Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (609 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
The remnants of plant cell walls that are resistant to digestion by the alimentary enzymes of man. It comprises various polysaccharides and lignins.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Dietary Fibers; Fibers, Dietary; Fiber, Dietary; Wheat Bran; Brans, Wheat; Bran, Wheat; Wheat Brans; Roughage.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Dietary Carbohydrates; Food
- Narrower topics
- Prebiotics; Resistant Starch
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 28,393 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Dietary Fiber” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 8,969 of them (31.6%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2020 onward with 8,969 records.
Reviews account for 5,847 records (20.6%) and meta-analyses for 469. Randomized controlled trials number 2,529 (8.9%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up a comparatively large share of this literature, which means many treatment questions have been tested directly.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 6,661 |
| 2000-2009 | 3,978 |
| 2010-2019 | 8,785 |
| 2020 onward | 8,969 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 5,847 | 20.6% |
| Meta-analyses | 469 | 1.7% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 2,529 | 8.9% |
Method: PubMed query "Dietary Fiber"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supplementation with short-chain fatty acids and a prebiotic improves clinical outcome in Parkinson's disease: a randomized double-blind prospective study | 2025 | Randomized controlled trial Design not recorded in structured metadata | 19 | cc by PMID 41350593 · DOI · PMC12770440 |
| The gut microbiota in menopause: Is there a role for prebiotic and probiotic solutions? | 2025 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 16 | cc by PMID 40335047 · DOI · PMC12209548 |
| Gut microbiota: A key player for soluble dietary fiber in regulating inflammatory disease | 2026 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 13 | cc by PMID 40972715 · DOI · PMC13227257 |
Supplementation with short-chain fatty acids and a prebiotic improves clinical outcome in Parkinson's disease: a randomized double-blind prospective study [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundParkinson's disease is associated with a dysbiotic, proinflammatory gut microbiome, disruptions to intestinal barrier functions, and immunological imbalance.
- Closing excerpt
- RegistrationThis clinical trial was retrospectively registered with the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS), registration number DRKS00027061 on 11/19/2021.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (225 words)
BackgroundParkinson's disease is associated with a dysbiotic, proinflammatory gut microbiome, disruptions to intestinal barrier functions, and immunological imbalance. Microbiota-produced short-chain fatty acids, such as propionic and butyric acid promote gut barrier integrity and immune regulation, but their impact on Parkinson's disease pathology remains mostly unknown.MethodsIn a randomized double-blind prospective study, 72 people with Parkinson's disease received propionic and butyric acid and/or the prebiotic fiber 2'-fucosyllactose supplementation over 6 months in combination with existing Parkinson's disease-specific therapy. Patients underwent complete neurological assessment and provided blood and stool samples before as well as 3 and 6 months after supplementation.ResultsWe observed a robust improvement in motor symptoms, with all intervention groups achieving clinically meaningful reductions. These motor benefits were paralleled by clinically relevant reductions in levodopa medication. In contrast, effects on nonmotor symptoms were more heterogeneous. Notably, the interventions also modulated peripheral immune responses and enhanced mitochondrial respiration in immunocytes. Postintervention microbiota remodeled inflammatory and barrier-related gene sets in gut organ cultures and improved in vitro barrier functions. Treatment response was associated with microbiome composition, distinct patterns of colonic transcription and permeability ex vivo. Multiobjective analysis revealed immune parameters associated with an optimal response to supplementation.ConclusionShort-chain fatty acids ameliorate clinical symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients and modulate intestinal and peripheral immunity.RegistrationThis clinical trial was retrospectively registered with the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS), registration number DRKS00027061 on 11/19/2021.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41350593 · DOI · PMC12770440
The gut microbiota in menopause: Is there a role for prebiotic and probiotic solutions? [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The gut microbiota, comprising a diverse array of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, has emerged as a key player in human health.
