Abstract

Since we last wrote about bran,¹ new preparations of bulk laxatives have been marketed. Fybranta (Norgine) is a recent addition: it presents miller’s bran mixed with calcium phosphate in tablet form. Miller’s bran contains about 27–50% of fibre which is not degraded in the human gut.² Fibre consists of a group of carbohydrate compounds including cellulose and the hemicelluloses, and a non-carbohydrate substance, lignin.³ The calcium is added to limit the theoretical risk of reduced calcium absorption from the gut consequent on binding of dietary calcium by phytates in the bran.