Soluble Corn Fiber Helps Retain Calcium in Women

HELPS BUILD AND MAINTAIN BONES

It begins with the diet. Connie Weaver, a distinguished professor and head of nutrition science at Purdue University reveals: "we are looking deeper in the gut to build healthy bone in girls and help older women retain strong bones during an age when they are susceptible to fractures... soluble corn fiber is a prebiotic and helps the body better utilize calcium during both adolescence and post-menopause."

This is in the line of discovery that medical researchers have been making in the last several years: the gut microbiome has been found to be linked to many medical conditions, and is the new frontier in health.

WHAT ARE PREBIOTICS?

A prebiotic is a non-digestible form of dietary fiber that that nourishes and promotes the growth of good bacteria in the intestines. This improves the good-to-bad bacteria ratio, which has been shown to have a direct correlation to your health and overall wellbeing, from your stomach to your brain.  Prebiotics improve calcium and mineral absorption, which helps slow or stop bone loss in certain people.

EFFECTIVENESS TESTS

The effectiveness of a prebiotic diet of soluble corn fiber was tested on both post-menopausal and adolescent women. In both cases, bone loss was prevented or slowed.

In a post-menopausal study, calcium retention was measured in fourteen women using the excretion of calcium isotope 41-Ca. The excretion was measured to estimate bone loss. The isotope 41-Ca is a long-lived calcium isotope often used for studies of this type. The women consumed 0 grams, 10 grams or 20 grams of this non-digestible carbohydrate, soluble corn fiber, each day for 50 days.

The results showed that bone calcium retention was improved by 4.8 per cent and 7 per cent for those who consumed 10 grams and 20 grams, respectively. If this rate of calcium retention was projected out over the course of a year, the gains would equal and prevent the average rate of bone loss in post-menopausal women.

Adolescent women
Bone loss was also measured for adolescent women using the excretion of 14-Ca. Thirty-one girls consumed either 0 grams, 10 grams or 20 grams of soluble corn fiber carbohydrate each day for three weeks while maintaining their regular diets. Both 10 grams and 20 grams led to improved calcium absorption by up to 12 percent for female adolescents, which would build 1.8 per cent more skeleton a year. 

In both studies, gastrointestinal symptoms were minimal and the same for the control groups, as well as in those who consumed soluble corn fiber. So consuming corn fiber has no negative effects and only produces health benefits for these groups of women.

WHY IT WORKS

Most studies that look at benefits of soluble corn fiber look at it to solve digestive issues. But the Purdue study was the first to show that certain types of fibers can change the gut microbiome and improve health.  The author, Weaver also mentions: "we found this prebiotic can help healthy people use minerals better to support bone health."

CORN FIBER PROMOTES BONE FORMATION

Weaver warns that the results shouldn't cause people to change their diets. Women should still drink milk and eat a well balanced diet.  Consuming calcium rich products, such as milk or yogurt, does suppress bone loss but doesn't encourage bone formation. The wonderful thing about these corn fibers is they actually encourage bone formation, and not only calcium absorption. They can be of benefit to virtually anyone, but are particularly recommended for women that belong to the two groups.

WHERE TO BUY SOLUBLE CORN FIBER

FiberCel is a soluble corn fiber that is easy to take and completely clear when mixed with water or other liquids - with no grit, no taste. Add to your favorite drink, smoothie or favorite soft food - or in as little as 2 oz of water. This instantly dissolving fiber powder contains 5 grams of fiber in every serving.

Buy online from Caring Solutions in Canada.