The gastrointestinal and microbiome impact of a resistant starch blend from potato, banana, and apple fibers: A randomized clinical trial using smart caps

Abstract

The gastrointestinal (GI) impact of fibers including resistant starch (RS) consumption depends on various types and amounts of fibers, the initial microbiome states, and accurate intake measurements. A randomized clinical trial evaluated the GI impact of varying doses of a novel resistant starch blend (RSB) with smart cap monitoring. RSB contained at least 50% RS and was a proprietary mixture of a potato starch, green banana flour, and apple fiber powder (a source of apple pectin, not resistant starch). The study design randomized participants to one of four arms: 10 g/day of potato starch (0 RSB), 10 g/day of RSB, 10 to 20 to 20 g/day of RSB or 10 to 20 to 30 g/day RSB for two-week intervals over 6 weeks. Results confirmed that while resistant starch of approximately 5 g per day improves GI symptoms at 2, 4, and 6 weeks, it did not demonstrate a detectable effect on short chain fatty acids. Increasing doses of the blend (RSB) led to a decrease in the diarrhea score. Using an estimate of total consumption of RSB based on smart cap recordings of container openings and protocol-specified doses of RSB, a reduction in the sleep disturbance score was associated with higher RSB dose. The exploratory microbiome evaluation demonstrated that among the 16S rRNA gene sequences most associated with the consumption of the novel blend RSB, two belong to taxa of notable interest to human health: Faecalibacterium and Akkermansia.