Relationship Between the Frequency of Bowel Movements and Fecal Bacteroides in Japanese Women.

The intestinal microbiota is involved in many diseases, such as constipation, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease. To determine the associations between the gut microbiome and the frequency of bowel movements, we performed cross-sectional correlation analysis at the baseline and longitudinal correlation analysis after the intervention. Forty-three women were enrolled in this study. All participants ingested soymilk-okara powder (15 g) daily for 12 weeks. They recorded the ingested okara powder amounts and their frequency of bowel movements during the entire 12 weeks of the intervention. The fecal microbiota percentages were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention. Two women who did not completely record the frequency of bowel movements were excluded. In the cross-sectional correlation analysis at the baseline, there was a significant positive correlation between the relative abundance of the Bacteroides genus in the feces and the frequency of bowel movements per week (R = 0.429, p = 0.005) and a significant negative correlation between the relative abundance of Clostridium cluster XI in the feces and the frequency of bowel movements per week (R = -0.315, p = 0.045). Moreover, in the longitudinal correlation analysis, the difference in the relative abundance of Bacteroides genus in feces between the baseline and after the intervention significantly correlated with the changes in the frequency of bowel movements per week (R = 0.492, p = 0.001). Therefore, it was suggested that there was a relationship between the gut relative abundance of the Bacteroides genus and the frequency of bowel movements.

Intake of Soymilk-Okara Powder for 12 Weeks Decreases Body Fat and Increases Body Muscle in Japanese Adults: a Single-Arm Intervention Study.

Okara is a by-product of soymilk manufacturing and a rich source of protein and dietary fiber. This study investigates whether dietary soymilk-okara powder intake in the long term affects the body composition and gut microbiota flora in healthy Japanese adults. In total, 46 subjects (43 women) were enrolled. All subjects ingested 15 g of soymilk-okara powder every day for 12 weeks. Subjects' body composition was assessed over four weeks. At baseline and after intervention for 12 weeks, fecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations and microbiota percentages were measured. The body muscle weight significantly increased, and the percentage of body fat significantly decreased at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the intervention. The increase in body muscle after 12 weeks was 0.6 kg (interquartile range:-0.03 to 1.0). The decrease in body fat was -0.9% (interquartile range: -1.6 to -0.2). There was a significant negative correlation between the changes in body fat and body muscle. For the fecal percentages of Coriobacteriaceae, Lactobacillales, Bacteroides, Clostridium cluster IV, and Clostridium cluster XI, there were significant differences between the baseline and 12 weeks after the intervention. Furthermore, there were significant negative correlations between the changes in body fat percentage and fecal acetic acid and propionic acid levels. Therefore, a dietary intake of 15 g of soymilk-okara powder for 12 weeks induced a decrease in body fat, an increase in body muscle, and a change in fecal microbiota flora. Soymilk-okara powder is effective in improving body composition and changing the intestinal microbiota flora in healthy Japanese adults.

Comparisons of Soybean and Wheat; in the Focus on the Nutritional Aspects and Acute Appetite Sensation.

Soybean flour is often used as a gluten-free ingredient. We aimed to compare the nutrients and the difference in satiety of soybean and wheat after ingestion. We measured the amounts of polyphenol and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and examined the acute appetite sensation after the ingestion of soybean powder and bread powder. Japanese women were enrolled in the meal tests. Participants were provided with 18 g of bread or soybean powder, 180 g of yogurt, and 285 mL of bottled water. Subjective satiety (hunger, appetite, satiety, and stomach fullness) was measured using a visual analog scale 120 min after sample ingestion. The polyphenol content and ORAC were 2- and 12-folds higher, respectively, in soybean powder than in bread flour. In the meal tests, the area under the curve (AUC) of satiety 60-120 min after ingestion (n = 44) was significantly higher for soybean powder than bread powder. The AUCs of hunger and appetite 60-120 min after ingestion were significantly lower for soybean powder than bread powder. The effect sizes of hunger and appetite by soybean powder were 0.341 and 0.424, respectively. Thus, these results suggest that soybean is a healthy food and soybeans maintain satiety and suppress hunger more than bread flour.

Intake of okara soup for 2 weeks for breakfast improved defecation habits in young Japanese women with self-reported constipation: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, intervention study.

Okara is a byproduct of soymilk manufacturing and a rich source of protein and dietary fiber. We investigated whether okara intake improves the habit of defecation in young Japanese women (n = 52) with self-reported constipation. Subjects were categorized into placebo and test groups, who ingested soymilk (0.1 g fiber/meal) and okara (4.1 g fiber/meal) soups, respectively, every day for breakfast, for 2 weeks. Subjects' body composition, bowel movement frequency per week, and constipation assessment scale (CAS) and brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire scores were assessed at baseline and after the intervention (Analysis 1). Further, subjects' bowel movement frequency per week and CAS scores were assessed during the 2-week follow-up (Analysis 2). There were no significant differences in age, anthropometric characteristics, nutrients intake, frequency of bowel movements per week, and total CAS scores between the placebo and test groups at baseline. After intervention, the total CAS score was significantly lower in the test group than in the placebo group. Moreover, the difference in the total CAS scores between baseline and after intervention was lower in the test group than in the placebo group, although not significant. The weekly frequency of bowel movement significantly increased for both placebo and test groups. The test group reported reduced abdominal bloating 2 weeks after the intervention, but the placebo group did not. The findings suggest that okara is effective in increasing the frequency of bowel movements and improving defecation habit in young women with self-reported constipation. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Okara is an effective food to increase the frequency of bowel movements and to improve defecation habits in young women with self-reported constipation.