Fiber That Boosts GLP-1 Release: Approved for Food Use

Innovative products such as breads, smoothies, and cereals that incorporate ‘supercharged’ forms of fiber might be launching in Europe within the next year. This dietary fiber is known to promote the release of hunger-suppressing hormones like GLP-1, which can help prevent weight gain. This fiber has been approved for consumption by the European Food Safety Authority.

According to Gary Frost from Imperial College London, “Randomized controlled trials in middle-aged individuals demonstrate that daily fiber intake can shield against weight gain. Although we do not observe a weight effect in younger populations, there are notable changes in body composition, leading to increased lean body mass.”

Dietary fiber consists of indigestible molecules, but specific bacteria within our large intestines can break them down. The fermentation of fiber by these microorganisms generates short-chain fatty acids, which encourage the secretion of appetite-suppressing hormones like PYY and GLP-1—effects analogous to those seen with weight loss medications such as Ozempic.

The challenge lies in the necessity to consume a significant amount of fiber to elicit these benefits. Research indicates that approximately 80 grams of fiber are needed to produce sufficient short-chain fatty acids for hormonal release, as noted by Douglas Morrison at the University of Glasgow. While many dietary guidelines recommend a daily intake of at least 25 to 30 grams of fiber, most individuals fall short of this recommendation.

However, just 10 grams of a specialized fiber known as inulin propionate (IPE) can trigger this hormonal response. In a randomized controlled trial involving 60 overweight individuals aged 40 to 65, researchers demonstrated that those consuming IPE exhibited elevated blood levels of GLP-1 and PYY and consumed fewer calories. Notably, participants receiving IPE did not experience significant weight gain, while 17% of the control group did. The main side effect reported was increased bloating, a common effect with high-fiber diets.

A separate randomized controlled study with 270 overweight participants aged 20 to 40 showed no weight difference after one year between those who consumed IPE and those who did not. However, the IPE group gained an average of over 1 kilogram of lean body mass.

The development of IPE began 15 years ago when Frost studied the impact of short-chain fatty acids, like propionic acid, on the large intestine. Direct human consumption proved challenging due to its unpleasant taste and rapid absorption before reaching the large intestine. “The options are limited to uncomfortable delivery methods,” says Morrison.

To overcome this, Morrison engineered IPE by integrating propionate into inulin, a common fiber source found in numerous plants and widely used as a supplement. IPE effectively traverses the stomach and small intestine, where it is fermented by gut bacteria, converting it into regular fiber. The released propionate helps achieve sufficient short-chain fatty acid levels to stimulate GLP-1 and PYY release.

After 12 years of research, Frost, Morrison, and their team finally secured approval from the European Food Safety Authority. “I’m not aware of any other academic team that has transitioned something from research to the food supply,” Frost remarked.

Although the approval is strictly for the European Union, they anticipate that UK regulatory officials will soon follow suit. Currently, Frost and Morrison are in discussions with companies to unveil products featuring IPE, including smoothies, cereals, and breads. “I believe we will certainly see this hit the EU market in the coming year,” Morrison noted, adding that most people find the added IPE taste neutral, although a minority may find it slightly bitter.

However, researcher Brendan Gabriel from the University of Aberdeen cautions that the evidence supporting the benefits of IPE is still not robust. The trial demonstrating its efficacy in preventing weight gain in older adults had a limited participant pool, and while the study that reported increased lean mass in younger individuals included a larger cohort, it lacked clear distinctions between muscle and other types of non-fat tissue. Gabriel states, “Nevertheless, incorporating fiber as part of a balanced diet or through IPE supplementation could yield other health benefits and enhance gut health.”

Professor Frost mentioned that the research team aims to conduct further studies to determine whether IPE can assist in maintaining lean body mass for individuals using GLP-1 medications and whether it aids in minimizing weight gain upon discontinuation of these drugs.