Why do some people using starch-blockers suffer from bloating and flatulence during the first few days?
A. Because the alpha-amylase inhibitor prevents starch from being broken down and absorbed in the small intestine, the starch behaves like dietary fiber and passes into the large intestine where it is fermented by micro-organisms, in fact, just as dietary fiber is fermented. Initially, the micro-organisms present produce a lot of gas (hydrogen, methane, a little carbon dioxide), but as the large intestine adapts to the presence of the starch, there is what we call an overgrowth of organisms that are better adapted to fermenting the starch, and these organisms tend to convert the starch to volatile fatty acids with less gas. So the initial discomfort disappears. In other words, exactly what happens when you first go onto a high-fiber diet! The microbial flora of the large intestine adapts to whatever nutrients are being offered. Back To Top Q.
