Abstract
The minimal effective dose was evaluated of a mixture (AG) containing depolymerized sodium alginate as non-fermentable dietary fiber and partially hydrolyzed guar gum as fermentable dietary fiber at a weight ratio 3 to 2 to treat defecation and abdominal discomfort in females (n=60) suffering from functional constipation and low frequency of defecation (≤4 days/week). Clinical testing used a single blind-dose escalation regime. The experimental duration was 14 weeks, constituting four consecutive periods: the observation period (2 weeks); and three periods of AG administration as a 200-ml beverage in doses of 0 g (4 weeks), 2.5 g (4 weeks) and 5 g (4 weeks). The frequency of defecation (numbers of days and times) and the fecal weight of the study subjects (n=42) were significantly higher, and the score for abdominal discomfort significantly lower during the 5-g AG administration period than the 0-g period. There were no clinical problems for any of the subjects (n=60) during the administration period. These results suggest that the intake of at least 5 g of AG can increase the defecation frequency and effectively reduce the abdominal discomfort for some people who experience functional constipation.
