Browsing by Author "Illukka, Elina"

The benefits of dietary fiber for gastrointestinal health and in the treatment and management of gastrointestinal disease in humans is well recognised. Studies have shown that different types of fiber have different effects on the function and health of the animal and humans. The aim of this study was to determine whether feeding inulin as dietary fibre would have an effect on serum free fatty acids. We were particularly interested in those fatty acids that could act as precursors of prostaglandins and leukotriens as regulators of inflammatory processes. Six male purpose bred beagle dogs were used in this study. The study was constructed in three phases of 21 days duration each. In phase 1, inulin was fed as tablets weight adjusted at a dose of 6g/day to five dogs and 4g/day to one dog. In phase 2, dogs 1-5 received 12g/day inulin and dog 6 at 8g/day. In phase 3 none of the dogs got inulin as food additive. For assessment of serum fatty acids, the serum samples were collected at the end of each phase. The serum analysis was performed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Following FFA profile was determined: linoleic acid, linolenic acid, myristic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, and stearic acid. Feeding inulin caused a significant increase in median total serum FFA (p <0.05). The median increase was from 184.28 mAU (range: 109.70 – 537.47) before inulin feeding to 232.92 mAU (range, 216.26- 304.36) after inulin feeding. No significant change was seen concerning the individual FFAs. However, for linolenic acid and palmitic acid a non-significant tendency for a relative decrease was noticed (p = 0.093 ; p= 0.076) The study showed, that inulin supplementation to food has also systemic effects in dogs probably on lipid metabolism, most likely on the hepatic re-esterification of FFA causing a non-specific increase in serum total FFA. Further studies need to assess, whether this effect is connected with a decrease in serum triglycerides and cholesterol as it is reported in rats and people. Furthermore, it needs to be studied whether this non-specific increase influences the relation between pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators.