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
Sabine Bartosch,Emma J. Woodmansey,Jacqueline. C. M. Paterson,Marion E. T. McMurdo,George T. Macfarlane +4 more
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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.read more
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Book ChapterDOI
Synbiotics and the Immune System
TL;DR: Clinical trials with synbiotics are still incomplete because assessment of the microbiota composition and monitoring of the peripheral immune response should proceed in parallel to identify the best synbiotic combination.
Synbiotic ice cream as a probiotic carrier tested in a human blind crossover trial
TL;DR: A human subject study of synbiotic ice cream containing prebiotic and two strains of probiotics to determine its effectiveness as a carrier for a these ingredients and to identify any negative gastrointestinal side effects.
Dissertation
Hypocholesterolemic and Anti-hypertensive Properties of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria
TL;DR: In this paper, a human feeding trial was conducted to quantify the hypocholesterolemic and antihypertensive effects of synbiotic dairy products on hypercholesterolesmic men and women.
Journal Article
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TL;DR: Synbiotics enhanced host immune function in critically ill emergency surgical patients, improved the intestinal milieu, and decreased the incidence of infectious complications.
References
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Petra S. Langendijk,Frits Schut,Gijsbert J. Jansen,Gerwin C. Raangs,Ger R. Kamphuis,Michael H. F. Wilkinson,Gjalt W. Welling +6 more
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