Carbohydrate fermentation

Carbohydrate fermentation is a complex metabolic process primarily executed by the anaerobic microbiota within the human large intestine (Macfarlane & Macfarlane, 2003). It involves the breakdown of non-digestible carbohydrates, such as dietary fibers, resistant starches, and unabsorbed sugars, into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like acetate, propionate, and butyrate, as well as gases like hydrogen and carbon dioxide (NIH, 2022). This process is vital for host health, providing energy to colonic epithelial cells and influencing systemic metabolism, appetite regulation, and immune function (StatPearls, 2023). Although it is a biological pathway rather than a single molecular target, it is highly relevant in pharmacology; for instance, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors like acarbose promote colonic fermentation by delaying starch absorption in the small intestine (PubChem, 2024). Conversely, excessive or misplaced fermentation, as seen in small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), can lead to significant gastrointestinal distress and malabsorption (Mayo Clinic, 2023). Therapeutic strategies often aim to optimize this process through the use of prebiotics, probiotics, or dietary modifications like the low-FODMAP diet to manage symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Other names

Saccharolytic fermentationAnaerobic carbohydrate metabolismColonic fermentationMicrobial carbohydrate metabolism

Modulation of substrate availability for microbial metabolism in the large intestine and alteration of gut microbiota composition to favor beneficial fermentative outputs.