Fiber Intake Linked to a Longer Life and Healthier Arteries

The importance of adequate fiber intake as a part of a healthy diet has been driven home by two studies published this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  One study proves that fiber helps you live longer, and the other shows that consistent fiber consumption over many years is linked to healthier arteries.

The first study involved 452,717 European men and women followed for 12 years, comparing fiber intake to causes of death.  Fiber was inversely associated with mortality risk.  For each 10 gram increase in dietary fiber intake there was a 10 percent risk reduction in death from all causes.  Fiber offered a 39 percent risk reduction for digestion-related mortality, a 23 percent risk reduction for respiratory-related mortality, and a 15 percent risk reduction for inflammatory disease mortality. 

A second study of 373 people evaluated their fiber intake over a 24 year period, from ages 13 – 36.  At age 36 the participants had their arteries evaluated for stiffness using ultrasonography.  Those with stiffer carotid arteries had lower intakes of fiber over the 24 years.  This study speaks to the importance of a good diet throughout life and makes the point that a low fiber diet results in measurable adverse decline in the health of arteries at the relatively young age of 36.

Fiber is one of the most lacking components in the Western diet, one of several key nutritional substances that when lacking sets the stage for early disease and a shorter life. 

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Dietary fiber alters gut bacteria, supports gastrointestinal health

ScienceDaily (June 28, 2012) — A University of Illinois study shows that dietary fiber promotes a shift in the gut toward different types of beneficial bacteria. And the microbes that live in the gut, scientists now believe, can support a healthy gastrointestinal tract as well as affect our susceptibility to conditions as varied as type 2 diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.

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As these microbes ferment fiber in the intestine, short-chain fatty acids and other metabolites are produced, resulting in many health benefits for the host, said Kelly Swanson, a U of I professor of animal sciences.

"When we understand what kinds of fiber best nurture these health-promoting bacteria, we should be able to modify imbalances to support and improve gastrointestinal health," he said.

This research suggests that fiber is good for more than laxation, which means helping food move through the intestines, he added.

"Unfortunately, people eat only about half of the 30 to 35 grams of daily fiber that is recommended. To achieve these health benefits, consumers should read nutrition labels and choose foods that have high fiber content," said Swanson.

In the placebo-controlled, double-blind intervention study, 20 healthy men with an average fiber intake of 14 grams a day were given snack bars to supplement their diet. The control group received bars that contained no fiber; a second group ate bars that contained 21 grams of polydextrose, which is a common fiber food additive; and a third group received bars with 21 grams of soluble corn fiber.

On days 16-21, fecal samples were collected from the participants, and researchers used the microbial DNA they obtained to identify which bacteria were present. DNA was then subjected to 454 pyrosequencing, a "fingerprinting" technique that provides a snapshot of all the bacterial types present.

Both types of fiber affected the abundance of bacteria at the phyla, genus, and species level. When soluble corn fiber was consumed, Lactobacillus, often used as a probiotic for its beneficial effects on the gut, increased. Faecalibacterium populations rose in the groups consuming both types of fiber.

According to Swanson, the shifts in bacteria seen in this study--which occurred when more and differing types of fiber were consumed--were the opposite of what you would find in a person who has poor gastrointestinal health. That leads him to believe that there are new possibilities for using pre- and probiotics to promote intestinal health.

"For example, one type of bacteria that thrived as a result of the types of fiber fed in this study is inherently anti-inflammatory, and their growth could be stimulated by using prebiotics, foods that promote the bacteria's growth, or probiotics, foods that contain the live microorganism," he said.

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