Study finds psyllium fiber protects against ulcerative colitis

Psyllium is a semi-soluble fiber from Plantago Seeds. Dietary fiber generally promotes gut health, but whether patients with inflammatory bowel conditions, such as ulcerative colitis, can experience the same benefits remains to be seen.

A study led by Alexis Bretin, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia State University’s Institute of Biomedical Sciences, tested several types of fibers to better understand which fibers might help relieve ulcerative colitis and the mechanism by which it can happen.

In a recent study published in Cellular and molecular gastroenterology and Hepatology, Bretin and his fellow researchers tested inulin, cellulose, pectin, glucomannan and psyllium in a mouse model. They found that inulin, cellulose, pectin and glucomannan exacerbated colitis. But the psyllium had a protective effect.

Investigating the mechanism by which psyllium conferred its protection, Bretin and his colleagues found that psyllium increased serum bile acid levels and, in turn, activated the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a bile acid receptor. They believe it is the activation of FXR that soothes inflammation and prevents colitis.

The results come from experiments performed on mice, so they are preliminary. But Bretin and his colleagues say they suggest activating FXR could be a pharmacological strategy to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis.

“Our results support the idea that pharmacological activation of FXR might be useful in the management of IBD and therefore further investigation into its mechanisms of action is warranted,” they wrote, adding that future studies on the psyllium in humans should include measurement of serum bile acid and consider roles for FXR activation in mediating impacts of this fiber.

The results of this study may also inform clinicians and dietitians of the potential benefits of dietary fiber in patients with IBD.

“The idea that fermentable foods might have a negative impact on IBD has prompted many patients to consume low-fiber diets,” they note, so they miss out on the “wide range of benefits for the health provided by fiber, which, at least for some fibers, may include an ability to lessen the inflammation that drives their disease.