Dietary polysaccharide

Dietary polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates consisting of long chains of monosaccharide units linked by glycosidic bonds[5][3]. They are prominent macromolecules in food, particularly from plant sources, and include storage polysaccharides (such as starch and glycogen) and structural polysaccharides (such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and chitin)[5][1]. Dietary polysaccharides influence human health by acting as an energy source, providing structural support, and modulating physiological processes through interactions with the gut microbiota and immune system[2][4][8]. They regulate digestion, glucose and lipid metabolism, exhibit prebiotic effects, and possess immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties[2][4][6]. The health effects of dietary polysaccharides are mediated in part by microbiota-dependent mechanisms and, more recently recognized, through epigenetic regulation[2]. However, "dietary polysaccharide" is not a single molecular target, receptor, or enzyme—it is a broad chemical class or nutrient group, not an individual molecular entity that can be pharmacologically targeted[7][5]. This makes it unsuitable as a canonical therapeutic target for drug development or as a biomarker in clinical trials.

Other names

PolysaccharidePolycarbohydrateComplex carbohydrateDietary fiber (in some contexts)