Fibre effects of Gut Lower Region

The large intestine is inhabited by a colony of bacteria. It is perfectly normal for these bacterial to be here, and they probably contribute to our well being. They live on whatever arrives down in their region of the gut, which inevitably means that part of our diet which isn’t or can’t be digested in the stomach or small intestine.

Hence, fibre supplies large part of their diet. In fact these bacteria can break down dietary fibre into simpler substances some of which are absorbed and utilized by the liver and other tissues for energy.

So strictly speaking, some fractions of fibre (which by definition is indigestible by man) are digestible by microorganisms and some of that material can be used by man.

However, what are more important to the fibre eater are the by-products of this digestion. These bacteria live in an environment devoid of oxygen. Just like as wine or beer fermenting yeasts produce gas during the fermentation reaction, the amount of gas (carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen) produced depends on the amount and nature of fibre delivered to them. They are receptive to carbohydrates.

Breaking wind is one of the draw backs of a high fibre diet and has always been socially unacceptable.

The Roman emperor Claudius is said to have planned an edict to legitimize the breaking of wind at table, either silently of noisily after hearing of a man who has so modest that endangered his health by an attempt to restrain himself.
Fibre effects of Gut Lower Region