Effects of a diet with inulin-enriched pasta on gut peptides and gastric emptying rates in healthy young volunteers.

im: Our group has previously shown that the administration of pasta enriched along with the prebiotic inulin induces a significant reduction in triglyceride and glucose levels with a significant delay in gastric emptying (GE) rates. This protective effect may occur by affecting the release of a number of gut peptides involved in the control of gastrointestinal motility. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of inulin-enriched pasta on the circulating levels of neurotensin (NT), somatostatin (SS), and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in relation to the GE time in young healthy subjects. Methods: Twenty healthy young male volunteers completed a randomized double-blind crossover study consisting of a 2-week run-in period and two 5-week study periods (11% inulin-enriched/control pasta), with an 8-week wash-out period in between. Gut peptide concentrations were evaluated by radioimmunoassay. GE time was evaluated by ultrasonography. Results: The prebiotic treatment significantly increased the area under the curve (AUC) values of both NT and SS ( p < 0.05 Dunn's post-test). With regard to gastric motility, along with a significant delay in both the final time and T gastric emptying time, a positive correlation was found between T and SS AUC values ( r = 0.57, p = 0.009) in the inulin-enriched pasta group. Conclusion: These results support the hypothesis that inulin plays an active role in mechanisms affecting the release of these gut peptides, which may modulate the gastric emptying of digesta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]