FERMENTABLE CARBOHYDRATE MODULATES POSTPRANDIAL ENTEROGLUCAGON AND GASTRIN-RELEASE IN RATS

We studied the effects of a fermentable sugar-alcohol (lactitol) on th e concentrations of enteroglucagon and gastrin in the blood of rats fo r 7.5 h after feeding, The control and treatment groups were fed on se mi-purified diets containing either non-fermentable cellulose or lacti tol respectively, at 100 g/kg. Compared with the cellulose-fed group, the animals fed with lactitol had higher levels of enteroglucagon (5-1 0 times higher than control; P < 0.05) and lower serum gastrin (70-80 % of control; P < 0.05) for several hours after the withdrawal of feed , In contrast, varying the level of dietary Lipid (maize oil) over a r ange of 8-120 g/kg had no effect on the release of either peptide, The se results suggest that poorly absorbed fermentable dietary carbohydra te stimulates postprandial plasma enteroglucagon and inhibits serum ga strin release in the rat, The mechanism is uncertain but an endocrine response by the colon to fermentation products seems probable.