Dietary fiber and the microbiota: A narrative review by a group of experts from the Asociacion Mexicana de Gastroenterologia

Dietary fiber intake is one of the most influential and efficacious strategies for modulating the gut microbiota. Said fiber can be digested by the microbiota itself, producing numerous metabolites, which include the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs have local and systemic functions that impact the composition and function of the gut microbiota, and consequently, human health. The aim of the present narrative review was to provide a document that serves as a frame of reference for a clear understanding of dietary fiber and its direct and indirect effects on health. The direct benefits of dietary fiber intake can be dependent on or independent of the gut microbiota. The use of dietary fiber by the gut microbiota involves several factors, including the fiber's physiochemical characteristics. Dietary fiber type influences the gut microbiota because not all bacterial species have the same capacity to produce the enzymes needed for its degradation. A low-fiber diet can affect the balance of the SCFAs produced. Dietary fiber indirectly benefits cardiometabolic health, digestive health, certain functional gastrointestinal disorders, and different diseases.(C) 2021 Asociacion Mexicana de Gastroenterologia. Published by Masson Doyma Mexico S.A. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/4.0/).