What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate how synbiotic supplementation influences colonic microbiota composition, metabolic activity, and immune function in older adults.

August 20, 2013Alimentary Pharmacology & TherapeuticsOpen Access

Synbiotic consumption changes the metabolism and composition of the gut microbiota in older people and modifies inflammatory processes: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study

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Authors

SMSandra MacfarlaneNinewells Hospital SCSonja ClearyRMIT Europe BBB. BahramiMazandaran University of Medical Sciences

Discussion

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Implication

Randomized double-blind trial shows synbiotic intake shifts gut microbiota and reduces TNF-α in older adults, indicating potential anti-inflammatory and microbiome benefits.

Key Points

To investigate how synbiotic supplementation influences colonic microbiota composition, metabolic activity, and immune function in older adults.
Conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-week crossover trial involving 43 older volunteers (NCT01226212).
Administered a synbiotic consisting of probiotic Bifidobacterium longum and inulin-based prebiotic Synergy 1, separated by a 4-week washout period.
Assessed colonic bacteria using fluorescent in situ hybridisation alongside short-chain fatty acids, peripheral cytokines, bowel habits, and clinical health markers at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks.
Synbiotic intake significantly increased bifidobacterial numbers by 1.4 log units (P < 0.0001), alongside increases in Actinobacteria (P = 0.0004) and Firmicutes (P < 0.0001), while Proteobacteria decreased by 1.0 log units (P < 0.0001).
Butyrate production significantly increased following synbiotic feeding (P = 0.0399).
Peripheral blood concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α significantly decreased after 2 weeks (P = 0.02) and 4 weeks (P = 0.0406), with no observed changes in bowel habit or clinical parameters.

Cite This Study

Macfarlane et al. (2013) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a09f7eb4db796859051b2c6 https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.12453

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Implication

Randomized double-blind trial shows synbiotic intake shifts gut microbiota and reduces TNF-α in older adults, indicating potential anti-inflammatory and microbiome benefits.

Synbiotic consumption changes the metabolism and composition of the gut microbiota in older people and modifies inflammatory processes: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Synbiotic consumption changes the metabolism and composition of the gut microbiota in older people and modifies inflammatory processes: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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