J Nutr Health.  2015 Feb;48(1):19-29. 10.4163/jnh.2015.48.1.19.

Effect of xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture on defecation frequency and symptoms in young women with constipation: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

• Jeon JH
• Kyung M
• Jung S
• Jo S
• Chang MJ

• KMID: 2327173
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4163/jnh.2015.48.1.19

Abstract

PURPOSE
To investigate the effects of the intake of xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture (XOS) on defecation frequency and symptoms in 56 young women (mean age of 22.1 years old) with constipation.
METHODS
Two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, a randomized double-blind study was performed to evaluate the effect of 6 weeks' intake of 10 g sucrose containing 7% xylooligosaccharide or 10 g sucrose on constipation. In experiment 2, 24 g coffee mixture containing 12.8 g plant cream and 11.2 g xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture was consumed by the subjects. During the study, the clinical efficacy was assessed by using a daily diary. The subjects indicated the number of frequencies they defecated in a day and the clinical symptom scores.
RESULTS
In experiment 1, the mean frequency of defecations was 2.07 in the pretreatment week and increased significantly to 4.05, 4.42, 4.84, 4.84, and 4.05 in weeks 2 to 6 of XOS intake, in comparison with the 3-3.67 with sucrose intake (sucrose, SUC). In experiment 2, the mean frequency of defecations significantly increased from 2.47 in the pretreatment week to 4.11-5.67 in weeks 1-6 of XOS intake. The occurrence of very loose or loose stools in the XOS group was significantly increased in weeks 5 and 6, compared with the pretreatment week and SUC group. XOS intake significantly alleviated the abdominal displeasure and feeling of residual stool leftness in weeks 2, 3, 5, and 6, while SUC did so in weeks 4 and 6 (p < 0.05). The coffee mixture containing xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture reduced the abdominal displeasure and feeling of residual stool leftness from week 3 until the end of the experiment (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture intake was effective, without adverse effects, for the alleviation of constipation in the young women in this study.

Keyword

xylooligosaccharide; constipation; defecation frequency; young women

MeSH Terms

Coffee
Constipation*
Defecation*
Double-Blind Method
Female
Humans
Plants
Sucrose
Coffee
Sucrose

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. The effect of xylooligosaccharide -sugar mixture intake on the bowl movement frequency of the subjects. A: Weekly transition of the mean frequency of stools of the subjects. B: Weekly transition of the number of days with defecation of the subjects. ∗Significant difference between XOS and SUC groups at p < 0.05. XOS: Xylooligosaccharide containing sugar mixture group, SUC: sugar group.

• 

  Fig. 2. The effect of xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture intake on the stool state of the subjects. A: Weekly transition of the subjective amount of stool. B: Weekly transition of the color of stool. C: Weekly transition of the stool consistency. †Significant difference from the pre treatment, p < 0.05. ∗Significant difference between XOS group and SUC group at the same week, p < 0.05. XOS: Xylooligosaccha-ride-sugar mixture group, SUC: sugar group.

• 

  Fig. 3. The effect of xylooligosaccharide- sugar mixture intake on abdominal state of the subjects. A: Weekly transition of the feeling of abdominal displeasure. B: Weekly transition of the feeling of residual stool leftness. †Significant difference from the pre treatment, p < 0.05. XOS: Xylooligosaccharide-sugar mixture group, SUC: sugar group.

• 

  Fig. 4. The effect of xylooligosaccharide- sugar mixture containing coffee mix intake on the bowel movement frequency of the subject. A: Weekly transition of the mean number of stools of the subjects. B: Weekly transition of the number of days with defecation of the subjects. †Significant difference from the pre treatment, p < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 5. The effect of xylooligosaccharide- sugar mixture containing coffee mix intake on abdominal state of the subjects. A: Weekly transition of the feeling of abdominal displeasure. B: Weekly transition of the feeling of residual stool leftness. ∗Significant difference from the pre treatment, p < 0.05.

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