Background:Addition of soy polysaccharide to infant formulas has previously been shown to reduce the duration of diarrhea in infants with acute gastroenteritis. Fiber is metabolized to short-chain fatty acids that have been shown to be beneficial in inducing adaptation in the small bowel. We therefore hypothesize that a soy-polysaccharide-supplemented infant formula may be potentially advantageous in the treatment of patients with short bowel syndrome and could have a trophic effect on the remaining small intestine.Methods:Male Spraque-Dawley rats weighing 250 g were divided into two groups. One group received Isomil, a standard infant soy formula. The second group received Isomil supplemented with fiber, Isomil DF. Half the animals in each dietary group were subjected to 80% jejunoileal resection and the reminder were sham operated. Animals were pair-fed one of two diets for 14 days. At the conclusion of the 14-day period, mucosal weight and sucrase and lactase levels in the remaining duodenum and ileum were determined.Results:Resected animals fed fiber-supplemented formulas had significantly higher sucrase and lactase levels in the proximal bowel. Comparable results were not observed in the sham-operated animals.Conclusions:The addition of soy polysaccharide to infant formulas fed to children with short bowel syndrome might potentially improve small intestinal functional adaptation as well as positively affecting stool consistency.