Frazzled by Fibers? Deciphering Which, When, and Why With the GI-MAP®

By Natalie Groenewoud, ND, and Alea Bell, ND

Posted On November 13th, 2024

Are you unsure about the different types of fibers and their impact on gut health You’re not alone. Many practitioners struggle with how to effectively use fiber in their patient protocols.

Natalie Groenewoud, ND, and Alea Bell, ND, demystify the complexities of fiber, empowering you to make informed decisions about fiber prescription in your practice.

In this webinar, you’ll discover the key differences between dietary and functional fibers and how they influence digestion, the microbiome, and overall gut health. Learn when to introduce fiber support, what GI‑MAP^® patterns indicate its need, and how fiber promotes balanced gut health in your patients.

Key Learning Objectives

Clarify fiber terminology and properties, including fermentability, solubility, viscosity, prebiotic fibers, and more
Explore dietary and functional fibers—understanding benefits, cautions, and indications for different patient needs
Review GI‑MAP case studies to identify patterns and clinical indications for fiber support, including for fiber-sensitive patients

Webinar Handout

An Educational Resource from Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory

Functional Fibers to Optimize Gut Health

Content:

FDA Definition of Fiber Characteristics
Table 1 - Physiochemical Characteristics of Fiber
What is Your Goal? – Clinical Strategies Based on GI-MAP Results
Table 2 - Soluble and Non-viscous Fiber
Table 3 - Soluble and Viscous Fiber
Table 4 - Insoluble Fiber
Table 5 - Fibers to Support Specific Commensals/Keystones on GI-MAP®
Dietary Approaches to Support Microbial Diversity and Commensal Bacteria
References

Download Handout

Author Natalie Groenewoud, ND

Dr. Natalie Groenewoud is a licensed Naturopathic Physician and Medical Consultant. She has been in practice for over a decade, and her areas of clinical interest and focus are women's wellness and gastrointestinal health. Dr. Groenewoud always works with the premise that the body is self-correcting. She works through her patients' cases by supporting deficiencies and removing environmental, lifestyle, nutritional, or physical roadblocks preventing them from getting back into a homeostatic state. When she isn't seeing patients or consulting with Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory, she can be found in the mountains exploring with her young family.

Author Alea Bell, ND

Dr. Bell is a Naturopathic Doctor and member of the Clinical Education team at Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory. She has been working in the healthcare field for 20 years and in clinical practice for over ten years. Her practice focus includes gastrointestinal health, hormonal imbalances, and pediatrics. Dr. Bell has a passion for researching and educating within the field of gastrointestinal health and the gut microbiome. She enjoys conveying this knowledge in her GI-MAP clinical consults with practitioners and educational webinars to help clinicians achieve optimal clinical outcomes. In her free time, Dr. Bell can be found on the ski hill with her family or exploring the coastline in the Pacific Northwest.

The opinions expressed in this presentation are the author's own. Information is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for personal advice provided by a doctor or other qualified health care professional. Patients should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing a health or fitness problem or disease. Patients should always consult with a doctor or other health care professional for medical advice or information about diagnosis and treatment.

