Dietary Fiber and Gastrointestinal Disease: an Evolving Story

[...]the solubility, viscosity, and fermentation properties of fiber are now known to be determinants of the favorable impact of fiber on host metabolism [4]. [...]advances in microbiome science have affirmed the importance of gut microbiota in fiber fermentation and host metabolism [5]. Since patients with IBS tend to have lower levels of bifidobacteria compared with healthy controls [17, 18], dietary fiber-microbe interactions may facilitate identification of a subset of patients likely to benefit most from fiber supplementation. [...]meta- and pooled analyses indicate an inverse relationship between fiber intake and risk of incident colorectal cancer [34–37], although this link is not evident for recurrent adenoma risk [38, 39]. [...]fiber may have a role in reducing the incidence, but not recurrence, of colorectal adenoma and cancer. Modern fiber science is re-examining the variable properties and physiological effects of different fiber types on the microbiota and on host metabolism and immunity [42–44]. Since the composition of the microbiota may predict those who are likely to benefit from fiber supplementation, the prospect and promise of personalized fiber diets may be realized [45].