FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES STIMULATE THE ABSORPTION OF MAGNESIUM FROM THEHINDGUT IN RATS

We investigated the effects of feeding fructooligosaccharides (FO) on the absorption of Mg from the hindgut in cecal-cannulated rats in vivo . Male rats, four wks old male rats, were divided into four groups. Ra ts in two groups were fed Mg-containing diet and other two groups were fed Mg-free diet with cecal infusion of Mg. Rats of both groups were fed FO-free or FO-containing diet, respectively. The absorptive ratio of Mg administrated into the cecum was similar to that of ME fed orall y in rats fed FO-free and FO-containing diet, respectively. FO-feeding significantly increased the apparent absorption of Mg in both rats fe d ME orally and rats with Mg infused into the cecum. Moreover, the ext ent of the increase in the absorption of Mg by infusion into the cecum and by oral feeding was the same. In a separate experiment, we observ ed that only the rats fed Mg-free diet exhibited auricular and facial peripheral hyperemia and hemorrhage. However such symptoms were not ob served in the rats with Mg infused into the cecum. In conclusion, thes e results indicate that FO-feeding stimulates absorption of Mg in the hindgut mainly.