Tuesday, July 26, 2016

New Fiber Study (feat. Raw Potato Starch!)

A great study out of Denmark last week. Nineteen people between 39 and 75, all with metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.), were given a low-fiber or a high-fiber diet.  Guess what? Those on the high-fiber diet got healthier...the tl/dr (too long/don't read) version is in the conclusion, here:

In conclusion, the results of our study support the hypothesis that high intake of both RS and AX [wheat/rye fiber] is capable of changing the intestinal microbiota and SCFA production in subjects with MetS in contrast with a low-fibre diet (WSD). Most distinctly, Bifidobacterium was clearly enriched by the HCD [High-fiber diet], which was in strong agreement with the increased faecal acetate concentration. Also, dysbiotic changes observed during the WSD [low fiber] emphasise the need for balanced diets, including fiber from various sources.

In other words...We are sorely missing fiber.  What kind and how much is the million dollar question.  But these researchers seem to like Raw Potato Starch, Hi-Maize Corn Starch, and wheat fiber.  Let's discuss.




Last week, "Another Becky" posted a great comment, and I just now had time to sit and read the paper.  Her comment:

Published yesterday in PLOS ONE: Effects of Arabinoxylan and Resistant Starch on Intestinal Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomised Crossover Study

Design summary: N=19 participants in a crossover design with two 4-week supplementation periods and a 4+ week washout in between. The RS used was RS2 from raw potato starch and high-amylose maize starch. It wasn't completely clear to me what the total RS daily intake was, though.

Results: microbiome modifications and increased SCFA, acetate, and butyrate. Maybe someone else can comment on the specific bacterial changes? I'm not familiar enough with the terminology to be qualified in that area.

Tim, do you think a 4-week washout period between the active "treatment" periods is sufficient to remove the effects of the first dietary intervention? The pre-intervention numbers in Table 4 are pretty similar, suggesting that the washout was effective, but the authors also didn't include a measure of variability for those single-timepoint estimates (so it's hard to establish the relative magnitude of the difference). 

Thanks for the great comment, AB! This paper is right up my alley, and features my fave white powders!

The Study

What the study showed was that a diet enriched with RS and AX produced favorable changes in the gut. specifically increased short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and increases in bacteria known to be beneficial.

There were some minor changes to bacteria we consider "good," ie. Akkermansia, Lactobacillus; but the biggest increase was in bifidobacteria. This seems to be the coveted strain, the gut-bug that makes babies bullet-proof, and the one that people spend billions of dollars annually by way of probiotic pills that rarley work.

The predominant change in the faecal microbiota with the introduction of [fiber] was the enrichment of members of Bifidobacterium, a genus regarded to be beneficial to human health. The capacity of fiber to promote Bifidobacterium has been found in many studies...Acetate production by Bifidobacterium confers protection against gastrointestinal pathogens and it may be consumed by butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut.

Shown graphically:



Even to the untrained eye, this is a dramatic display that Bifidobacteria was increased tremendously by the addition of RS and wheat fiber.

Was 4 weeks enough time to prepare the folks for the study?  I think so. It looks to me to be well-designed, and I have always thought that 4 weeks is about the right amount of time to see beneficial changes. The study design was such that the participants kept a detailed food log for a month, then ate either the high-fiber or low fiber diet for 4 weeks, returned to their regular diet for 4 weeks, then switched to the other diet for 4 more weeks. This allowed the researchers to track the changes in each person regardless of which diet they started with.   

Surprises

A good friend taught me long ago, when reading these type studies, pay careful attention to "surprises." This paper had a few.

Surprise #1

...the diet-induced differences in the SCFA concentrations observed in this study were mainly due to declining SCFA concentrations during the WSD.

The surprise here was not the dramatic increase in butyrate and other SCFA on a high fiber diet, but the dramatic decrease when shifting to a low fiber diet. Reasons for this surprise were given as:

  • The normal diet of the participants was much higher in fiber than they estimated
  • Participants ate much less fiber-rich foods during the study
  • The researchers failed to take into account the increase in bowel movements on SCFA measurements

I think they may have overlooked the fact that fecal SCFA measurements are not a good indicator or SCFA production in the gut because it often gets absorbed in the colon and eaten by bacteria, especially in people with healthy guts...this same observation is in many fiber studies.

Surprise #2 

...the decreased concentration of BCFAs in the faeces during the [high fiber diet]. This finding indicates reduced protein fermentation, which counteracts the accumulation of potentially harmful metabolites.

Here is an interesting surprise for sure, and one that may have far-reaching implications!  BCFA's are branch-chain fatty acids, isobutyrate and isovalerate. This indicates that less animal protein is being fermented in the large intestine and could reduce a build-up of harmful chemicals. The effects of RS to counteract some dangers of red meat consumptions have been reported for many years in numerous studies, ie. Resistant starch prevents colonic DNA damage induced by high dietary cooked red meat or casein in rats.

Surprise #3

The [high fiber] conferred a significant decrease in bacterial species richness in all individuals.

Normally we discuss the increase in bacterial diversity associated with a high fiber diet. Why the decrease? This could relate back to Another Becky's question, "Is 14 days long enough?" Another reason could be in the measuring tools they used...if there's one thing I've learned in the last couple years, it's that capturing bacterial diversity is tricky business. The loss in diversity in this study was not phenomenal (615 species vs 675 species), but it was statistically significant. Judging from the dramatic increase in Bifidobacteria, it's quite likely that this good species crowded out several bad species, so though the diversity was lower, the collection of bacteria was better.

Surprise #4

...dysbiotic changes observed during the [low fiber diet] emphasize the need for balanced diets, including DF from various sources.

Around here, people complain of certain "TMI" aspects when starting a high fiber diet, but when switching between high and low fiber diets, more complaints were heard from people embarking on the lower fiber intakes...diarrhea and constipation were the main complaints on low-fiber.  On the high-fiber diet, flatulence and stomach rumbling were reported, but not severe.  Of interest: "Self-reported well-being was rated as moderately higher during the high fiber diet."

One person, however, did withdraw from the study during the high fiber portion due to "abdominal discomfort." Standard warnings apply!  We are all unique when it comes to fiber.   

The Diets

The low fiber diet consisted of roughly 2200 calories worth of food: 300g carbs, 62g fat, 96g protein, and 21g of fiber.  This looks to me to be similar to a "low fat" diet, but higher in fiber than we normally see in the western world where the average intake is about 15g/day of fiber.

The low fiber diet was high in corn flakes, wheat bread, pasta, and pancakes as the main carb sources.  

The high fiber diet consisted of about 2000 calories divided into: 325g carbs, 63g fat, 83g protein, and 68g of fiber per day. This appears to be a typical high carb SAD diet augmented with fiber.

The big difference between the two diets, on the high fiber diet, the corn flakes, bread, and pasta were made with Hi-Maize corn starch (RS2), wheat bran (AX), and a smoothie containing 24g of Raw Potato Starch (RS2). This totalled 68g/day of total fiber intake versus 21g for the low fiber arm.

The low fiber diet was at the bottom of the recommended fiber intake range (25-38g/day) and the high fiber diet was considerably higher.

Wheat arabinoxylan (AX), was used in the study. There is no commercial source of a wheat AX supplement, so far as I can find. AX is found in many whole-grain flours (wheat, rye, spelt) in varying amounts, but removed from refined flours. 

Take Home Message

The more fiber you consume, the healthier your guts will be. Keep in mind that most Americans and Europeans get much less fiber than even the low-fiber group in this study. I have long been an advocate for people eating at the high end of the near-universal guidelines for fiber consumption which are around 25-38g/day. Personally, I target 50g per day and sometimes get upwards of 100g/day through real foods like dandelion roots, onions, garlic, an cocoa nibs.


If you are looking for ways to increase fiber intake, please re-read my 5-part series, "In Search of the Perfect Fiber..." But as always, getting enough fiber is tough to do, even the most well-intentioned days can fall short on fiber intake. Here's where supplements fit in. A couple spoonfuls of Raw Potato Starch, easily found and cheap, or the harder-to-find, more expensive Hi-Maize cornstarch daily can go a long ways to meeting your fiber needs.


Thoughts?

Later!
Tim 

68 comments:

  1. Fantastic post as always, Tim. I know a couple of people who tried the all meat, no carbs diet, which, of course, is very low fiber. They are at around 45 days at the moment, but comments are starting to arise that they have to force feed themselves as the taste in their mouthes is awful. They are eating this way in order to starve the bad bacteria out. It is obviously not working, and they are now left with a greatly depleted gut flors. And maybe the "bad" bacteria have increased instead, leaving them worse off than they were before the intervention.

    I read recently that your gut flora can adjust very quickly, as quick as 2 days after the change. Our gut flora really has a job on its hands trying to keep up with all the changes that we inpose on them. The more we change our diet, the harder time they have keep up.

    I did find it an interesting experiment, which proves once again that we have to keep our co-inhabitants happy and well fed if we want to be happy and healthy.

    Jo tB

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    1. I just cannot think of any scenario where I would recommend an all-meat diet. "Low Carb" is a subjective phrase. You could eat nothing but fibrous plants and still be low in carb intake.

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  2. "The [high fiber] conferred a significant decrease in bacterial species richness in all individuals."

    This reminded me of Jeff Leach's experience in Hadzaland.

    "While in Arusha and my first day in Hadza land, the diversity of bacteria in my gut were more or less the same. But then it began to decrease. Around days four and five on the Hadza diet it bottomed out before starting to tick slowly upwards. This was totally unexpected."

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    1. Good find, makes sense to me that diversity might decrease in the beginning as a regime change is happening. Look at all the republicans leaving the party soon to be replaced with Bernie supporters, haha.

      I can see the headlines now: "Raw Potato Starch lowers diversity of gut flora!"

      Nah, nobody would say that, right?

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  3. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/27/nyregion/new-york-law-funeral-food-beverages.html

    Read this potato story re: the spirituality of potatoes. Thought potato fans might be interested.

    Debbie

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  4. Encourages me to continue using potato starch daily, even though I don't see results in terms of my constipation issues. I'm assuming and hoping there is still benefit, perhaps unseen. Probiotics do actually help the most with constipation - I know this is changing the topic. I've found those with a lot of bifido taken with both meals in somewhat larger quantities than recommended helps. So - that's what I've been doing. Eating tons of fermented sauerkraut does not do it, which I don't understand. Life's a mystery.

    Debbie

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    1. "Life's a mystery." That should be the name of my blog, lol.

      You should give Hi-Maize a try when you run out of PS. It has slightly different fermentation properties than PS, maybe it will make a difference? Find it here: http://shop.honeyville.com/hi-maize-resistant-starch.html

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    2. Thanks for the Hi-Maize source, Tim. I have been wanting to try adding this to my daily RS "cocktail" but didn't want to buy 50 pounds at a time!

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  5. Huge apologies for butting in here. I have a good friend whose 6 month old baby has severe constipation. He's still being breast-fed, but hates water and possibly doesn't get enough fluid according to my friend. He eats tons of things like prunes and kiwifruit and veges and all the normal 'healthy' things she's supposed to give him, but the poor thing is still badly constipated.

    I've been trying to find info on giving RS to babies, but can only find the study where it helped diarrhoea. I myself have been using for a year or two now and together with the Potato Hack, I've lost over 20kg and it's fixed my diarrhoea.

    Can anyone point me to any info for babies? Or tell me their experiences of giving babies RS?

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    1. How dare you ask a fiber related question here! lol

      There is very little written about 'RS for babies' simply because it is on no ones radar at the moment. Lots written on prebiotics and fiber for babies, ie.

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4615227/

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3390559/

      The consensus is that breast-fed babies should not need additional fibers at all. It's such a shame to hear of a breast-fed baby in such trouble. Has he had lots of antibiotics I wonder?

      It's quite possible the baby has a medical condition causing the constipation, hopefully they can get it sorted out. Being breastfed and weaning onto fruit and veggies should be all a kid needs in life for a good start, when it doesn't work, something else could be wrong.

      20kg! Wow, great job.

      The two papers I linked are really good reading.

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    2. From the "Prebiotics in Infant Formula" paper:

      "In conclusion: in healthy infants, prebiotic oligosaccharides increase bowel frequency and soften the stools."

      Potato starch and Hi-Maize are very closely related to oligosaccharides, so maybe worth a try. I'd start out with 1tsp/day and increase to 1TBS and see what happens. It's just food. Wiki on oligosaccharides:

      Oligosaccharides are one of the components of fibre, found in plants. FOS and inulin are found naturally in Jerusalem artichoke, burdock, chicory, leeks, onions, and asparagus. FOS products derived from chicory root contain significant quantities of inulin, a fiber widely distributed in fruits, vegetables and plants. Inulin is a significant part of the daily diet of most of the world’s population. FOS can also be synthesized by enzymes of the fungus Aspergillus niger acting on sucrose. GOS is naturally found in soybeans and can be synthesized from lactose (milk sugar). FOS, GOS, and inulin are available as nutritional supplements in capsules, tablets, and as a powder.

      Not all natural oligosaccharides occur as components of glycoproteins or glycolipids. Some, such as the raffinose series, occur as storage or transport carbohydrates in plants. Others, such as maltodextrins or cellodextrins, result from the microbial breakdown of larger polysaccharides such as starch or cellulose.

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    3. They sell inulin gummy bears, too. Here's some from Wal-Mart that has inulin and all-natural ingredients: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiber-Advance-Gummies-For-Kids-Daily-Fiber-Supplement-60-count/21000229

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    4. We had a child get constipated at a slightly older age. Our Doctor thought it was a mental issue: For some reason, she did not want to poop - maybe she didn't like diaper changes - so she'd clench to avoid pooping. After a while, those muscles became stronger and bigger, narrowing the exit. Eventually, the muscles forget how to relax during a poop, causing further issues.

      I assume your friend is checking with a pediatrician. With our daughter, this ultimately led to our giving her enemas. Not a fun thing! She was on Miralax for many years.

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    5. Thanks for replying Tim and Wilbur. I've just discovered he's 9 months old now. I'm just going to read those links you posted Tim. She may try giving him coconut water shortly to see if that will help him drink more fluids. And yes, she's talked to the medical people here Wilbur.

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    6. Synelg, lots of kids don't like coconut water. When my kid was having issues, I'd take warm formula, make a banana shake with it (add banana and liquidize) and before that I'd had a level teaspoon of milk of magnesia. Once a day in the a.m.

      Eventually kiddo got older and ate lots of fibre foods.

      These days there's Nutribullet that can liquidize all sorts of fruit and veg.

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    7. I'm far from an expert, in fact I don't know much at all! But I just want to throw out some thoughts in case something resonates. If something helps, that's great.

      When you say the baby eats prunes, I think of two things. Real prunes, and baby-food prunes. At 9 months, I'm thinking the latter. Baby food to me is a lot like processed food. I don't know how they make it, but I'd not put too much faith in it. It might start out as something like prunes, but by the time they finish I doubt it has the goodness and fiber of the real thing. The good news is that the stuff I know has lots of water content, so maybe the baby is indeed getting plenty of liquid. Even if your friend is using high-end stuff, realize that the large food companies recognize "natural organic" or whatever adjectives as growth areas and have taken over formerly quality producers. It's better to make your own from scratch.

      That's why I like Gabriella's suggestion. A banana shake. Or a banana shake using coconut water. Or a drink using quality apple cider. Or if liquid is still a concern, just organic apple juice. I hate letting my kid drink that, but if its accompanied with kale and whatnot, then I let it go.

      We also bought a food grinder. We'd take it to all the restaurants we went to. Our daughter ate lots of ethnic cuisine: Chinese, Indian, Thai, etc. she eats them to this day. She loves habanero peanuts that I make. Hot.

      But that did not prevent our constipation issues. So I don't know what to say. Good luck!

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    8. My daughter had constipation problems and I nursed her and made my own baby food and lived in the Middle East at the time. It was physiological constipation. She didn't like soiling her diaper. She would try and hide from us and clinch very tightly and tell us "don't look at me". One day,after many suppositories, it stopped.

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    9. navillus, I think that's how my daughter's constipation started as well. We flew a great deal and she would never poop in her diaper while at airports or on planes. Then it just got worse until I started her with the banana shakes spiked with a little bit of milk of magnesia.

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  6. I prefer Hi-Maize because I can add it to my morning oat bran mush without it changing it's RS properties. I don't think it is hard to find. I buy mine online through Honeyville and buy when they email me their 20% off code. I just bought another huge bag a few days ago and lasts me a long time.

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    1. Hi-Maize, $20 for 5lbs here at Honeyville: http://shop.honeyville.com/hi-maize-resistant-starch.html

      Thanks for the tip! I really like Hi-Maize, I've been using it almost exclusively the last couple months. Price-wise, it's a worse deal than potato starch, but it is way more versatile in that you can cook with it. http://shop.honeyville.com/hi-maize-resistant-starch.html

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    2. Had a child very sensitive to cow milk dairy products, even to the point when she was breast-fed exclusively she had constipation from MY dairy intake. Only worsened once she transitioned to real food (with butter, milk, etc.) That's always a thought. A food sensitivity. I also agree completely with Wilbur's assessment of commercial baby food.

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    3. Terri, that's so strange. I would figure the opposite. My mother always used to say that cheese is constipating. Maybe for her. And chocolate too. But for that, I think it's because she had her secret stash and didn't want us finding it. Anyway, I'm probably in the 0.1% in not finding chocolate particularly enticing.

      What would be in milk protein that could cause the colon to not move? It's like some people who have issues with gluten that also causes constipation, like opiates.

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    4. Milk was the answer to our family's intestinal distress. It was a casein allergy, not lactose. My oldest had terrible diarrhea, my youngest severe constipation. My brother had impacted bowels for years as a child until he figured out the dairy connection in college, and one of his daughters is the same.

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  7. I have tried both PS and Hi-Maize for long periods of time. Since Tim started blogging about RS. With the Hi-Maize, I have less gas and you can use it in hot or cold foods. So it has become my daily staple.

    I will mention that one of the WORST tries at increasing my fiber has been the raw garlic. Really bad. Not able do my job with the public. :)

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  8. Great read. I feel like I'm finally starting to get back to normal after a few years of mostly avoiding starches...but it has been an uphill climb. Potatoes are now a staple...especially undercooked ones and taters that have sat overnight or longer. Took me a while to get how to cook them just right. I don't use a lot of potato starch...but my favorite by far is dehydrated green bananas and plantains. Just a small handful with each meal does wonders for me...the toughest part is finding the green ones in the store! And you have to love the looks when you buy ten pounds of them. :)

    I've been finding these shorter, fatter bananas recently that are sometimes called "strawberry bananas". I had some in Hawaii years ago that were similar but they called them "bakers bananas". For some reason they are very starchy...even ones that appear yellow and ripe still have that starch crunch. I just bought a pile of green ones and am looking forward to putting them in the dehydrator overnight. Great with fresh blueberries.

    I've also tried the dried plantain powder...and while it's good nothing seems to beat the ones you make yourself...my gut always says thank you every time. :)

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  9. What do you know about SIBO and RS? I supposedly have SIBO and have taken xifaxin for it and now taking a botanical pill. Second round. I try to include some cooled potato and plantain, but whenever I do, I get bloated, meaning the bugs are eating it in the wrong place, I presume. How do you feed your large intestine bugs without feeding the small intestine ones????

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    1. I know just enough to be dangerous. SIBO is very hard to diagnose, and harder to cure. Lots and lots of websites out there offering 5-step programs to cure you, but most people are left no better off than before they started, or have a bad case of heartburn over the money they spent so someone could diagnose and treat them over the phone, with no results.

      It sounds like you have a doctor. Hopefully they can get you on track. If they are doing no good, find another doctor.

      You are correct that out-of-place bacteria can ferment foods in the wrong place. The diets I have seen that restrict starchy carbs and sugar never seem to actually cure the problem, but they make life more bearable without resorting to PPI drugs.

      Others try PPIs and find relief, but no cure, and in the long run, end up worse off as they are completely reliant on PPIs to eat anything.

      If you were a family member of mine with this problem, I'd get you eating a really good diet that you can tolerate, eat it for a couple months, then start adding in what's missing, slowly. See what triggers flareups. If you are overweight, I'd focus on some calorie restriction to get you into a healthy weight, and also focus on "lifestyle" factors, ie. stress, sleep, exercise, drinking, smoking, etc.

      Hope that helps.

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    2. Through experimentation, I found that my daughter's stomach pain was due to starchy carbs (specifically carbs not allowed on the GAPS diet). We did that for a while, and it stopped the pain but I felt like she plateaued pretty quickly and didn't progress. I eventually tried giving her Carbgest enzymes, basically digestive enzymes that were focused not on protein or fat, but just lots of help with carbs, and that was just as effective as the restrictive diet, but a lot easier.

      My son had different symptoms but they were due to the same foods, and over time (with trials now and then), I could see his digestion improving, and potato starch seemed to be the thing that pushed him into solidly good digestion and I could stop the Carbgest enzymes for him. For my daughter, it took a good acupuncturist.

      -Tanya

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  10. Hi Tim, on a slightly unrelated note I can't find that Denise Minger video, I looked for it on youtube but to no avail. It was the one about 90% carbs or 90% fat diets being therapeutic. Any chance you could chuck us a link?

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    1. Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFfK27B_qZY

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  11. Great write-up on this publication. It is hard to know how this applies to people, as they fed those animals so much fiber! Thanks for making it easy.

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    1. And I here there are a bunch more studies being done on humans using Bob's Red Mill PS coming out soon. Watch this space!

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  12. Saw a facebook add for this supplement: http://restore4life.com/. After a closer look it kind of set off my scam alarm. Anyone familiar with any science that would back up these claims? Posting here because this is my favorite gut health blog :-) Also if they're targeting people interested in gut health and can't back up their claims, they deserve to get called out.

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    1. A quick scan of the research does not show any serious studies that lignite is a gut-healer as claimed. I'm sure with enough looking you could find some health-properties, though. But of course, this product contains a patented "stabilized lignite extract" called Terrhaydrite (tm).

      Smells like a scam to me, but I've been surprised before. The product is highly enriched with zinc, copper, gold, etc. I would not take it, or recommend it.

      Lignite comes from peat bogs/coal. "Terrahydrite" is literally, "mud water." lol

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    2. Thanks! Confirms my suspicions. It's ironic because I'm generally game to try things that might improve gut health and would probably be more excited than anything else if there was science behind it or another novel approach. Deeply creepy that my online search history is being used by scammers for a targeted ad like that.

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    3. Just had to let you know - I use Restore4life daily and it does help my gut. But the most astonishing about it is that I noticed a decreasing need for my Thyroid medication. From taking 175mg per day I am now completely off them. I can attribute this to nothing else but Restore4life, as this was the single lifestyle change I made a year ago.

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    4. It's funny. I've been using this product for a few days and the results I'm getting kind of make me uhh jump for joy. In trying to figure out WHY this shit is working for me, I googled that word Terrahydrite and found this page (I've been here before btw!).
      Actually just wanted to add that this is actually helping me too, and I've had my leaky gut/dysbiosis problem for about 4 years now.
      https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/protection-against-glutenmediated-tight-junction-injury-with-a-novellignite-extract-supplement-2155-9600-1000547.php?aid=78597

      Might explain some more on it.
      You're speaking the truth. It's essentially dirt water. Tastes like it too, lol. But it fucking works man. Even after taking all kinds of collagen/broth/l-glutamine/intestinew (which worked to a point but is suuuper expensive).
      I'm still in shock actually. Never thought I was going to fix my issue.
      BUT EH, DIRT WATER works.

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  13. Hi Tim,
    I'm hoping you(commenters very welcomed) can help figure out what's going on with me. I looooove potatoes! Every kind, cooked and cooled any and every way. I have no problems with them. But when I eat RPS , I get violent acne. Inulin as well but not as bad. Plantain flour a little bit less than inulin. Banana flour is no problem. Sauerkraut is a problem for me too. I wait a few weeks before re-introducing them only to end up with the same problem and to draw the same conclusions.
    I haven't taken antibiotics or any oral meds in about ten years. I've taken wack loads of probiotics spread out over about 3-4 years.
    I know that there are tons of different fiber options out there but I'm jealous of all of you with the ability to eat these foods without issues.
    I'll try and take very small doses of rps to see how it works out.
    Any other ideas?
    I'm also having an awful time digesting fruits and veggies. By "awful time" I mean NOT digesting them. I only add this for clues on potential correlation? I've taken betaine and various digestive enzymes which helped years ago.

