Following are selected posts to the Holisticat (TM) Mailing List on the subject of fiber. There's a lot of information here, and the posts are arranged in ascending chronological order. If there is a particular word you're looking for, it's probably best to utilize the "Find in Page" function in your edit menu!

Happy hunting :)

<07 Aug 1998 From: Judy <critterz Re Fiber capsules>

Hi everyone!!

The TwinLab FiberSol worked!!!!  Yippeee!  I phoned my vet to run it by her and she approved it.  She said it was completely safe, and that there are lots of animals that need to take fiber supplements.

Peggy, why did you mention for short term usage?  What would be wrong if I had to, which he probably will have to, use it long term?

According to the Balch book, guar gum is a source of fiber.  It is extracted from the seeds of the guar plant.

On 25 Nov 1998 Leslie writes:
<<that requires the right enzymes to break down, soluble fiber is very complex carbohydrate that requires enzymes and flora to break down,  and insoluble fiber is indigestible carbohydrate.>>

Thanks for the explanation, Leslie.  Makes sense to me.  Been reading up on fiber and fermentation.  I found a pretty good explanation of both in "The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health" by Robert A. Ronzio, Ph.D, C.n.S, F.A.I.C

Now if I could just find some examples of fermentable fiber, I'd be happy.  And of course there is that whole carnivore thing to worry about too..can't give the rascal beans, right? <g>

<<Does anyone know how much amylase, if any, is present in cats?  If you don't have amylase, then starch becomes an unwieldy and unuseful  carbohydrate.>>
[snip]

Sandy, owned and operated by the mountain cats who munched on nummy raw turkey today

I found this piece about fiber on American Society of Nutrition Science. Of course this is for human. It sounds as though all kind of fiber is fermented.

DIETARY FIBER

Dietary fiber includes a variety of plant-derived compounds, i.e., non-starch polysaccharides and lignin, that are not digested by endogenous intestinal enzymes. Fiber is composed of a variety of materials that are often categorized as insoluble or soluble in boiling water. Insoluble polysaccharides include cellulose and some forms of hemicellulose. Lignin is part of insoluble fiber that is not a polysaccharide but a polymer of phenylpropane molecules. The soluble fibers include pectins, gums, and mucilages.

Fiber is neither digested nor absorbed in the small intestine but is fermented by bacteria in the colon. On a typical American diet, about 75% of ingested fiber is fermented. While there is no absolute requirement for dietary fiber, it is almost certainly needed for normal bowel function. Adequate fiber clearly prevents constipation, diverticular disease of the colon, and hemorrhoids. Many other physiologic effects have been attributed to fiber and consumption of a diet high in fiber may prevent a variety of conditions including obesity, diabetes, gallstones, coronary artery disease, or colon cancer. Epidemiological studies show fairly clearly that diets high in fruits, vegetables and cereal grains are associated with decreased risk of developing those diseases.

Diet recommendations: Current average fiber intake is estimated at about 12 g/day. Many health organizations recommend 20-35 g/day but there is no level set in the current Recommended Dietary Allowances.

Food sources: Foods that are rich in dietary fiber include whole grains (particularly the bran portions), legumes, and certain fruits and vegetables. Most foods contain mixtures of both insoluble and soluble fiber. Examples of foods rich in insoluble fiber are wheat bran, nuts and barley; soluble fiber is found in oat bran, melons, and dried fruits. Beans are good sources of both fiber types. Cooking does not decrease the amount of fiber in food but changes its three-dimensional structure.

Potential hazards; There are some concerns that phytate, which accompanies dietary fiber, will decrease the absorption of certain minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and manganese. However, most long term studies have not confirmed this danger. Very high intakes of isolated sources of dietary fiber can prevent adequate intake of other nutrients and may, in rare instances, lead to intestinal obstruction or volvulus of the colon. Most untoward effects have been traced to inadequate fluid intake with consumption of large amounts of fiber, usually in a purified form. This indicates the desirability of obtaining fiber from food sources, rather than from supplements.

Recent research: Fermentation products of fiber produced by bacteria in the colon include propionic and butyric acid. Some experiments have shown these to lower serum cholesterol or cause cancer cells to differentiate.
For further information;
Kritchevsky, D. & Bonfield, C., eds. (1995) Dietary Fiber in Health & Disease.
Eagen Press, St. Paul, MN.

