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  • Review Article
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Dietary fibre in gastrointestinal health and disease

Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology volume 18, pages 101–116 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated the benefits of dietary fibre on gastrointestinal health through consumption of unrefined whole foods, such as wholegrains, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Mechanistic studies and clinical trials on isolated and extracted fibres have demonstrated promising regulatory effects on the gut (for example, digestion and absorption, transit time, stool formation) and microbial effects (changes in gut microbiota composition and fermentation metabolites) that have important implications for gastrointestinal disorders. In this Review, we detail the major physicochemical properties and functional characteristics of dietary fibres, the importance of dietary fibres and current evidence for their use in the management of gastrointestinal disorders. It is now well-established that the physicochemical properties of different dietary fibres (such as solubility, viscosity and fermentability) vary greatly depending on their origin and processing and are important determinants of their functional characteristics and clinical utility. Although progress in understanding these relationships has uncovered potential therapeutic opportunities for dietary fibres, many clinical questions remain unanswered such as clarity on the optimal dose, type and source of fibre required in both the management of clinical symptoms and the prevention of gastrointestinal disorders. The use of novel fibres and/or the co-administration of fibres is an additional therapeutic approach yet to be extensively investigated.

Key points

  • Dietary fibre has been shown to have a number of important associations with the development and management of various diseases and with mortality in epidemiological and interventional studies.

  • Dietary fibre has physicochemical characteristics (for example, solubility, viscosity, fermentability) that determine its functionality in the gastrointestinal tract, including its effects on, for example, micronutrient availability, gut transit time, stool formation and microbial specificity.

  • Current dietary fibre recommendations are often limited and conflicting, and fail to provide specific types and doses in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders including irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease and functional constipation.

  • Future research that considers the influence of differing physicochemical characteristics on functionality will potentially maximize the effect of clinically meaningful symptom improvement in gastrointestinal disorders.

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Fig. 1: Physicochemical characteristics of dietary fibre and their location within the plant cell.
Fig. 2: Mechanisms by which different dietary fibres affect the gastrointestinal tract.
Fig. 3: Spectrum of physicochemical characteristics of dietary fibre.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge research funding from the Medical Research Council investigating the effect of fibre on the gut (MR/N029097/1).

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    Samantha K. Gill, Megan Rossi, Balazs Bajka & Kevin Whelan

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All authors researched data for the article, contributed to discussion and reviewed/edited the manuscript before submission. S.K.G. and K.W. wrote the article.

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The authors have received research grants related to dietary fibre from government agencies including the Medical Research Council and commercial funders including Clasado Biosciences, Danone, Nestec, Almond Board of California and the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council.

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Gill, S.K., Rossi, M., Bajka, B. et al. Dietary fibre in gastrointestinal health and disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 18, 101–116 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-020-00375-4

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