IMOs are partially indigestible prebiotics made from maltose, a disaccharide found commonly in commercial products, barley, grains, miso, soy sauce, and starchy vegetables. Isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMOs) are short-chain carbohydrate starch-based oligosaccharides composed of branched alpha-1-4, and or alpha 1,6-glucosidic linkages.
IMOs have therapeutic potential in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and other digestive disorders, in part, because of their ability to support and balance the gut microbiota, and potential to reduce gut inflammation. In addition to the beneficial effects on commensal gut bacteria, Short-chain fatty acids have been shown to promote mucosal healing in the gut, which is crucial for mitigating the damage caused by the inflammatory nature of IBD.
Balancing and supporting commensal bacteria by providing prebiotic substance offers a promising, tolerable, and safe therapeutic avenue for the management of IBD. IMO fiber offers a dietary fiber source rich in short-chain fatty acids, which is utilized in the gut as a prebiotic food source for the support of commensal bacteria. IMO fiber is commercially available as a syrup which could be taken alone or incorporated into a supplement or food source to easily increase short-chain fatty acids. With its anti-inflammatory and commensal gut bacteria support, IMOs are a low impact, effective diet based management strategy for IBD.
IMOs have therapeutic potential in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and other digestive disorders, in part, because of their ability to support and balance the gut microbiota, and potential to reduce gut inflammation.