Klurfeld, D.M. (1992) Dietary fiber-mediated mechanisms in carcinogenesis.
Cancer Res. 52: 2055s-2059s.
-- Yumi

as promised, here's what the hill's nutritionist had to say about fermentable fiber. my original query to him is below this reply. i am also forwarding a second post separately:

<<begin quote (forwarded w/ permission, of course :))>>

Chris Cowell wrote:

Vick, no problem.  Fermentable fiber is a type of fiber that is  suseptable to bacterial fermentation.  It correlates well with   solubility, ie. pectin, hemicellulose fractions.  Other fractions like cellulose and lignin are not very soluble and, therefore, not very
fermentable.

An important thing to remember about fiber is that one size does not fit all.  A fiber type should be chosen to fulfill a specified
purpose.  If it is for weight control and calorie dilution, then non-fermentable fibers like cellulose, peanut hulls, are appropriate.
If you want to adjust the gut flora, then fermentablility is desired and fermentable fibers like soybean fiber, psyllium, pectin, etc are the best choice.  Mixed fibers like beet pulp and soybean hulls are somewhere in the middle.

Without commenting on Iams material directly, the concept of a "nitrogen trap" is a valid one that does have support in the
literature.  The only question to ask is is there enough data to support the concept in practice, and is there enough of the
fermentable fiber present to actually work.

Regards,
Christopher S. Cowell, M.S.
Principal Nutritionist

______________________________ Reply Separator

 hey all,

 i was looking thru some renal failure sites, and came across an iams  site where they credit 'fermentable fiber' with diverting nitrogenous  wastes "away from the kidneys and into the feces. Essentially, it (the  fermentable fiber) stocks the intestines with bacteria that feed on  urea. It works because fermentable fiber in the diet promotes  proliferation of intestinal bacteria"> (referenced site: http://www.iams.com/new/renal.htm )

 so what the heck is 'fermentable fiber'? chris, i know it's the  "competition", but can you comment on the info at this site?
--
Vick and company: Skippy, Sam, Max and Jezebel

Chris Cowell wrote:

Vick, you have my permission to repost.

White rice is not a fermentable fiber.  A great source of energy, yes.  I suggest that you add 1-2% pysillium to your k/d recipe.  Do this  very slowly at first and build up to that level.  Remember that fermentable can mean that gas and intestinal discomfort may be present inititally.  As for the concept working in cats....who knows.  I would like to see the data.

Chris.

Vick, that was most interesting what you forwarded from Chris. I notice mention is made of cellulose and peanut hulls, neither of which I would feed to my pets, even if they did need some fiber, although they are used in some pet foods.  As for beet pulp, I know this is also used in some pet foods and the companies undoubtedly justify their reasonings.  We used beet pulp when I used to show cattle to encourage them to drink water, which in turn made them "appear" more filled out than they were - it was a trick of the trade used by many.  So I guess if we want animals blown up like a balloon, beet pulp would be the answer.

The information passed on about the different fibers and their uses was interesting and well explained, I just think we have to be choosy about what we use as fiber.
Leah

FraDCat writes:
<<Sandy, can you tell me more about herbs, like alfalfa & slippery elm?  >>

Hi Judi,
[snip]

Slippery Elm should definitely help b/c it is a soothing muciligous (sp?) herb  Sheesh, I butchered that poor word but am too lazy to go look it up! <g>  Anyway, it's great stuff.  Judy from Chicago also has an IBD/IBS cat - Rudy - and she is giving him capsules she got from Vitamin Shoppe, called Fiber Sol.  It contains pectin, guar gum, and psyllium.  She said it's really helping Rudy, and after she put him on it, his BUN and Creat # went down to normal range (he also had borderline CRF).  Hmmm...I'm even more intrigued now by that fermentable fiber idea for CRF management.

Sandy, owned and operated by the mountain cats bummed cuz they didn't get more snow:(

hey all --

<<My vet said to go ahead, that it couldn't hurt, but I have reservations.  As the fiber is absorbing toxins, wouldn't it also absorb
nutrients?  Would the added fiber make him lose weight?  Fiber is used in weight reduction programs, for people.  Can you guyz think of  anything why I should not give Sammy FiberSol?>>

judy, this came up while you were on hiatus, but chris cowell from vetmed (hill's sr. nutritionist) made a few comments that he ok'd my forwarding here:

<begin quote>

An important thing to remember about fiber is that one size does not fit all.  A fiber type should be chosen to fulfill a specified
purpose.  If it is for weight control and calorie dilution, then non-fermentable fibers like cellulose, peanut hulls, are appropriate.
If you want to adjust the gut flora, then fermentablility is desired and fermentable fibers like soybean fiber, psyllium, pectin, etc are the best choice.  Mixed fibers like beet pulp and soybean hulls are somewhere in the middle.
<end quote>

so from that, it *seems* giving sammy fibersol would not be a bad call....

