Evaluation of Fructans Supplementation on Parameters of Metabolic Syndrome (FRUCTOB)

Obesity is constantly increasing, causing an important risk to develop diseases such as heart disease, diabetes,... Some recent studies have shown that obese people present modifications of colon microflora and a low-grade inflammation.

In our laboratory, we have demonstrated that the intake of fructans lessens dietary intake, body weight gain, adipose tissue accumulation and steatosis in rodents. These effects lead to an improvement of insulin resistance and hyperglycemia in diabetic rats and mice. Fructans are also able to restore the microflora disturbed by a high fat diet and to prevent endotoxemia. Moreover, studies have shown that fructans intake promotes satiety (Cani et al, Diabetes 2007) and or decreases fat mass (Abrams et al, Journal of Pediatrics 2007) in healthy human. An intervention study in obese patients is thus needed to study the effects of fructans in the target population.