| The effects of biscuits containing highly cross-linked resistant starch on defecation were investigated in 50 healthy subjects (17 men and 33 women) with a tendency for constipation. The biscuits contained either 7 g of dietary fiber as highly cross-linked starch (test) or digestible starch (placebo). The subjects were divided randomly into two groups for a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study. The duration of the study was 8 weeks, divided into 4 periods: observation period (2 weeks); intake period I (2 weeks); washout period (2 weeks); and intake period Ⅱ (2 weeks). Nine subjects (5 men and 4 women) were withdrawn from the study, while 41 subjects (12 men and 29 women) were eligible for analysis. Compared with the ingestion of placebo biscuits, the test biscuits significantly increased the frequency of defecation, the number of days with defecation, and fecal bulk . There was no difference in the amount of nutrient intakes, such as dietary fiber intake, between the periods the test and placebo biscuits were consumed. No adverse events were observed by ingestion of the test biscuits during the study. These results show that biscuits containing highly cross-linked starch have a laxative effect in people with constipation. Key words : highly cross-linked starch, resistant starch, dietary fiber, intestinal regulation, defecation frequency. |
