Microbiological Effects of Consuming a Synbiotic Containing Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Oligofructose in Elderly Persons, Determined by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction and Counting of Viable Bacteria
TL;DR: Synbiotic consumption increased the size and diversity of protective fecal bifidobacterial populations, which are often very much reduced in older people.
Abstract: Background Because of changes in gut physiology, immune system reactivity, and diet, elderly people are more susceptible to gastrointestinal infections than are younger adults. The gut microflora, which provides a natural defense against invading microorganisms, changes in elderly people with the development of potentially damaging bacterial populations, which may lead to alterations in bacterial metabolism and higher levels of infection. Methods A randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding trial was done with 18 healthy elderly volunteers (age, >62 years) using a synbiotic comprising Bifidobacterium bifidum BB-02 and Bifidobacterium lactis BL-01 (probiotics) together with an inulin-based prebiotic (Synergy 1; Orafti). Real-time PCR was employed to quantitate total bifidobacteria, B. bifidum, and B. lactis in fecal DNA before, during, and after synbiotic consumption. Counting all viable anaerobes, bifidobacteria, and lactobacilli and identification of bacterial isolates to species level was also done. Results Throughout feeding, both bifidobacteria species were detected in fecal samples obtained from all subjects receiving the synbiotic, with significant increases in the number of copies of the 16S rRNA genes of B. bifidum, B. lactis, and total bifidobacteria, compared with the control week and the placebo group. At least 1 of these species remained detectable in fecal samples 3 weeks after feeding in individuals that had no fecal B. bifidum and/or B. lactis in the control week, indicating that the probiotics persisted in the volunteers. Counting of viable organisms showed significantly higher total numbers of fecal bifidobacteria, total numbers of lactobacilli, and numbers of B. bifidum during synbiotic feeding. Conclusion Synbiotic consumption increased the size and diversity of protective fecal bifidobacterial populations, which are often very much reduced in older people.
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TL;DR: The probiotic-containing yogurt-based beverage studied did not decrease absences because of illnesses in daycare/school for healthy children ages 2–4 years.
Abstract: To determine if consumption of yogurt containing a high dose of probiotic (1 × 1010 colony-forming unit per 100 ml), Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (B. lactis), decreases absences in children 2–4 years attending daycare/school centers. We conducted a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, allocation concealment clinical trial in the Washington, DC area. Our active intervention was a strawberry yogurt-based drink supplemented with B. lactis BB-12. The placebo was indistinguishable from the active drink, differing only in absence of the probiotic BB-12. A total of 172 children between the ages of 2 and 4 from the Washington, DC area were enrolled. The primary outcome, missed days of school because of illness per 100 days, was similar in both the active (2.54 days absent/100 school days) and control groups (2.42 days absent/100 school days) (P=0.873). The probiotic-containing yogurt-based beverage studied did not decrease absences because of illnesses in daycare/school for healthy children ages 2–4 years.
27 citations
Cites background from "Microbiological Effects of Consumin..."
...Several studies document the ability of BB-12 ability to survive intestinal transit, which was considered an important criterion for use (Fukushima et al., 1997; Malinen et al., 2002; Ouwehand et al., 2004; Bartosch et al., 2005)....
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TL;DR: It is indicated that EN can lead to significant bacterial overgrowth on upper gastrointestinal tract mucosae and a significantly diminished pro-inflammatory cytokine response.
Abstract: Enteral feeding via a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube is required for nutritional support in patients with dysphagia. Enteral tube feeding bypasses the innate defence mechanisms in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This study examined the surface-associated microbial populations and immune response in the gastric and duodenal mucosae of eight enteral nutrition (EN) patients and ten controls. Real-time PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization were employed to assess microbiota composition and mucosal pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. The results showed that EN patients had significantly higher levels of bacterial DNA in mucosal biopsies from the stomach and duodenum (P<0.05) than the controls, and that enterobacteria were the predominant colonizing species on mucosal surfaces in these individuals. Expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α was significantly higher in gastric and small intestinal mucosae from patients fed normal diets in comparison with those receiving EN (P<0.05). These results indicate that EN can lead to significant bacterial overgrowth on upper gastrointestinal tract mucosae and a significantly diminished pro-inflammatory cytokine response.
27 citations
TL;DR: Although there is no higher susceptibility to moulds in this age group, there are certain situations increasing the risk, and preventive measures such as altering the social environment, avoiding malnutrition, as well as efforts to retard immunosenescence and to improve hygiene are important.
Abstract: Infections with dermatophytes are more prevalent in the elderly than in non-elderly adults; risk factors include local trophic disturbances, underlying diseases such as diabetes and a reduced oxygen supply due to diminished blood circulation. Vaginal mycoses are seldom found. In systemic yeast infections in patients of advanced age, Candida glabrata plays a relatively important role. The dimorphic fungus Coccidioides immitis is more prevalent in the elderly in endemic areas. Although there is no higher susceptibility to moulds in this age group, there are certain situations increasing the risk. The manifestations and symptoms of infection often differ from those of younger patients, which may hamper diagnosis. Deficits in organ function may influence the antifungal drug therapy. Preventive measures such as altering the social environment, avoiding malnutrition, as well as efforts to retard immunosenescence and to improve hygiene are important.