Vick and the kitty company: Skippy, Sam, Max and Jezebel

Hey all
Does this help?
--Jean, Saski & Amber

Karen wrote:
<<Pumpkin has lots of fiber.  I bet the other winter squashes would be good too.  >>
-----------------

Leslie wrote:
<<I know part of the answer to this one.  "Fermentable" fiber doesn't pass unchanged through the body; it is fermented in the large intestine by the flora.  This process yields some energy and some gas.  (The amount of gas varies depending on whether the enzymes earlier in the digestive process have been able to remove most of the carbohydrates from the fiber matrix; that's why an enzyme supplement like "Beano" helps reduce gas formation.) Beans and peas contain fermentable (also called soluble) fiber for the human digestive system.  Fermentability will vary depending on species, and how the whole business works out will depend on the individual's enzymes and flora.

I think of it in an oversimplified but helpful way:  Sugar is simple carbohydrate that breaks down fairly easily, starch is complex carbohydrate that requires the right enzymes to break down, soluble fiber is very complex carbohydrate that requires enzymes and flora to break down, and insoluble fiber is indigestible carbohydrate.

Hi Sarah

<<I am wondering if anyone has some recipes or suggestions on a homemade  high fiber diet? 2 of the purrballs here need to be on a high fiber diet >>

Judy mentioned adding extra veggies to the mix, and that seems like a good idea to me, too. You could add it to the meals just before feeding. If you don't have a juicer, try a *very* fine grater and grate a teaspoon of raw zucchini and/or raw carrot into each meal.

Many cats like plain canned pumpkin - the kind without spices.

Or you could keep out some of your own cooked veggies and mash them into the food mix.

May I ask the reason for 2 of your cats having to go on a high fibre diet? And how high is high, did your vet say?

<<Also wondering, is it possible to put ALL my guys on a high fiber diet  even if they don't necessarily need it? Well, maybe they're a little >>

I'm not a vet or even an expert, but IMO unnecessarily feeding a high fibre diet could set your cat up for future medical problems. Cats are carnivores and need lots of meat. Opinions vary as to how much protein a healthy cat should have - figures seem to range between 65/35 protein/fibre right up 90/10 protein/fibre for healthy cats. I feed around 80/20 myself.

If slimming your cats down is your goal, you'll probably find that a good balanced homemade diet will help! Eliminate free feeding and leave the food down for half an hour to 45 minutes, then remove it whether it's finished or not. Introduce the new diet gradually, a little at a time, until your cats have been completely switched.

Hope this helps!
--Jean, Saski the Soccer Player & That-Amber

Hi everybody!

Slippery elm can be purchased in capsule form at the health food store. That's what I use, as my cats are used to being pilled, and won't eat any food that has been sprinkled with anything.

I am using slippery elm for a cat with inflammatory bowel disease.  His stomach and small intestine are inflamed.  No diarhhea, rather, the opposite problem with crying and straining in the pan.

When my cancer cat was still alive, I used something called Fiber-ex to help her pass her stools(she had intestinal blockage).  This product is made my Country LIfe, and it seemed to make her stools easier to pass. I would imagine it would also be good for cats with constipation AND diarrhea, as fiber helps form the stool and soothe the digestive tract, and that's what we want.

Ingredients Daily Fiber-Ex:
Psyllium husk fiber
Oat bran fiber
Fruit pectins(citrus and apple)
Scandinavian beet fiber
Citrus cellulose fiber
Jamaican ginger root(ginger root is good for nausea and stomach upset
and heartburn, by the way)
Okra(also soothes the stomach)
Beta-fructans(don't know what they are)
SLIPPERY ELM BARK
Manno-Oligosaccharides
(Bio-Most)--Don't know what they are
Peppermint leaf(good for tummy)
Fennel seed
Flax seed
Althea Marshmallow Root
Probiotic nutrients
and a base of magnesium citrate

This is in capsule form.

I would think this would really help a diarhhea kitty or one with loose stools.  However, the fiber in psyllium can sometimes make constipation worse if the animal doesn't consume enough liquid.

Hope this helps somebody!