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Dietary Fiber Supplementation and Fecal Bile Acids, Neutral Steroids and Divalent Cations in Rats¹

George V. Vahouny², Reza Khalafi, Subramanian Satchithanandam, Don W. Watkins, Jon A. Story^*, Marie M. Cassidy and David Kritchevsky

Departments of Biochemistry and Physiology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037 ^* Department of Food and Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Young adult rats were fed ad libitum for 4 wk on defined diets containing either no fiber, 10% levels of insoluble fiber sources [cellulose, wheat bran, alfalfa, mixed fibers (Fibyrax)], 5% levels of soluble fiber sources [pectin, guar gum, psyllium (Metamucil)] or 2% cholestyramine (Questran), a bile acid sequestrant. Fecal samples were obtained from paired rats over a 3-d period, were analyzed for neutral and acidic steroid levels and compositions and, together with the food, were assayed for divalent cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺ and Zn²⁺). Animals in all groups were in balance for divalent cations, and there appeared to be no relationship between the extent of cation balance and the type of fiber fed. All insoluble fiber diets and the guar gum and psyilium diets resulted in significantly higher daily fecal mass and, in general, resulted in significant dilution of total fecal steroids. With the insoluble fibers, there was a general dilution of fecal neutral steroids, which was not apparent with the soluble fibers or cholestyramine. In addition, except for the pectin- and mixed fiber-containing diets, there was reduced bacterial conversion of the primary bile acids to secondary bile acids or metabolites.

KEY WORDS: • dietary fiber • cation excretion • fecal steroids

¹ Research supported in part by U.S. Department of Agriculture Grants No. 83-00880 and No. 59-2426-01, U.S. Public Health Service Grant No. HL-03299, National Institute of Health Research Career Award No. HL-00734 and Farma Food, Washington, DC 20007.

² Deceased.

Manuscript received 7 July 1986. Revision accepted 1 September 1987.

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