27 citations
Cites background from "Microbiological Effects of Consumin..."
...In consequence, certain microbes, including yeasts, can take advantage of new ecological niches, leading to a shift in the composition of gut flora upon age [32]....
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...In recent times, the role of probiotics is often discussed [32]....
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TL;DR: No significant modification was shown in the metabolic activities of the host colonic microbiota during this study, except a decreasing trend of the nitrate reductase activity.
26 citations
Cites background from "Microbiological Effects of Consumin..."
...…used to assess the composition of the dominant and sub-dominant fecal microbiota (Malinen et al., 2005; Rinttila et al., 2004; Matsuki et al., 2004; Ott et al., 2004) and to allow the follow-up of probiotic bacteria through the digestive tract (Rochet et al., 2006; Bartosch et al., 2005)....
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TL;DR: Consumption of a yogurt-based drink delivering 1010 CFU of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp.
Abstract: Probiotic functional foods are widely advertised to consumers primarily based on probiotic supplements. Determine if consumption of yogurt containing a high dose of probiotics improves health in children ages 1–3 years attending daycare/school centers. Double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, allocation concealment clinical trial. Setting: Outpatient participants in the Washington, DC area. Participants: 182 healthy children between the age of 1 and 3 years attending daycare/school at least 3 days a week. Intervention: Active was a strawberry yogurt-based drink supplemented with Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis (B. lactis) BB-12. The placebo was indistinguishable from the active drink, differing only in absence of the probiotic BB-12. Primary objective was to determine if consumption of a probiotic-containing yogurt-based drink decreases absences due to illnesses from daycare for children ages 1–3 years. Secondary was to determine if probiotic-containing yogurt-based drink improves overall parental satisfaction due to decreased absences from work and an overall healthier child. There were no significant differences in the days of missed school per group, with 51.9% in the active group and 47.1% in the placebo group missing at least 1 day of school throughout the study. Additionally, there were no differences in any secondary outcomes among the groups. Consumption of a yogurt-based drink delivering 1010 CFU of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis (B. lactis) BB-12 per day did not decrease the number of days missed of school due to an illness. Additional independent research on the potential of BB-12 to reduce illness in children needs to be conducted.
26 citations
Cites background from "Microbiological Effects of Consumin..."
...The ability of BB-12 to survive intestinal transit has been documented in several studies (Fukushima et al., 1997; Malinen et al., 2002; Ouwehand et al., 2004; Bartosch et al., 2005)....
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References
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TL;DR: By combining the rationale of pro- and prebiotics, the concept of synbiotics is proposed to characterize some colonic foods with interesting nutritional properties that make these compounds candidates for classification as health-enhancing functional food ingredients.
Abstract: Because the human gut microbiota can play a major role in host health, there is currently some interest in the manipulation of the composition of the gut flora towards a potentially more remedial community. Attempts have been made to increase bacterial groups such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus that are perceived as exerting health-promoting properties. Probiotics, defined as microbial food supplements that beneficially affect the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance, have been used to change the composition of colonic microbiota. However, such changes may be transient, and the implantation of exogenous bacteria therefore becomes limited. In contrast, prebiotics are nondigestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacterial species already resident in the colon, and thus attempt to improve host health. Intake of prebiotics can significantly modulate the colonic microbiota by increasing the number of specific bacteria and thus changing the composition of the microbiota. Nondigestible oligosaccharides in general, and fructooligosaccharides in particular, are prebiotics. They have been shown to stimulate the growth of endogenous bifidobacteria, which, after a short feeding period, become predominant in human feces. Moreover, these prebiotics modulate lipid metabolism, most likely via fermentation products. By combining the rationale of pro- and prebiotics, the concept of synbiotics is proposed to characterize some colonic foods with interesting nutritional properties that make these compounds candidates for classification as health-enhancing functional food ingredients.
7,232 citations
"Microbiological Effects of Consumin..." refers background in this paper
...Inulin-type fructans are commonly used prebiotics, which have been defined as nondigestible dietary components that selectively stimulate the growth and/or activities of bacteria in the large bowel [15]....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used probiotic treatments to re-establish the natural condition which exists in the wild animal but which has been disrupted by modern trends in conditions used for rearing young animals, including human babies, and in modern approaches to nutrition and disease therapy.
Abstract: There is good evidence that the complex microbial flora present in the gastrointestinal tract of all warm-blooded animals is effective in providing resistance to disease. However, the composition of this protective flora can be altered by dietary and environmental influences, making the host animal susceptible to disease and/or reducing its efficiency of food utilization. What we are doing with the probiotic treatments is re-establishing the natural condition which exists in the wild animal but which has been disrupted by modern trends in conditions used for rearing young animals, including human babies, and in modern approaches to nutrition and disease therapy. These are all areas where the gut flora can be altered for the worse and where, by the administration of probiotics, the natural balance of the gut microflora can be restored and the animal returned to its normal nutrition, growth and health status.
