Oat bran increased fecal butyrate and prevented gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis-randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Oat bran specifically increases colon butyrate concentrations and could therefore affect the progress of the disease in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods: Patients with UC in remission were enrolled in a controlled multicenter study and randomized to eat oat bran or low-fiber wheat products. Results: Ninety-four of the enrolled patients (n = 47 for both groups) completed the 24-week study. The oat bran group had significantly (P < 0.05) higher fecal butyrate concentrations and lower serum LDL levels, while deterioration of gastrointestinal symptoms was prevented, and subjective health maintained. The control diet significantly (P < 0.05) increased obstipation, reflux, and the symptom burden and had no effects on butyrate or LDL-cholesterol. The relapse rate was the same for both diets. Conclusions: Oat bran was well tolerated when given to patients with quiescent UC. Lay Summary Ulcerative colitis causes severe gastrointestinal symptoms. This colonic disease could be a lack of butyric acid, a microbial component formed from the diet. In this study, oat bran increased colon butyric acid and prevented against an increase of gastrointestinal symptoms. An additive effect was lower blood cholesterol.