DAMM model shows gut bacteria supply about 140 calories a day

Researchers at Arizona State University built DAMM, a model that accounts for gut microbes in human energy absorption. Short-chain fatty acids absorbed from the colon supplied roughly 140 calories per day, about 7.4% of total energy. In a clinical study, participants on a high-fiber diet absorbed about 116 fewer calories per day than those on a Western diet without feeling hungrier.

• DAMM links human digestion with microbial metabolism in the colon
• Short-chain fatty acids from the colon supply about 140 calories per day, or 7.4% of energy
• High-fiber diet led to 116 fewer calories absorbed per day than a Western diet
• The Atwater system does not account for how food feeds gut bacteria