Fiber-enriched enteral formulae: Advantageous or adding fuel to the fire?

Individuals receiving enteral nutrition may experience a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms and multiple factors have been implicated in their development. The addition of fiber to the enteral formula has been proposed to normalize bowel function and improve feeding tolerance; however, in the setting of certain comorbidities or severe stress due to critical illness, fiber may not be tolerated, and may even be contraindicated. At present, the amount and type of fiber and the clinical utility of adding fiber to enteral formulae remains controversial due to generally weak and conflicting data in the published literature.