Xylan

Xylan is a complex carbohydrate found mainly in the cell walls of plants, particularly in the stalks, stems, and outer layers of grains. It’s one of the most abundant natural polysaccharides on Earth and is a type of hemicellulose.¹²

What are the health benefits of xylan?

Digestive health. Metabolism of xylan by gut microbes contributes to a balanced gut ecosystem.³
Improves anti-inflammatory potential. Butyrate generated by the selective fermentation of xylan, along with other short-chain fatty acids, reduces gut inflammation.⁴⁵
Specific prebiotic effect. Xylan supplementation promotes the growth of Bifidobacterium. pseudocatenulatum, providing a framework that could guide intestinal bifidobacteria recalibration to gain health benefits. In particular, the selective growth of B. pseudocatenulatum may contribute to the alleviation of type 2 diabetes in humans⁶⁷ There is also emerging pre-clinical research on the role of xylan in the promotion of B. pseudocatenulatum and its effects on the alleviation of dysbiosis.⁸

Which bacteria are involved in the metabolism/fermentation of xylan?

Certain gut bacteria are specialized in breaking down xylan. These include species from the genera Bacteroides, Clostridium, and Ruminococcus, among others. These bacteria produce enzymes that break down xylan into simpler components, which can then be metabolized into short-chain fatty acids.⁹¹⁰

How can you get more xylan in your diet?

Our Complete Prebiotic provides a good source of Xylan. It is also found in high concentrations in the bran layers of cereal grains like wheat, corn, and rice. It’s also present in various fruits and vegetables, although usually at lower levels than in grains. Additionally, xylan can be found in hardwoods and certain types of seaweed.¹¹¹²¹³¹⁴

Where to find your xylan score in the Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Test

You will find your xylan score in the “Prebiotics” report in your Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Test results. Guidance on how to work with your xylan score will be featured in your personal action plan. Please note that this information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP or another qualified health provider if you have any questions about the impact of xylan on your health.

Synonyms: Wood gum, corn gum, hemicellulose, arabinoxylan (when bound to arabinose).

Important disclaimer

The Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Handbook is an educational resource built to translate complex science into plain English. The information provided on this page is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Always check with your GP for interactions with medications/health conditions before changing your diet or starting to take food supplements.

References

1
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2
Curry TM, Peña MJ, Urbanowicz BR. An update on xylan structure, biosynthesis, and potential commercial applications. Cell Surf. 2023 Jan 28;9:100101. doi: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2023.100101.
3
Zhang B, Zhong Y, Dong D, Zheng Z, Hu J. Gut microbial utilization of xylan and its implication in gut homeostasis and metabolic response. Carbohydr Polym. 2022 Jun 15;286:119271. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119271.
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Jana UK, Kango N, Pletschke B. Hemicellulose-Derived Oligosaccharides: Emerging Prebiotics in Disease Alleviation. Front Nutr. 2021 Jul 27;8:670817. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.670817.
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Chen Y, Xie Y, Ajuwon KM, Zhong R, Li T, Chen L, Zhang H, Beckers Y, Everaert N. Xylo-Oligosaccharides, Preparation and Application to Human and Animal Health: A Review. Front Nutr. 2021 Sep 8;8:731930. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.731930.
6
Watanabe, Y., Saito, Y., Hara, T., Tsukuda, N., Kurakawa, T., Matsumoto, S., & Matsuki, T. (2021). Xylan utilisation promotes adaptation of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum to the human gastrointestinal tract. ISME Communications, 1(1), 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s43705-021-00066-4
7
Zhao L, Zhang F, Ding X, Wu G, Lam YY, Wang X, Fu H, Xue X, Lu C, Ma J, Yu L, Xu C, Ren Z, Xu Y, Xu S, Shen H, Zhu X, Shi Y, Shen Q, Dong W, Liu R, Ling Y, Zeng Y, Wang X, Zhang Q, Wang J, Wang L, Wu Y, Zeng B, Wei H, Zhang M, Peng Y, Zhang C. Gut bacteria selectively promoted by dietary fibers alleviate type 2 diabetes. Science. 2018 Mar 9;359(6380):1151-1156. doi: 10.1126/science.aao5774.
8
Wang Z, Bai Y, Pi Y, Gerrits WJJ, de Vries S, Shang L, Tao S, Zhang S, Han D, Zhu Z, Wang J. Xylan alleviates dietary fiber deprivation-induced dysbiosis by selectively promoting Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum in pigs. Microbiome. 2021 Nov 21;9(1):227. doi: 10.1186/s40168-021-01175-x.
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Flint HJ, Scott KP, Duncan SH, Louis P, Forano E. Microbial degradation of complex carbohydrates in the gut. Gut Microbes. 2012 Jul-Aug;3(4):289-306. doi: 10.4161/gmic.19897.
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Glenwright AJ, Pothula KR, Bhamidimarri SP, Chorev DS, Baslé A, Firbank SJ, Zheng H, Robinson CV, Winterhalter M, Kleinekathöfer U, Bolam DN, van den Berg B. Structural basis for nutrient acquisition by dominant members of the human gut microbiota. Nature. 2017 Jan 19;541(7637):407-411. doi: 10.1038/nature20828.
11
La Rosa SL, Kachrimanidou V, Buffetto F, Pope PB, Pudlo NA, Martens EC, Rastall RA, Gibson GR, Westereng B. Wood-Derived Dietary Fibers Promote Beneficial Human Gut Microbiota. mSphere. 2019 Jan 23;4(1):e00554-18. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00554-18.
12
Hsieh YSY, Harris PJ. Xylans of Red and Green Algae: What Is Known about Their Structures and How They Are Synthesised? Polymers (Basel). 2019 Feb 18;11(2):354. doi: 10.3390/polym11020354.
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Zhong R, Cui D, Dasher RL, Ye ZH. Biochemical characterization of rice xylan O-acetyltransferases. Planta. 2018 Jun;247(6):1489-1498. doi: 10.1007/s00425-018-2882-1.
14
Oliveira EE, Silva AE, Júnior TN, Gomes MC, Aguiar LM, Marcelino HR, Araújo IB, Bayer MP, Ricardo NM, Oliveira AG, Egito ES. Xylan from corn cobs, a promising polymer for drug delivery: production and characterization. Bioresour Technol. 2010 Jul;101(14):5402-6. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2010.01.137.