Gum Arabic is also known as acacia gum. The source of gum Arabic is from the Acacia tree. The Acacia tree grows in a region that stretches from Senegal to Sudan in Africa. The Senegal gum acacia is an average sized tree with thorns that grows on the African savanna grassland. Gum arabic fiber is widely used in both the pharmaceutical and food industries as an emulsifier and stabilizer. Gum arabic is made of saccharides and glycoproteins and is fit to be consumed by humans.

Health benefit of Gum Arabic
Gum arabic may be useful in those with kidney disease.

Biological effects of gum arabic: a review of some recent research.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2009G. Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al Khod, Oman.
Pharmacologically, gum arabic has been claimed to act as an anti-oxidant and to protect against experimental hepatic-, renal- and cardiac toxicities in rats. Gum arabic has been claimed to alleviate the adverse effects of chronic renal failure in humans. This could not be corroborated experimentally in rats. Reports on the effects of gum arabic on lipid metabolism in humans and rats are at variance, but mostly suggest that gum arabic ingestion can reduce plasma cholesterol concentrations in rats. Gum arabic has proabsorptive properties and can be used in diarrhea. Gum arabic has been shown to have an adverse effect on electrolyte balance and vitamin D in mice, and to cause hypersensitivity in humans.

Prebiotic benefit
Gum arabic establishes prebiotic functionality in healthy human volunteers in a dose-dependent manner.
Br J Nutr. 2008. Kerry Group Nutrition Technical Center Almere, The Netherlands.
The present study was undertaken to determine the prebiotic efficacy of gum arabic upon consumption by man for up to 4 weeks and, if any, to establish the dose-effect relationship. Human healthy volunteers consumed various daily doses (5, 10, 20, 40 g) of gum arabic (EmulGold) in water for up to 4 weeks. Daily consumption of water was taken as the negative control and that of 10 g inulin as the positive control. At 0, 1, 2 and 4 weeks quantification of bacterial numbers in stool samples was performed via real time-PCR techniques and questionnaires were filled in to account for potential drawbacks. The genera of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli were taken as potentially beneficial bacteria and those of Bacteroides, Clostridium difficile and Enterococci as potentially non-beneficial, this distinction was dependent on the issue of these numbers being or becoming out of balance in the host. Compared with the negative control the numbers of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli 4 weeks after consumption were significantly higher for gum arabic: the optimal dose being around 10 g. Moreover, at this dose the numbers of Bifidobacteria, Lactobacilli and Bacteroides were significantly higher for gum arabic than for inulin. No significant drawback was encountered during the study. It is concluded that gum arabic establishes prebiotic efficacy, at least as good as inulin. The optimal daily dose was found to be 10 g.

Gum arabic and kidney disease research update
Gum arabic supplementation of a low-protein diet in children with end-stage renal disease.
Pediatr Nephrol. 2004.
Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) die in the absence of renal replacement therapy (RRT). In developing countries RRT is not uniformly available and treatment often relies on conservative management and intermittent peritoneal dialysis (IPD). This study investigates the possibility of using Gum arabic supplementation to improve the quality of life and provide children with ESRD with a dialysis-free period. Three patients referred to our hospital with ESRD during a 3-month period were enrolled in a therapeutic trial to investigate the efficacy of Gum arabic (1 g/kg per day in divided doses) as a complementary conservative measure aimed at improving the quality of life. Inclusion criteria included a pre-dialysis creatinine clearance of <5 ml/min, current dietary restrictions and supplementation, at least one dialysis session to control uremic symptoms, absence of life-threatening complications, and sufficient motivation to ensure compliance with the study protocol. One patient complied with the protocol for only 10 days and died after 6 months, despite IPD. Two patients completed the study. Both reported improved well-being. Neither became acidotic or uremic, and neither required dialysis during the study period. Both patients maintained urinary creatinine and urea levels not previously achieved without dialysis. Dietary supplementation with Gum arabic may be an alternative to renal replacement therapy to improve the quality of life and reduce or eliminate the need for dialysis in children with end stage renal disease in some developing countries.

The effects of gum arabic oral treatment on the metabolic profile of chronic renal failure patients under regular haemodialysis in Central Sudan.
Nat Prod Res. 2008. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan.
This study aimed at assessing the effect of Gum arabic oral treatment on the metabolic profile of chronic renal failure (CRF) patients. A total of 36 CRF patients (under regular haemodialysis) and 10 normal subjects participated in this study. From this study, we conclude that oral administration of gum arabic could conceivably alleviate adverse effects of chronic renal failure.

Gum Arabic chemical structure
Gum arabic is a branched-chain, complex polysaccharide, either neutral or slightly acidic, found as a mixed calcium, magnesium and potassium salt of a polysaccharidic acid. The backbone is composed of 1,3-linked beta-D-galactopyranosyl units. The side chains are composed of two to five 1,3-linked beta-D-galactopyranosyl units, joined to the main chain by 1,6-linkages.

emails
Q. Can Gum arabic be taken with an ahcc pill?
   A. Perhaps you can take them a few hours apart, we are not sure if gum arabic would interfere with ahcc absorption.

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