4,055 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: These are all areas where the gut flora can be altered for the worse and where, by the administration of probiotics, the natural balance of the gut microflora can be restored and the animal returned to its normal nutrition, growth and health status.
Abstract: There is good evidence that the complex microbial flora present in the gastrointestinal tract of all warm-blooded animals is effective in providing resistance to disease. However, the composition of this protective flora can be altered by dietary and environmental influences, making the host animal susceptible to disease and/or reducing its efficiency of food utilization. What we are doing with the probiotic treatments is re-establishing the natural condition which exists in the wild animal but which has been disrupted by modern trends in conditions used for rearing young animals, including human babies, and in modern approaches to nutrition and disease therapy. These are all areas where the gut flora can be altered for the worse and where, by the administration of probiotics, the natural balance of the gut microflora can be restored and the animal returned to its normal nutrition, growth and health status.
3,391 citations
TL;DR: This work has created a phylogenetically arranged report on rRNA gene copy number for a diverse collection of prokaryotic microorganisms in an attempt to understand the evolutionary implications of rRNA operon redundancy.
Abstract: The Ribosomal RNA Operon Copy Number Database (rrndb) is an Internet-accessible database containing annotated information on rRNA operon copy number among prokaryotes. Gene redundancy is uncommon in prokaryotic genomes, yet the rRNA genes can vary from one to as many as 15 copies. Despite the widespread use of 16S rRNA gene sequences for identification of prokaryotes, information on the number and sequence of individual rRNA genes in a genome is not readily accessible. In an attempt to understand the evolutionary implications of rRNA operon redundancy, we have created a phylogenetically arranged report on rRNA gene copy number for a diverse collection of prokaryotic microorganisms. Each entry (organism) in the rrndb contains detailed information linked directly to external websites including the Ribosomal Database Project, GenBank, PubMed and several culture collections. Data contained in the rrndb will be valuable to researchers investigating microbial ecology and evolution using 16S rRNA gene sequences. The rrndb web site is directly accessible on the WWW at http://rrndb.cme.msu.edu.
1,051 citations
Additional excerpts
...The aim of this double-blind, randomized, controlled feeding trial was to study the effects of ingestion of a synbiotic containing 2 bifidobacterial species (Bifidobacterium bifidum BB-02 and Bifidobacterium lactis BL-01) and oligofructose on the composition of intestinal bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus populations in older people....
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...Another reason why rRNA gene copy numbers were higher than cell numbers is that rRNA operons vary widely in bacteria, and between 2 to 5 rRNA operons have been found in different species belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium [34]....
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...A randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding trial was done with 18 healthy elderly volunteers (age, 162 years) using a synbiotic comprising Bifidobacterium bifidum BB-02 and Bifidobacterium lactis BL-01 (probiotics) together with an inulin-based prebiotic (Synergy 1; Orafti)....
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...With use of primers specific for the genus Bifidobacterium, significantly higher copy numbers of target DNA were found in the synbiotic group during the feeding period (weeks 4 and 5) and during the postfeeding period (weeks 6 and 8) (table 4)....
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...Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium angulatum, and Bi- Synbiotic Feeding Study • CID 2005:40 (1 January) • 33 fidobacterium dentium predominated (table 2); Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, and Bifidobacterium pullorum were occasionally found; and Bifidobacterium boum and Bifidobacterium catenulatum were detected in only a few stool samples....
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TL;DR: Since the total culturable counts were only a fraction of the total microscopic counts, the contribution of bifidobacteria to the total intestinal microflora was overestimated by almost 10-fold when cultural methods were used as the sole method for enumeration.
Abstract: Three 16S rRNA hybridization probes were developed and tested for genus-specific detection of Bifidobacterium species in the human fecal flora. Variable regions V2, V4, and V8 of the 16S rRNA contained sequences unique to this genus and proved applicable as target sites for oligodeoxynucleotide probes. Determination of the genus specificity of the oligonucleotides was performed by whole-cell hybridization with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled probes. To this end, cells were fixed on glass slides, hybridized with the probes, and monitored by videomicroscopy. In combination with image analysis, this allowed quantification of the fluorescence per cell and objective evaluation of hybridization experiments. One of the probes developed was used to determine the population of Bifidobacterium spp. in human fecal samples. A comparison was made with results obtained by cultural methods for enumeration. Since both methods gave similar population estimates, it was concluded that all bifidobacteria in feces were culturable. However, since the total culturable counts were only a fraction of the total microscopic counts, the contribution of bifidobacteria to the total intestinal microflora was overestimated by almost 10-fold when cultural methods were used as the sole method for enumeration.
979 citations
"Microbiological Effects of Consumin..." refers background in this paper
...Bifidobacterium genus Bif164F 5′-GGG TGG TAA TGC CGG ATG-3′ 457 59 [22] Bif601R 5′-TAA GCC ATG GAC TTT CAC ACC-3′ ....
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