Effect of a Phosphorylated Guar Gum Hydrolysate on Increased Calcium Solubilization and the Promotion of Calcium Absorption in Rats

The effect of a phosphorylated guar gum hydrolysate (P-GGH) on calcium solubilization and its influence on calcium absorption were studied in vitro and in vivo. P-GGH was prepared by chemically modifying a guar gum hydrolysate (GGH) with sodium metaphosphate. P-GGH inhibited the precipitation of calcium phosphate in vitro. The apparent calcium absorption and the amount of femur calcium were significantly higher in rats fed on the P-GGH diet (50 g/kg of diet) than in rats fed on the GGH diet (50 g/kg of diet) or the control diet. Moreover, the amount of soluble calcium in the ileal contents was significantly higher in the P-GGH-fed rats than in the GGH-fed rats. These results indicate that P-GGH may inhibit calcium phosphate formation in the lower part of the small intestine, and thus increase calcium absorption.