Arabinoxylan

Arabinoxylan is a type of prebiotic fibre found in plants. Its name is derived from the fact that it consists of arabinose and xylose sugars linked together in what chemists call “side chains”. These are often seen in complex carbohydrates.

Here are 5 key roles of arabinoxylan in human health:

Gut Health: Arabinoxylan nourishes beneficial gut bacteria, supporting their growth and helping maintain a healthy gut microbiome.¹²
Immune Support: Arabinoxylan supports healthy immune responses and overall immune function.³⁴
Digestive Regularity: Arabinoxylan helps maintain regular bowel movements.⁵
Antioxidant Properties: Arabinoxylan has antioxidant effects, helping to neutralise harmful free radicals.⁶
Potential Anti-inflammatory Benefits: Arabinoxylan shows promise in reducing inflammation, which can benefit people living with inflammatory conditions.⁷

Which bacteria are involved in the metabolism/fermentation of arabinoxylan?

Bacteria involved in the metabolism/fermentation of arabinoxylan include Prevotella, Bifidobacterium, and Bacteroides. These bacteria play a significant role in the use of arabinoxylan as a source of energy, breaking it down into beneficial byproducts, including short-chain fatty acids.⁸⁹¹⁰

How can you get more arabinoxylan in your diet?

Our Complete Prebiotic provides a good source of arabinoxylan. Other sources of arabinoxylan include whole grains like rye, barley, and millet. Wheat bran and psyllium husks are also a source of arabinoxylan.¹¹¹²

Where to find your arabinoxylan score in the Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Test

You will find your arabinoxylan score in the “Prebiotics” report in your Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Test results. Guidance on how to work with your arabinan score will be featured in your personal action plan. Please note that this information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP or another qualified health provider if you have any questions about the impact of arabinoxylan on your health.

Synonyms: arabinoxylan polysaccharide, arabinoxylan polymer, arabinoxylan-containing polysaccharide, arabinoxylan complex

Important disclaimer

The Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Handbook is an educational resource built to translate complex science into plain English. The information provided on this page is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Always check with your GP for interactions with medications/health conditions before changing your diet or starting to take food supplements.

References

1
Broekaert WF, Courtin CM, Verbeke K, Van de Wiele T, Verstraete W, Delcour JA. Prebiotic and other health-related effects of cereal-derived arabinoxylans, arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides, and xylooligosaccharides. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2011 Feb;51(2):178-94. doi: 10.1080/10408390903044768.
2
Zhang S, Hu J, Sun Y, Tan H, Yin J, Geng F, Nie S. Review of structure and bioactivity of the Plantago (Plantaginaceae) polysaccharides. Food Chem X. 2021 Nov 12;12:100158. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2021.100158.
3
Srinivasan A, Ekambaram SP, Perumal SS, Aruldhas J, Erusappan T. Chemical characterization and immunostimulatory activity of phenolic acid bound arabinoxylans derived from foxtail and barnyard millets. J Food Biochem. 2020 Feb;44(2):e13116. doi: 10.1111/jfbc.13116.
4
Moerings BGJ, van Bergenhenegouwen J, Furber M, Abbring S, Schols HA, Witkamp RF, Govers C, Mes JJ. Dectin-1b activation by arabinoxylans induces trained immunity in human monocyte-derived macrophages. Int J Biol Macromol. 2022 Jun 1;209(Pt A):942-950. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.04.071.
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Marteau P, Flourié B, Cherbut C, Corrèze JL, Pellier P, Seylaz J, Rambaud JC. Digestibility and bulking effect of ispaghula husks in healthy humans. Gut. 1994 Dec;35(12):1747-52. doi: 10.1136/gut.35.12.1747.
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Shahidi F, Hossain A. Importance of Insoluble-Bound Phenolics to the Antioxidant Potential Is Dictated by Source Material. Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Jan 15;12(1):203. doi: 10.3390/antiox12010203.
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Ooi SL, Pak SC, Micalos PS, Schupfer E, Lockley C, Park MH, Hwang SJ. The Health-Promoting Properties and Clinical Applications of Rice Bran Arabinoxylan Modified with Shiitake Mushroom Enzyme-A Narrative Review. Molecules. 2021 Apr 27;26(9):2539. doi: 10.3390/molecules26092539.
8
Pereira GV, Abdel-Hamid AM, Dutta S, D’Alessandro-Gabazza CN, Wefers D, Farris JA, Bajaj S, Wawrzak Z, Atomi H, Mackie RI, Gabazza EC, Shukla D, Koropatkin NM, Cann I. Degradation of complex arabinoxylans by human colonic Bacteroidetes. Nat Commun. 2021 Jan 19;12(1):459. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20737-5.
9
Calvete-Torre I, Sabater C, Delgado S, Ruas-Madiedo P, Rupérez-García A, Montilla A, Javier Moreno F, Margolles A, Ruiz L. Arabinoxylan-based substrate preferences and predicted metabolic properties of Bifidobacterium longum subspecies as a basis to design differential media. Food Res Int. 2023 May;167:112711. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.112711.
10
Rivière A, Gagnon M, Weckx S, Roy D, De Vuyst L. Mutual Cross-Feeding Interactions between Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum NCC2705 and Eubacterium rectale ATCC 33656 Explain the Bifidogenic and Butyrogenic Effects of Arabinoxylan Oligosaccharides. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2015 Nov;81(22):7767-81. doi: 10.1128/AEM.02089-15.
11
Zannini E, Bravo Núñez Á, Sahin AW, Arendt EK. Arabinoxylans as Functional Food Ingredients: A Review. Foods. 2022 Apr 1;11(7):1026. doi: 10.3390/foods11071026.
12
He HJ, Qiao J, Liu Y, Guo Q, Ou X, Wang X. Isolation, Structural, Functional, and Bioactive Properties of Cereal Arabinoxylan─A Critical Review. J Agric Food Chem. 2021 Dec 29;69(51):15437-15457. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c04506.

Arabinoxylan

References

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