Effect of methylcellulose on inulin fermentation in IBS-C
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A randomised, placebo-controlled cross-over study of the effect of chronic feeding of methylcellulose and inulin on inulin fermentation in people with IBS-C
IRAS ID
349409
Contact name
Robin Spiller
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Increasing fibre provides many health benefits including reducing obesity, type II diabetes and colon cancer yet many people with IBS avoid high fibre foods because they can cause discomfort and gas in their tummy.
One particular group of fibres is called FODMAPs. These are carbohydrates which humans cannot digest and so pass into the colon where they are fermented by bacteria to produce gas. Inulin is one of the commonest dietary FODMAPs. It is found in bread and flour. A few hours after ingestion of inulin the colon may swell with gas, which we can measure using MRI. The swelling could causes symptoms of bloating and abdominal discomfort.
Methylcellulose (MC) is an inexpensive food additive approved as safe and widely used by the food industry as a thickener and emulsifier. We want to see if adding MC to inulin will reduce the amount of gas accumulating in the colon and hence IBS symptoms. It is also a mild laxative, softening stool and improving constipation.
We also believe that repeated feeding of inulin will over time alter the colonic bacteria so that they use inulin more efficiently and hence produce less gas.
We will test these ideas by performing a study comparing the effect of MC and a placebo (maltodextrin, a readily absorbed carbohydrate) on colonic gas induced by inulin. We will measure this gas using MRI both before and after 3 weeks of regular feeding of inulin plus MC or placebo. We will measure the time it takes to pass through the bowel (transit time) by giving some marker pills which we can see on the MRI scans. We will also assess whether the 3 weeks inulin will alter the stool microbiota and hence the break down of inulin.REC name
South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SC/0079
Date of REC Opinion
21 Mar 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion