Probiotic Supplementation Improves Fecal Microflora Recovery

FREDERIKSBERG, Denmark--A joint study by Chr. Hansen, the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, and the Technical University of Denmark found probiotic supplementation increased fecal recovery of bifidobacteria and improved fecal consistency. Results of the randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind, parallel dose-response study were published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (60:128493, 2006).

Following a two-week run-in period, 71 volunteers--46 women, 25 men ages 18 to 40 years--were randomly assigned into five groups receiving either placebo or a mixture of Bifidobacterium animalis (BB-12) and Lactobacillus paracasei (CRL-431) in one of four concentrations (10⁸, 10⁹, 10¹⁰ or 10¹¹ CFU/day) for three weeks; a two-week washout ensued. Participants kept a diary for seven weeks, recording bowel habits and markers of well being--abdominal bloating, flatulence and headache. Also, blood lipids, fecal recovery of BB-12 and CRL-431, as well as fecal microflora was tested before, during and two weeks after intervention.

Results showed fecal recovery of BB-12 increased dramatically with increasing treatment dosage; BB-12 was recovered from 13 out of 15 volunteers in the group receiving the highest dosage. However, CRL-431 was not recovered in any of the fecal samples, and supplementation with probiotics did not change the fecal bacterial composition. There was a significant linear increase in fecal consistency (looser stool) with increasing probiotic dose, but no overall dose-response effect was found on the blood lipids. Researchers noted probiotic supplementation in high dosages was well-tolerated among participants. They concluded there is a dose-related recovery of BB-12 from feces during probiotic supplementation with BB-12 and CRL-431.

Pete Budde, group manager of Human Health & Nutrition at Chr. Hansen, noted most unprotected probiotic supplements perish in the harsh stomach and gastrointestinal (GI) environment. "When we see recovery of probiotics following supplementation, we know those probiotics survived and were active in the GI tract, allowing them to convey all the many benefits researched on those particular strains," he said.