Randomized controlled pilot study: effect of carrageenan emulsifier on inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms in quiescent ulcerative colitis
Background: Animal models have provided some evidence of the pro-inflammatory effects of the commonly used emulsifier carrageenan. However, the effects of food-grade carrageenan among people with ulcerative colitis (UC) are largely unknown. Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over study...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Swedish Nutrition Foundation
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Food & Nutrition Research |
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| Online Access: | https://foodandnutritionresearch.net/index.php/fnr/article/view/9575/16351 |
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| author | Reijo Laatikainen Markku Lehto Noora Mäkelä-Salmi Markku Hillilä Per-Henrik Groop Hanne Salmenkari |
| author_facet | Reijo Laatikainen Markku Lehto Noora Mäkelä-Salmi Markku Hillilä Per-Henrik Groop Hanne Salmenkari |
| author_sort | Reijo Laatikainen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Animal models have provided some evidence of the pro-inflammatory effects of the commonly used emulsifier carrageenan. However, the effects of food-grade carrageenan among people with ulcerative colitis (UC) are largely unknown. Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over study comparing high molecular carrageenan and oat-based beta-glucan preparation (placebo) among patients (n = 7) with quiescent UC was performed. Primary endpoint was Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI) at the end of the treatment (7th day). Secondary analyses included biochemical biomarkers of inflammation, intestinal permeability, detoxification of intestinal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and gastrointestinal symptoms measured by visual analog scale. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in SCCAI or any biochemical markers between carrageenan and placebo periods, nor were there any significant differences when comparing either period to baseline. Gastrointestinal symptoms were higher during the placebo period; the sum of all symptoms and borborygmi was statistically significantly higher at the end of the placebo period than at the end of the carrageenan period (20.8 ± 18.6 vs. 13.3 ± 16.4; P = 0.031, and 29.7 ± 28.6 vs. 17.9 ± 23.6; P = 0.016). Conclusions: Our study suggests that at least short-term usage of food-grade carrageenan is safe among people with UC, but given the limitations of the current study, robust human studies are still urgently needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T14:14:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f968642b78154ad3bccb5b3dff948b29 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1654-661X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T14:14:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Swedish Nutrition Foundation |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Food & Nutrition Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-f968642b78154ad3bccb5b3dff948b292023-11-01T12:08:26ZengSwedish Nutrition FoundationFood & Nutrition Research1654-661X2023-10-01671810.29219/fnr.v67.95759575Randomized controlled pilot study: effect of carrageenan emulsifier on inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms in quiescent ulcerative colitisReijo Laatikainen0Markku Lehto1Noora Mäkelä-Salmi2Markku Hillilä3Per-Henrik Groop4Hanne Salmenkari5Booston Oy Ltd, Helsinki, FinlandFolkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandClinic of Gastroenterology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University, Hospital Jorvi, Espoo, FinlandFolkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, FinlandFolkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, FinlandBackground: Animal models have provided some evidence of the pro-inflammatory effects of the commonly used emulsifier carrageenan. However, the effects of food-grade carrageenan among people with ulcerative colitis (UC) are largely unknown. Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over study comparing high molecular carrageenan and oat-based beta-glucan preparation (placebo) among patients (n = 7) with quiescent UC was performed. Primary endpoint was Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI) at the end of the treatment (7th day). Secondary analyses included biochemical biomarkers of inflammation, intestinal permeability, detoxification of intestinal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and gastrointestinal symptoms measured by visual analog scale. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in SCCAI or any biochemical markers between carrageenan and placebo periods, nor were there any significant differences when comparing either period to baseline. Gastrointestinal symptoms were higher during the placebo period; the sum of all symptoms and borborygmi was statistically significantly higher at the end of the placebo period than at the end of the carrageenan period (20.8 ± 18.6 vs. 13.3 ± 16.4; P = 0.031, and 29.7 ± 28.6 vs. 17.9 ± 23.6; P = 0.016). Conclusions: Our study suggests that at least short-term usage of food-grade carrageenan is safe among people with UC, but given the limitations of the current study, robust human studies are still urgently needed.https://foodandnutritionresearch.net/index.php/fnr/article/view/9575/16351carrageenanulcerative colitisibdinflammatory bowel diseaseemulsifier |
| spellingShingle | Reijo Laatikainen Markku Lehto Noora Mäkelä-Salmi Markku Hillilä Per-Henrik Groop Hanne Salmenkari Randomized controlled pilot study: effect of carrageenan emulsifier on inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms in quiescent ulcerative colitis Food & Nutrition Research carrageenan ulcerative colitis ibd inflammatory bowel disease emulsifier |
| title | Randomized controlled pilot study: effect of carrageenan emulsifier on inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms in quiescent ulcerative colitis |
| title_full | Randomized controlled pilot study: effect of carrageenan emulsifier on inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms in quiescent ulcerative colitis |
| title_fullStr | Randomized controlled pilot study: effect of carrageenan emulsifier on inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms in quiescent ulcerative colitis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Randomized controlled pilot study: effect of carrageenan emulsifier on inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms in quiescent ulcerative colitis |
| title_short | Randomized controlled pilot study: effect of carrageenan emulsifier on inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms in quiescent ulcerative colitis |
| title_sort | randomized controlled pilot study effect of carrageenan emulsifier on inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms in quiescent ulcerative colitis |
| topic | carrageenan ulcerative colitis ibd inflammatory bowel disease emulsifier |
| url | https://foodandnutritionresearch.net/index.php/fnr/article/view/9575/16351 |
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