- Closing excerpt
- Further research into gut microbiota modulation may enable more effective, personalised treatments for menopause-associated health challenges, and supporting women's health into older ages.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (248 words)
The gut microbiota, comprising a diverse array of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, has emerged as a key player in human health. Emerging research indicates that this gut microbial composition is influenced by sex. These sex differences are not necessarily static and likely alter across the life course in response to several factors including changing hormone profile. As such, the menopause transition-a pivotal phase in female ageing in which the hormone profile changes dramatically is receiving increasing attention. Declining estrogen which occurs during menopause appears to influence the microbiota, which may in turn contribute to menopause-related conditions such as weight gain, bone health, cancer risk and cognitive health. The modulation of estrogen through the gut's 'estrobolome', a collection of bacterial genes involved in estrogen metabolism, may offer explanation for some of the interindividual differences observed during menopause (e.g. length, symptoms and disease risk). Therapeutic modulation of the gut microbiota therefore represents a potential approach towards managing menopausal symptoms. Indeed, prebiotics and probiotics such as Lactobacillus have been shown to increase bacterial diversity and improve metabolic and overall health in menopausal women. However, evidence remains limited regarding the specific underlying mechanisms, highlighting an urgent need for a research focus in the area. This review summarizes the current understanding of the gut microbiota's role in menopausal health and the potential of prebiotics and probiotics as therapeutic interventions. Further research into gut microbiota modulation may enable more effective, personalised treatments for menopause-associated health challenges, and supporting women's health into older ages.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40335047 · DOI · PMC12209548
Gut microbiota: A key player for soluble dietary fiber in regulating inflammatory disease [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Soluble dietary fiber (SDF) plays a significant role in modulating immune responses, particularly in the context of inflammatory diseases.
- Closing excerpt
- This review explores the mechanistic pathways by which SDF modulates immune regulation and highlights the current challenges and future strategies for optimizing its clinical application in treating inflammatory diseases.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (136 words)
Soluble dietary fiber (SDF) plays a significant role in modulating immune responses, particularly in the context of inflammatory diseases. SDF enhances intestinal barrier integrity and regulates immune function by modulating the composition of the gut microbiota and increasing the production of beneficial microbial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), 3-hydroxyoctadecaenoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, and bile acids. Current evidence suggests that SDF holds therapeutic potential in managing chronic inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Despite these promising findings, the mechanisms by which SDF exerts its effects, particularly in distal organs and neuroinflammatory conditions, remain poorly understood. This review explores the mechanistic pathways by which SDF modulates immune regulation and highlights the current challenges and future strategies for optimizing its clinical application in treating inflammatory diseases.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40972715 · DOI · PMC13227257
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta-analysis [4]
- Research article Dietary fibre, whole grains, and risk of colorectal cancer: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies [5]
- Research article Dietary fiber intervention on gut microbiota composition in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis [6]
- Research article Dietary fibre intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis [7]
- Research article Prebiotics and probiotics for depression and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials [8]
- Research article Systematic review with meta-analysis: the efficacy of prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics and antibiotics in irritable bowel syndrome [9]
References
- Hegelmaier T, Duscha A, Desel C, Fuchs S, Shapira M, Amidror S, et al.. Supplementation with short-chain fatty acids and a prebiotic improves clinical outcome in Parkinson's disease: a randomized double-blind prospective study. . 2025. PMID 41350593 · DOI · PMC12770440
- Liaquat M, Minihane AM, Vauzour D, Pontifex MG. The gut microbiota in menopause: Is there a role for prebiotic and probiotic solutions?. . 2025. PMID 40335047 · DOI · PMC12209548
- Qu L, Zhang R, Chu Z, Cai J, He Y, Zhang X, et al.. Gut microbiota: A key player for soluble dietary fiber in regulating inflammatory disease. . 2026. PMID 40972715 · DOI · PMC13227257
- Brown L, Rosner B, Willett WW, Sacks FM. Cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999. PMID 9925120 · DOI
- Aune D, Chan DS, Lau R, Vieira R, Greenwood DC, Kampman E, et al.. Dietary fibre, whole grains, and risk of colorectal cancer: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMJ. 2011. PMID 22074852 · DOI · PMC3213242
- So D, Whelan K, Rossi M, Morrison M, Holtmann G, Kelly JT, et al.. Dietary fiber intervention on gut microbiota composition in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018. PMID 29757343 · DOI
- Threapleton DE, Greenwood DC, Evans CE, Cleghorn CL, Nykjaer C, Woodhead C, et al.. Dietary fibre intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2013. PMID 24355537 · DOI · PMC3898422
- Liu RT, Walsh RFL, Sheehan AE. Prebiotics and probiotics for depression and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2019. PMID 31004628 · DOI · PMC6584030
- Ford AC, Harris LA, Lacy BE, Quigley EMM, Moayyedi P. Systematic review with meta-analysis: the efficacy of prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics and antibiotics in irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018. PMID 30294792 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.