Wheat Bran Fiber Fails to Reduce Recurrence of Colorectal Adenomas

SAN DIEGO—Wheat bran fiber does not appear to reduce the recurrence of colorectal adenomas, Richard E. Sampliner, MD, said at the American Gastroenterological Association annual meeting, held during the Digestive Disease Week conference. Dr. Sampliner is professor of medicine and chief of gastroenterology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson.

The Arizona researchers conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of wheat brain fiber in 1,429 patients, aged 40 to 80, who had had a confirmed colorectal adenoma larger than 3 cm removed within the past 3 months.

Three-Year Trial

One group was given 13.5 g/d of wheat bran fiber while the other received only 2 g/d. At the end of the 3-year trial, 1,303 participants had at least one endpoint colonoscopy. One or more adenomas were detected in 47% of the high-fiber group vs 51% of the low-fiber group.

“There was no significant difference in recurrence rate between the two groups,” Dr. Sampliner said. He also noted that those individiuals on the high-fiber diet were more likely to complain of abdominal pain, diarrhea, intestinal gas, and bloating.

Dr. Sampliner speculated that the amount of fiber consumed by the high-fiber group may have been insufficient to show a benefit and that the timing in relation to the development of neoplasia may not have been appropriate.