References

Davani-Davari D, Negahdaripour M, Karimzadeh I, Seifan M, Mohkam M, Masoumi SJ, Berenjian A, Ghasemi Y. Prebiotics: Definition, types, sources, mechanisms, and clinical applications. Foods. 2019 Mar 9;8(3):92. doi:10.3390/foods8030092. PMID: 30857316; PMCID: PMC6463098.
Rezende ESV, Lima GC, Naves MMV. Dietary fibers as beneficial microbiota modulators: A proposed classification by prebiotic categories. Nutrition. 2021 Sep;89:111217. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2021.111217. Epub 2021 Feb 26. PMID: 33838493.
Guan ZW, Yu EZ, Feng Q. Soluble Dietary Fiber, One of the most important nutrients for the gut microbiota. Molecules. 2021 Nov 11;26(22):6802. doi:10.3390/molecules26226802. PMID: 34833893; PMCID: PMC8624670.
McRorie JW, McKeown NM. Understanding the physics of functional fibers in the gastrointestinal tract: An evidence-based approach to resolving enduring misconceptions about insoluble and soluble fiber. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2017 Feb;117(2):251-264.
Gibson GR, Hutkins R, Sanders ME, et al. Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics. Not Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;14(8):491-502. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2017.75
Severino A, Tohumcu E, Tamai L, Dargenio P, Porcari S, Rondinella D, Venturini I, Maida M, Gasbarrini A, Cammarota G, laniro G. The microbiome-driven impact of western diet in the development of noncommunicable chronic disorders. Best Practice & Research Clinicol Gostroenterology. 2024;101923. doi:10.1016/j.bpg.2024.101923
Wastyk HC, Fragiadakis GK, Perelman D, Dahan D, Merrill BD, Yu FB, Topf M, Gonzalez CG, Van Treuren W, Han S, Robinson JL, Elias JE, Sonnenberg ED, Gardner CD, Sonnenberg JL. Gut microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status. Cell. 2021;184: 4137-4153. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2021.06.019
Cai Y, Folkerts J, Folkerts G, Maurer M, Braber S. Microbiota-dependent and -independent effects of dietary fibre on human health. Br J Pharmacol. 2020;177:1363-1381. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.14871
Dahiya D, Nigam PS. Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and fermented foods as potential biotics in nutrition improving health via microbiome-gut-brain axis. Fermentation. 2022;8(7):303. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8070303
Rinninella E, Tohumcu E, Raoul P, Fiorani M, Cintoni M, Mele MC, Cammarota G, Gasbarrini A, laniro G. The role of diet in shaping human gut microbiota. Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology. 2023;62-63:101828. doi:10.1016/j.bpg.2023.101828
Rinninella E, Cintoni M, Raoul P, Lopetuso LR, Scaldaferri F, Pulcini G, Miggiano GAD, Gasbarrini A, Mele MC. Food components and dietary habits: Keys for a healthy gut microbiota composition. Nutrients. 2019 Oct 7;11(10):2393. doi:10.3390/nu11102393. PMID: 31591348; PMCID: PMC6835969.
Pascale N, Gu F, Larsen N, Jespersen L, Respondek F. The potential of pectins to modulate the human gut microbiota evaluated by in vitro fermentation: A systematic review. Nutrients. Sep 2 2022;14(17) doi:10.3390/nu14173629
Davani-Davari D, Negahdaripour M, Karimzadeh I, Seifan M, Mohkam M, Masoumi SJ, Berenjian A, Ghasemi Y. Prebiotics: definition, types, sources, mechanisms, and clinical applications. Foods. 2019 Mar 9;8(3):92. doi:10.3390/foods8030092. PMID: 30857316; PMCID: PMC6463098.
Hughes RL, Alvarado DA, Swanson KS, Holscher HD, The prebiotic potential of inulin-type fructans: A systematic review. Advances in Nutrition. 2022;13(2)492-529. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmab119
Dou Y, Yu X, Luo Y, Chen B, Ma D, Zhu J. Effect of fructooligosaccharides supplementation on the gut microbiota in human: A systematic review and metaanalysis. Nutrients. 2022 Aug 12;14(16):3298. doi: 10.3390/nu14163298. PMID: 36014803; PMCID: PMC9413759.
Global Prebiotic Association. Prebiotic Type Spotlight: Fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Published August 2023. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://prebioticassociation.org/prebiotic-type-spotlight-fructooligosaccharides-fos/
Valladares-Diestra KK, de Souza Vandenberghe LP, Vieira S, et al. The potential of xylooligosaccharides as prebiotics and their sustainable production from agro-industrial by-products. Foods. 2023;12(14):2681. doi:10.3390/foods1214268
Finegold SM, Li Z, Summanen PH, et al. Xylooligosaccharide increases bifidobacteria but not lactobacilli in human gut microbiota. Food Funct. 2014;5(3):436-445. doi:10.1039/c3fo60348b
Guarino MPL, Altomare A, Emerenziani S, Di Rosa C, Ribolsi M, Balestrieri P, Iovino P, Rocchi G, Cicala M. Mechanisms of action of prebiotics and their effects on gastro-intestinal disorders in adults. Nutrients. 2020; 12(4):1037.
Reider SJ, Moosmang S, Tragust J, Trgovec-Greif L, Tragust S, Perschy L, Przysiecki N, Sturm S, Tilg H, Stuppner H, et al. Prebiotic effects of partially hydrolyzed guar gum on the composition and function of the human microbiota-results from the PAGODA trial. Nutrients. 2020;12(5):1257. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12051257
Martinez I, Kim J, Duffy PR, Schlegel VL, Walter J. Resistant starches types 2 and 4 have differential effects on the composition of the fecal microbiota in human subjects. PLoS One. 2010 Nov 29;5(11):e15046. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015046. PMID: 21151493; PMCID: PMC2993935.
Bojarczuk A, Sk<1pskaS , Khaneghah AM, Marszalek K. Health benefits of resistant starch: A review of the literature. Journal of Functional Foods. 2022;93:105094.
Chen Z, Liang N, Zhang H, Li H, Guo J, Zhang Y, Chen Y, Wang Y, Shi N. Resistant starch and the gut microbiome: Exploring beneficial interactions and dietary impacts. Food Chem X. 2024 Jan 3;21:101118. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101118. PMID: 38282825; PMCID: PMC10819196.
Depeint F, Tzortzis G, Vulevic J, I' Anson K, Gibson GR. Prebiotic evaluation of a novel galactooligosaccharide mixture produced by the enzymatic activity of Bifidobacterium bifidum NCIMB 41171, in healthy humans: A randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled intervention study. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2008;87(785-791).
Vulevic J, Juric A, Walton GE, Claus SP, Tzortzis G, Toward RE, Gibson, GR Influence of galactooligosaccharide mixture (B-GOS) on gut microbiota, immune parameters and metabolomics in elderly persons. Br. J. Nutr. 2015;114(586-595).
Zaman SA, Sarbini SR. The potential of resistant starch as a prebiotic. Crit. Rev. Biotechnol. 2016;36:578-584
Rawi MH, Abdullah A, Ismail A, Sarbini SR. Manipulation of gut microbiota using acacia gum polysaccharide. ACS Omega. Jul 20 2021;6(28):17782-17797. doi:10.1021/acsomega.lc00302
Calame W, Weseler AR, Viebke C, Flynn C, Siemensma AD. Gum arabic establishes pre biotic functionality in healthy human volunteers in a dosedependent manner. Br J Nutr. Dec 2008;100(6):1269-75. doi:10.1017/s0007114508981447
Jalanka J, Major G, Murray K, Singh G, Nowak A, Kurtz C, Silos-Santiago I, Johnston JM, de Vos WM, Spiller R. The effect of psyllium husk on intestinal microbiota in constipated patients and healthy controls. Int J Mo/ Sci. 2019 Jan 20;20(2):433. doi: 10.3390/ijms20020433. PMID: 30669509; PMCID: PMC6358997.