gastrointestinal symptoms. Nine men and 11 women (35-57 yr) consumed 1 g/kg of body weight of carbohydrate as glucose or 0.66 g/kg of body weight sugar and 0.33 g/kg of body weight as oat bran, barley flour, oat extract, or barley extract (Nu-trimX) in a Latin square design. Expired alveolar breath samples were collected after instruction at fasting, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 24 hr after consumption of the test meals. All test meals increased breath hydrogen and methane (both P < 0.0001). Hydrogen, but not methane, responses to barley, oats, and extracts of each were higher (barley > oats, P < 0.05) than responses to glucose (P < 0.0001). Reported gastrointestinal symptoms were not related to specific test meals. Oats and barley, as well as their extracts, can be consumed in greater amounts by Americans to increase soluble fiber and lower fat intake, and thus lower risk factors for chronic disease.