The Journal of Nutrition Vol. 127 No. 5 May 1997, pp. 706-709
Copyright ©1997 by the American Society for Nutritional Sciences

A Diet Rich in Fat and Poor in Dietary Fiber Increases the In Vitro Formation of Reactive Oxygen Species in Human Feces

Manuscript received 26 August 1996. Initial reviews completed 12 September 1996. Revision accepted 2 January 1997.

Department of Nutrition Physiology at Hohenheim University, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany and ^* Department of Internal Medicine, Robert-Bosch-Hospital, D-70376 Stuttgart, Germany

Production of reactive oxygen species in the lumen of the colon, a process that is influenced by nutritional factors, may be important in the etiology of colorectal cancer. Because research on humans in support of this hypothesis is lacking, the objective of this study was to measure the effect of different dietary compositions on the in vitro oxygen radical production in human feces. Over a period of 12 d, seven healthy subjects received a diet rich in fat (50%) and meat and poor in dietary fiber. After a period of 1 wk, they received a vegetarian diet poor in fat (20%) and rich in dietary fiber. At the end of each study period, feces were collected and analyzed for in vitro oxygen radical production with dimethylsulfoxide as the free radical scavenger. The mean hydroxyl radical production was 13 times greater in feces of subjects when they consumed the diet rich in fat and poor in dietary fiber [52.7 ± 29.5 µmol/(g feces·h)] than when they consumed the diet poor in fat and rich in dietary fiber [3.9 ± 3.9 µmol/(g feces·h); P < 0.05]. This difference was associated with a 42% higher fecal iron concentration when they consumed the first diet (7.0 ± 19.2 µmol/g feces) than when they consumed the second (4.9 ± 1.9 µmol/g feces; P < 0.05). The results of this study confirm that diets high in fat and meat and low in fiber markedly increase the potential for hydroxyl radical formation in the feces, which in turn may contribute to an enhanced risk of colorectal cancer.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				U. Peters, N. Chatterjee, R. B. Hayes, R. E. Schoen, Y. Wang, S. J. Chanock, and C. B. Foster Variation in the Selenoenzyme Genes and Risk of Advanced Distal Colorectal Adenoma Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., May 1, 2008; 17(5): 1144 - 1154. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. W. Rankin and A. D. Turpyn Low Carbohydrate, High Fat Diet Increases C-Reactive Protein during Weight Loss J. Am. Coll. Nutr., April 1, 2007; 26(2): 163 - 169. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. C. Stern, K. D. Siegmund, R. Corral, and R. W. Haile XRCC1 and XRCC3 Polymorphisms and Their Role as Effect Modifiers of Unsaturated Fatty Acids and Antioxidant Intake on Colorectal Adenomas Risk Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., March 1, 2005; 14(3): 609 - 615. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Halliwell, J. Rafter, and A. Jenner Health promotion by flavonoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, and other phenols: direct or indirect effects? Antioxidant or not? Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, January 1, 2005; 81(1): 268S - 276S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. D. Davis Low Dietary Copper Increases Fecal Free Radical Production, Fecal Water Alkaline Phosphatase Activity and Cytotoxicity in Healthy Men J. Nutr., February 1, 2003; 133(2): 522 - 527. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. G Wood, D. A Fitzgerald, A. K Lee, and M. L Garg Improved antioxidant and fatty acid status of patients with cystic fibrosis after antioxidant supplementation is linked to improved lung function Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, January 1, 2003; 77(1): 150 - 159. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. G Wood, D. A Fitzgerald, P. G Gibson, D. M Cooper, and M. L Garg Increased plasma fatty acid concentrations after respiratory exacerbations are associated with elevated oxidative stress in cystic fibrosis patients Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2002; 75(4): 668 - 675. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Kallay, P. Pietschmann, S. Toyokuni, E. Bajna, P. Hahn, K. Mazzucco, C. Bieglmayer, S. Kato, and H. S. Cross Characterization of a vitamin D receptor knockout mouse as a model of colorectal hyperproliferation and DNA damage Carcinogenesis, September 1, 2001; 22(9): 1429 - 1435. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Tardieu, J.-P. Jaeg, A. Deloly, D. E. Corpet, J. Cadet, and C. R. Petit The COX-2 inhibitor nimesulide suppresses superoxide and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine formation, and stimulates apoptosis in mucosa during early colonic inflammation in rats Carcinogenesis, May 1, 2000; 21(5): 973 - 976. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Rieger, A. Parlesak, B. L. Pool-Zobel, G. Rechkemmer, and C. Bode A diet high in fat and meat but low in dietary fibre increases the genotoxic potential of `faecal water' Carcinogenesis, December 1, 1999; 20(12): 2311 - 2316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. L. Pool-Zobel, S. L. Abrahamse, A. R. Collins, W. Kark, R. Gugler, D. Oberreuther, E. G. Siegel, S. T.-v. Lishaut, and G. Rechkemmer Analysis of DNA Strand Breaks, Oxidized Bases, and Glutathione S-Transferase P1 in Human Colon Cells from Biopsies Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., July 1, 1999; 8(7): 609 - 614. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. T Gerber, K. Holemans, I. O'Brien-Coker, A. I Mallet, R. van Bree, F A. Van Assche, and L. Poston Cholesterol-independent endothelial dysfunction in virgin and pregnant rats fed a diet high in saturated fat J. Physiol., June 1, 1999; 517(2): 607 - 616. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. K Lund, S G. Wharf, S. J Fairweather-Tait, and I. T Johnson Oral ferrous sulfate supplements increase the free radical–generating capacity of feces from healthy volunteers Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 1999; 69(2): 250 - 255. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]