The role of bowel fermentation in appetite control

Disordered eating has been investigated extensively. The large bowel has been studied less. The objective is to find its influence on appetite. Particularly, the relationship between large bowel fermentation and appetite is not known. Hundred patients with no or some colons and the age sex BMI matched controls were given a breakfast followed by lactulose. The hydrogen breath and appetite levels were determined. Energy intake of all patient groups was less than their matched controls. At 180 min, in proctocolectomised group less hunger and higher satiety levels than that of controls group were observed. The satiety levels of subtotal/hemi-colectomised significantly less at 240 and 330 min. The breath hydrogen level at -30 min and 60 min is positively correlated with the satiety levels at 120 min proctocolectomy group. The breath hydrogen level -30 min and 60 min is negatively correlated with the satiety levels at 240 min subtotal removal of the rectum group. The breath hydrogen level -30 min is positively correlated with the satiety levels at 180 min, 300 min and 330 min in total rectal removal group. The subjects who have had large bowel surgery had lower hunger and higher satiety levels than controls implicated that large bowel plays a role in appetite regulation. The breath hydrogen influences the satiety in proctocolectomy and total rectal removal positively and negatively in sub/hemi colectomy, and the hunger only in sub/hemi colectomy in one time point. [J Physiol Sci. 2006;56 Suppl:S78]