Evidence Level
Inulin is one of the most well-studied prebiotic fibers. So et al. (2017) conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 29 RCTs confirming that inulin-type fructans reliably increase fecal Bifidobacterium concentrations in healthy adults. The groundbreaking work by Cani et al. (2009) established the connection between prebiotic fermentation and GLP-1 secretion, demonstrating that oligofructose supplementation increased GLP-1 and PYY levels while reducing ghrelin in humans. Everard et al. (2013) extended these findings to Akkermansia muciniphila, showing dramatic increases in this metabolically protective bacterium with inulin-type fructan feeding in mice. For mineral absorption, Abrams et al. (2005) showed that inulin-type fructans improved calcium absorption by 15% in adolescents, with potential implications for bone health.