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    1. Yeah, wow, so many interrelated things could be going on. When I was fully on the Low Carb boat, I could not eat fruit lest I fumigate entire buildings. I was diagnosed a "Fructose Malabsorber" by several prominent LC gurus and told that LC is exactly what I need.

      When I finally pulled my head out of my...well. Anyway, after few weeks of daily potatoes, rice, and beans I was able to eat pounds of fruit at a time if I wished. Not sure that applies to you, or anyone else, but simply increasing starchy/sugary plant matter in the diet could be all you need.

      If you are looking for another RS supplement, Hi-Maize has gotten my attention recently. One study just showed that 10g/day (1TBS) split into two doses had significant effects on the metabolism of the test subjects.

      I've also just recently learned Hi-Maize can be purchased at Honeyville, this stuff has always been hard to find in small packages, usually sold by the 50 pounds sack.

      http://shop.honeyville.com/hi-maize-resistant-starch.html?id=007-373-0026&gclid=CjwKEAjwrIa9BRD5_dvqqazMrFESJACdv27GmPeTelVeLHbBMTuG8rmxeFOf2k5xGFK_XGZTZ0_NqxoCF-Hw_wcB&ad=92258867460

      See if that link works, otherwise, just google Honeyville Hi-Maize.

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  14. I'm sure you've already seen this but it makes me want to go even longer on potatoes alone! http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/weightloss/penn-jillette-lost-100-pounds-eating-these-2-things/ar-BBvcN64?li=BBnb7Kz

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  15. Yes, it's taken me a while to realize that what works for one, may not be best for another.
    There are so many smart, well-spoken, convincing people with medical/scientific studies to back up truths and firm beliefs. Being certain that something/s should be helping has made it tougher to recognize that maybe it just isn't for me. Hopefully only temporarily but still.
    I've been gorging daily on berries, cherries which might be part of my digestion issues.
    I'll order that hi-maize and see how it works. I know I need to up my fibre intake and having a convenient option for busy days and smoothies would really help. Thanks for the link and congratulations on the book, Tim!

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  16. I just got a bag of hi-maze. I add 2 tbsp to my morning oatmeal. I'm curious to see how it compares to the rps. I might do 2tbsp hi-maze in the morn and 2 tbsp of rps at night

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  17. Thanks for the summary. (Still a food fan to get health but agree with your closing thoughts about eating what you can and supplementing what you must.)

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  18. Could someone please tell me how many tablespoons of Potato Starch 50-68g of fiber would equal?

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  19. The official answer is 6.4g of fiber per TBS. 1TBS of potato starch weighs 10g.

    8TBS (1/2 cup or 80g)= 51.2g of fiber in the form of resistant starch.

    10TBS (100g)= 64g of fiber (RS).

    If you had asked the same question about Hi-Maize corn starch, you'd find that the fiber content is a bit less at 5.4g per TBS. 10TBS (100g) of Hi-Maize has 54g of RS fiber.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for breaking down the numbers for me!

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  20. On facebook I just came across a new and interesting book which might of interest to others as well:

    Ed Yong’s beautiful, smart, and sometimes shocking new book I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life will make you take a deep breath.


    http://www.wired.com/2016/07/germs-magic-things-learned-ed-yongs-new-book/

    Jo tB

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  21. Can humans process more than 60grams of rs fiber/day or will it just pass on through ? I usually like to supplement with 6-8 tbs of rs/day along with Inulin etc.

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    1. After an adaptation period, we seem to be able to utilize 150g/day or more.

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  22. Is it best to split up the dose of rs supps or can you take all at once?

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    1. I have no evidence, but I personally feel it is best to split large amounts up into a morning/night drink. I would find it difficult to take 150g all at once. I've noticed that some things, like sleep, seem to benefit from a nighttime dose. But try both, and decide what works for you.

