Background: In gastrectomized rats intestinal calcium absorption and bone calcium levels markedly decrease and the levels recover as a result of feeding fructooligosaccharides (FOS). In the present study we examined the effects of gastrectomy and dietary FOS on intestinal calbindin-D9k (CaBP) levels.
Methods: One group of rats was subjected to a sham operation and fed a control diet. Two other groups of rats were gastrectomized, and those in one group were fed the control diet, whereas those in the other group were fed a diet containing 10% FOS. Intestinal calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus absorption levels and intestinal CaBP levels were measured.
Results: Gastrectomy increased CaBP levels in the distal small intestine, cecum, and colorectum but markedly decreased calcium absorption. Dietary FOS increased CaBP levels in the cecum and colorectum in the case of gastrectomized rats and improved calcium absorption.
Conclusions: The results suggest that dietary FOS not only improve intestinal calcium absorption but also serve to maintain local calcium homeostasis in the intestine by increasing mucosal CaBP levels in the large intestine of gastrectomized rats.