Nippon Eiyo Shokuryo Gakkaishi
Online ISSN : 1883-2849
Print ISSN : 0287-3516
ISSN-L : 0287-3516
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Increased Vitamin B12 Requirement of Gut Bacteria and Accumulation of Succinate in the Colon due to Overdose of Resistant Hexoses
Naomichi Nishimura
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2024 Volume 77 Issue 4 Pages 239-246

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Abstract

The colonic lumen contains a community of organisms, mainly bacteria, forming an ecosystem based on nutrient and energy balance, referred to as the colonic ecosystem. Since perturbation of this colonic ecosystem can lead to gastrointestinal and systemic diseases, maintaining a healthy ecosystem balance is considered important for human health. In addition to energy sources such as dietary fiber, gut bacteria require trace elements such as minerals and vitamins. Minerals, which are poorly absorbed from the small intestine, are delivered in sufficient quantities to the large intestine, and many kinds of vitamins are also biosynthesized by gut bacteria. However, because human vitamin B12 (VB12) intake is low and gut bacteria species with this biosynthetic capacity are limited in number, the colon can be a VB12-limited environment. In other words, the colonic lumen is a site where competition exists among gut bacteria to acquire VB12, and bacterial species that are unable to compete may disappear. VB12 restriction may also lead to metabolic changes in gut bacteria, since they require VB12 for propionate formation. In this paper, the author introduces details of changes in the colonic ecosystem in the context of regarding VB12, focusing on colonic fermentation.

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© 2024 Japan Society of Nutrition and Food Science
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