Effect of administration of synbiotics mixture containing Bifidobacterium longum and xylooligosaccharide on fecal microbiota and defecation characteristics in healthy volunteers
10.4163/jnh.2020.53.4.390
- Author:
Jung-Sug LEE
1
;
Hyoung-Seop PARK
;
Myungok KYUNG
;
Sung-Eun JO
;
Moon-Jeong CHANG
Author Information
1. Department of Food & Nutrition, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Korea
- Publication Type:Research Article
- From:Journal of Nutrition and Health
2020;53(4):390-405
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:0
-
Abstract:
Purpose:The effect of prebiotics intake after administration of a synbiotics mixture (a probiotic, Bifidobacterium longum, and a prebiotic, xylooligosaccharide containing sugar [XOS]) on human intestinal microflora and defecation characteristics was investigated in a randomized controlled trial.
Methods:Twenty-five healthy young volunteers (11 males and 14 females) were randomly assigned to 2 groups (BL2XO2 and BL2XO6). The synbiotics mixture was orally administered to both groups for 2 weeks, and the prebiotics were subsequently administered to the BL2XO6 group for 4 additional weeks. The daily dose of the synbiotics mixture comprised 1010 colony-forming unit of Bifidobacterium longum and 10 g of XOS, and during the prebiotics period, the daily dose of prebiotics comprised only 10 g of XOS. The fecal pH, microflora, and defecation characteristics were analyzed at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, 4, and 6.
Results:The counts of B. longum and Bifidobacterium spp. in the BL2XO6 group exhibited a steady, increasing trend during the synbiotics and prebiotics periods, whereas those of the BL2XO2 group exhibited considerable variation in each week of the study period. Although there was no significant difference, the counts of fecal Bifidobacterium in the BL2XO6 group tended to be higher than those of the BL2XO2 group at week 6. The growth of Lactobacillus spp. exhibited a time-dependent variation, peaking at week 6 in both groups. Low counts of Clostridium spp. were observed after treatment with the synbiotics and prebiotics in the BL2XO6 group (p < 0.05) throughout the study, whereas the inhibitory effect on Clostridium spp. was maintained only during the synbiotics period in the BL2XO2 group. The defecation characteristics did not differ between the two groups.
Conclusion:Administration of XOS after a synbiotics mixture containing B. longum and XOS can exert a prebiotic effect in healthy young volunteers by stimulating Bifidobacteriun spp.growth and inhibiting growth of Clostridium spp.
