Calcium absorption fiber diets

Most of the forementioned studies which examined the influence of various dietary fiber on the bioavailability of calcium by human subjects have depended upon the comparative measurements of calcium content of diets and calcium contents of stools and urine. As reviewed by Allen (3), calcium balance studies have distinct limitations relative to accuracy and precision. However, their ease of application and cost, laboratory equipment requirements, and real (or perceived) safety in comparison to available radioactive or stable isotope methods continue to make their use popular. In calcium balance studies, calcium absorption is assumed to be the difference between calcium excretion in the feces and calcium intake. Usually this is expressed as a percent of the calcium intake. This method assumes that all fecal calcium loss is unabsorbed dietary calcium which is, of course, untrue since appreciable amounts of calcium from the body are lost via the intestinal route through the biliary tract. Hence, calcium absorption by this method may underestimate absorption of dietary calcium but is useful for comparative purposes. It has been estimated that bile salts may contribute about 100 g calcium/day to the intestinal calcium contents. Bile salt calcium has been found to be more efficiently absorbed through the intestinal mucosa than is dietary calcium (20) but less so by other investigators (21). 

Thus, it may be that the combination of high phytate and high fiber diets is more detrimental to calcium absorption than is either calcium absorption inhibitor by itself. 

Dietary fiber. The fiber in plants low in phytate binds calcium in proportion to its uronic acid content. Since uronic acids can be digested by bacteria in the colon, this may be part of the process whereby calcium absorption is increased slowly after a change from a low-fiber to a high-fiber diet. 

Lipids present in the diet may become rancid. When fed at high (>4-6%) levels, Hpids may decrease diet acceptabiUty, increase handling problems, result in poor pellet quaUty, cause diarrhea, reduce feed intake, and decrease fiber digestion in the mmen (5). To alleviate the fiber digestion problem, calcium soaps or prilled free fatty acids have been developed to escape mminal fermentation. These fatty acids then are available for absorption from the small intestine (5). Feeding whole oilseeds also has alleviated some of the problems caused by feeding Hpids. A detailed discussion of Hpid metaboHsm by mminants can be found (16). 

Drug/Food interactions Diets high in dietary fiber have been shown to decrease absorption of calcium due to decreased transit time in the Gl tract and complexing of fiber with the calcium. 

The threat of nuclear fallout from atomic weapons testing was the impetus for a large number of studies that investigated methods to prevent absorption of radiostrontium, while not adversely affecting the absorption of calcium. Reasonably effective strategies have included alginates, aluminum phosphate, and sulfates. Less effective or less practical strategies have included cold, diet, dietary fiber, flavones, and stable strontium. 

Several dietary constituents decrease the bioavailability of calcium in food. Increasing fiber intake by, for example, replacing white flour by whole wheat flour in a typical Western diet has long been associated with negative calcium balance even when calcium intakes meet recommended levels. Likewise, the fiber in fruits and vegetables can cause negative calcium balance. In cereals, phytic acid is the main constituent of fiber that binds calcium, making it unavailable for absorption. The... 

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