Fibre in enteral nutrition

Understanding of the different types of fibre in the normal diet is growing. In parallel, there is increasing awareness that these various types of fibre serve differing and complementary physiological functions. Application of this knowledge in enteral formulas is now occurring. These liquid products have traditionally been free of fibre, or supplemented with a single fibre source, The latter approach has not proved to be as effective as might have been anticipated, and impaired bowel function, in the form of constipation and diarrhoea, continues to be cited as the most common complaint associated with enteral feeding. Inclusion of a mixture of fibres represents a more physiological approach than supplementing products with a single fibre source. Studies in healthy volunteers and in the clinical setting indicate that such products are well tolerated and help to maintain normal bowel function. Animal studies demonstrate that fibre is vital in maintaining gut structure and integrity. These results suggest that fibre should perhaps be considered as an essential ingredient in the majority of enteral formulas, Future developments may allow further refinement of fibre mixes for specific diseases and conditions. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.