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[Title & authors         ]
Review
J Clin Gastroenterol
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. 2011 Nov;45 Suppl:S120-7.
doi: 10.1097/MCG.0b013e31822fecfe.

Fermentation in the human large intestine: its physiologic
consequences and the potential contribution of prebiotics

George T Macfarlane^  1 , Sandra Macfarlane
Affiliations Expand

Affiliation

  * ^1 Microbiology and Gut Biology Group, Ninewells Hospital Medical
    School, University of Dundee, UK.

  * PMID: 21992950
  * DOI: 10.1097/MCG.0b013e31822fecfe

Item in Clipboard
Review

Fermentation in the human large intestine: its physiologic
consequences and the potential contribution of prebiotics

George T Macfarlane et al. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2011 Nov.
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J Clin Gastroenterol
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. 2011 Nov;45 Suppl:S120-7.
doi: 10.1097/MCG.0b013e31822fecfe.

Authors

George T Macfarlane^  1 , Sandra Macfarlane

Affiliation

  * ^1 Microbiology and Gut Biology Group, Ninewells Hospital Medical
    School, University of Dundee, UK.

  * PMID: 21992950
  * DOI: 10.1097/MCG.0b013e31822fecfe

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Format [Abstract]

Abstract

The human large intestine harbors a complex microbiota containing
many hundreds of different bacterial species. Although structure/
function relationships between different components of the microbiota
are unclear, this complex multicellular entity plays an important
role in maintaining homeostasis in the body. Many of the physiologic
properties of the microbiota can be attributed to fermentation and
the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly
acetate, propionate, and butyrate. In healthy people, fermentation
processes are largely controlled by the amounts and different types
of substrate, particularly complex carbohydrates that are accessible
to bacteria in the colonic ecosystem. However, other factors impact
on bacterial metabolism in the large gut, including large bowel
transit time, the availability of inorganic terminal electron
acceptors, such as nitrate and sulfate, and gut pH. They all affect
the types and levels of SCFA that can be formed by the microbiota.
This is important because to a large extent, acetate, propionate, and
butyrate have varying physiologic effects in different body tissues.
Prebiotics such as galactooligosaccharides together with inulins and
their fructooligosaccharide derivatives have been shown to modify the
species composition of the colonic microbiota, and in various
degrees, to manifest several health-promoting properties related to
enhanced mineral absorption, laxation, potential anticancer
properties, lipid metabolism, and anti-inflammatory and other immune
effects, including atopic disease. Many of these phenomena can be
linked to their digestion and SCFA production by bacteria in the
large gut.

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Publication types

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  * Carbohydrate Metabolism
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  * Fatty Acids, Volatile / biosynthesis*
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  * Fatty Acids, Volatile / metabolism
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  * Fermentation / physiology*
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  * Humans
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  * Intestine, Large / metabolism*
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  * Intestine, Large / microbiology*
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  * Metagenome / physiology
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