The addition of locust bean gum but not water delayed the gastric emptying rate of a nutrient semisolid meal in healthy subjects

BACKGROUND: Most of the previous studies regarding the effects of gel-forming fibres have considered the gastric emptying of liquid or solid meals after the addition of pectin or guar gum. The influence of locust bean gum, on gastric emptying of nutrient semisolid meals in humans has been less well studied, despite its common occurrence in foods. Using a standardised ultrasound method, this study was aimed at investigating if the gastric emptying in healthy subjects could be influenced by adding locust been gum, a widely used thickening agent, or water directly into a nutrient semisolid test meal. METHODS: The viscosity of a basic test meal (300 g rice pudding, 330 kcal) was increased by adding Nestargel (6 g, 2.4 kcal), containing viscous dietary fibres (96.5%) provided as seed flour of locust bean gum, and decreased by adding 100 ml of water. Gastric emptying of these three test meals were evaluated in fifteen healthy non-smoking volunteers, using ultrasound measurements of the gastric antral area to estimate the gastric emptying rate (GER). RESULTS: The median value of GER with the basic test meal (rice pudding) was estimated at 63 %, (range 47 to 84 %), (the first quartile = 61 %, the third quartile = 69 %). Increasing the viscosity of the rice pudding by adding Nestargel, resulted in significantly lower gastric emptying rates (p < 0.01), median GER 54 %, (range 7 to 71 %), (the first quartile = 48 %, the third quartile = 60 %). When the viscosity of the rice pudding was decreased (basic test meal added with water), the difference in median GER 65 %, (range 38 to 79 %), (the first quartile = 56 %, the third quartile = 71 %) was not significantly different (p = 0.28) compared to the GER of the basic test meal. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the addition of locust bean gum to a nutrient semisolid meal has a major impact on gastric emptying by delaying the emptying rate, but that the addition of water to this test meal has no influence on gastric emptying in healthy subjects

Copper, ceruloplasmin, superoxide dismutase and iron parameters in Parkinson's disease.

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldIn a previous study we found copper dyshomeostasis in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In this study, levels of copper in plasma, of ceruloplasmin in serum and ceruloplasmin oxidative activity as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in erythrocytes were determined in 40 patients with Parkinson's disease and their healthy age- and gender-matched controls. Copper concentrations did not differ significantly in the two groups, whereas both ceruloplasmin concentrations and ceruloplasmin oxidative activity were significantly lower in the patients, also relative to ceruloplasmin mass. SOD activity was not significantly different in the two groups but decreased significantly with the duration of disease. The same was found for ceruloplasmin oxidative activity. Ceruloplasmin oxidative activity and SOD activity did not decrease with age. Levels of serum iron, serum ferritin and total iron binding capacity were determined in about 30 of the patients and an equal number of controls and were not found to differ. Transferrin levels were significantly lower in the patients than in their controls but, conversely, the transferrin saturation was significantly higher in the patients. The results indicate that patients with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease have defective ceruloplasmin and SOD activities in common and that these defects are not necessarily associated with major disturbances in iron homeostasis

A small dose of soluble alginate-fiber affects postprandial glycemia and gastric emptying in humans with diabetes

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldSeven men with well-controlled, noninsulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes ingested on two different mornings, in random order, meals with or without a 5.0-g sodium alginate supplement (algae-isolate, 75% soluble fiber). The meals contained similar amounts of digestible carbohydrates, fat and protein. The gastric emptying rate of the meal containing sodium alginate, measured by detection of 51Cr mixed into the meals, was significantly slower than that of the fiber-free meal. Sodium alginate also induced significantly lower postprandial rises in blood glucose, serum insulin and plasma C-peptide. The diminished glucose response after the addition of sodium alginate could be correlated to the delayed gastric emptying rate induced by the fiber (rs = 0.92, P less than 0.01)