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  23. Thanks for the input. Do you mix all your fiber powders in the same container or do you keep it separate and dose randomly from each one?

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    1. I mix all of mine in the same container. That said, I've experimented enough to know that some powders go best first (RPS, inulin, phgg, larch, GOS) and then others should go after baobab (banana flour, amla, flax, chia, long chain Inulin, glucomannan, and a bunch more). The baobab floats and keeps the other powders dry until one mixes them. This prevents clumping.

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    2. Where do you get long chain Inulin?

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    3. I had a seller of Orafti HP, but he quit. I bought about a 5 year supply from him.

      http://www.beneo.com/Ingredients/Human_Nutrition/Functional_Fibres/Inulin/

      I don't know any other sellers.

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    4. Wilbur,
      I'm intrigued by your fiber mix. How much rps do you use in a day?

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    5. On average about 6 Tbsps per day, divided into a morning and evening drink. Sometimes more (8 Tbsps if I feel like it), occasionally less.

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    6. Wilbur, I am wondering for how long have you been taking these huge amounts of RS?
      I am considering starting to slowly use prebiotics including RS, but am afraid to start RS after reading this: http://drbganimalpharm.blogspot.nl/2014/12/high-dose-potato-starch-can-make-you_22.html

      ,Yannel

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    7. Nearly 3 years. Of the roughly 1000 days that represents, I might have missed 10 days or so.

      I started in October of that year. By January I'd lost over 40 lbs. to reach my ideal weight. My weight has varied little since. I lost insulin resistance and a whole bunch of autoimmune issues.

      There's a backstory to her post that, as I understand things, makes it questionable. IMO, it is a great disservice.

      I understand your fear. I was fearful when I started. It's seems that for nearly everything there's somebody saying its harmful. In many cases, these people have a concealed agenda.

      I'm a fan of RPS. My gut sends me signals about what it likes as food. RPS is the most important of all of my supplemental fibers according to my gut.

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    8. I misread your post and didn't realize you asked about RS. I also use bana flour and eat RS foods. I love potatoes and beans and stuff. So my RS levels are really high.

      I also do not count calories or restrict what I eat. I eat anything I want. The key is what I want.

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    9. Thank you for your reply Wilbur, this gives me some confidence in trying out some raw potato starch! :)

      You actually read my mind rather than my post, I meant to say RPS (raw potato starch) but accidentally wrote RS, so the reply perfectly answered my concerns. :)

      My gut has been severely starved of bacteria due to having had some antibiotic for pneumonia when I was 13, it caused me IBS-C, since then I had to use a crazy amount of laxatives (magnesium based macrogol) for 6 years giving me liquid stool. At the time I didn't know better, but I think I have been literally wiping out my whole gut flora for 6 years in a row. I finally managed to get rid of this constipation a few months ago by taking 1 liter milk kefir for a few days. I still suffer from very low energy and hope that prebiotics can revive my gut and my body!

      ,Yannel

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    10. There really only seems to be one person speaking out against RPS, and when you look at her reasons, you'll see she is just making things up. According to her, all fiber, even man-made fiber and all forms of RS are healthy except for RPS. Here's a blog I did looking at some of her criticisms: https://vegetablepharm.blogspot.com/2016/05/rs2-part-twoyep-still-in-love-rs4-not.html

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  24. I wonder if the Swanson brand Inulin powder from chicory root is long chain

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    1. It's Orafti Synergy1, which is a 50:50 mix of very short chain and Orafti HP long chain. I don't know if that's good or bad or neither. I just have the pure HP and like it very much.

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    2. Is that on the label or did Swanson tell you that?

      Charles

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    3. Right after my Syontix person went out of business, someone mentioned the Swanson product had a similar container and so it might also be HP. I did a lot of searching to figure out if it was. I am unable to replicate that search. But whatever I found was definitive enough to me to say that Swanson is Orafti Synergy1. I might be wrong. I don't think it really matters. I don't know what difference having 100% long chain or 50% long chain would have. I've tried to replicate my search, but no luck!

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  25. This comment has been removed by the author.

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