Diets rich in refined fiber may increase liver cancer risk in some individuals (Inulin danger with liver cirrhosis & portosystemic shunt birth defect)

Medical Xpress / University of Toledo / Gastroenterology ^ | Sept. 23, 2022 | Tyrel Linkhorn / Beng San Yeoh et al

[ConservativeMind]

Many people commonly consume fiber-enriched foods to promote weight loss and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

However, in some individuals—particularly those with a silent vascular deformity—consumption of highly refined fiber may increase the risk of liver cancer, new research has found.

While inulin promotes metabolic health in most who consume it, Vijay-Kumar and colleagues discovered that about one in 10 standard, seemingly healthy lab mice developed liver cancer following consumption of the inulin-containing diet caused by a previously unnoticed congenital defect called a portosystemic shunt.

Normally, blood leaving the intestines goes into the liver where it is filtered before returning to the rest of the body. When a portosystemic shunt is present, blood from the gut is detoured away from the liver and back into the body's general blood supply.

…While all mice with excess bile acids in their blood were predisposed to liver injury, only those fed inulin progressed to hepatocellular carcinoma, a deadly primary liver cancer.

Remarkably, 100% of the mice with high bile acids in their blood went on to develop cancer when fed inulin. None of the mice with low bile acids developed cancer when fed the same diet.

Portosystemic shunts in humans are relatively rare. However, given that they generally cause no noticeable symptoms, the true incidence may be many times greater. Portosystemic shunting also commonly develops following liver cirrhosis.

Intriguingly, researchers found high total fiber intake reduced the risk of liver cancer by 29% in those whose serum bile acid levels were in the lowest quartile of their sample.

However, in men whose blood bile acid levels placed them in the top quarter of the sample, high fiber intake conferred a 40% increased risk of liver cancer.

[ConservativeMind]

Do not eat items with inulin if having liver cirrhosis, or you increase your risk at least 40%, but if eating a lot of inulin, like the mice, potentially many fold more.

[ConservativeMind]

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[Boomer]

So stay away from food made with refined grains?

[RoosterRedux]

From another article:

fortifying processed foods with refined soluble fiber may not be safe or advisable to certain individuals with gut bacterial overgrowth or dysbiosis, whose abnormal fermentation of this fiber could increase the susceptibility to liver cancer.”

Just certain kinds of fiber (refined "soluble") and for a tiny percentage of people with certain kinds of problems.

[RoosterRedux]

Forgot to add the source for that blurb: Genetic Engineering and Biotech News

[ckilmer]

I make a keto bread with that has some inulin in it. I use four or five different kinds of prebiotic keto flours. They all wind up as bug food in my lower gut. they promote a healthy poop. Popcorn also does that.

[catnipman]

“They all wind up as bug food in my lower gut. they promote a healthy poop.”

LOL! we call inulin “bug food” too ... morning routine includes dose of 11-strain super-concentrated custom probiotics and a couple of scoops of pre-biotic inulin mixed with a dollop of redhill goat yogurt and baked blueberries ... promotes daily regularity; things aren’t so great if this gets skipped ...

[telescope115]

I have never heard of this before, and it bears watching.
I no longer have cirrhosis, having had a liver transplant last year, but I want to do all I can to protect my new (to me) liver.
Verrry interesting! Thanks for posting!