[PHNUTR-L] More support for prebiotic, probiotics for colon health

[Kathrynne Holden]

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More support for prebiotic, probiotics for colon health

By Stephen Daniells
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=74687&m=2nie309&c=xeiqgoegavfxtla


05/03/2007 - Daily intake of prebiotics and probiotics may reduce the 
production of potentially toxic or carcinogenic compounds by suppressing 
the activity of certain enzymes, says new research from Belgium.

"In view of the carcinogenic potential of these enzymes, the induced 
changes that occurred in this study by lactulose, oligofructose-enriched 
inulin, L. casei Shirota and B. breve on the bacterial 
beta-glucuronidase activity could be considered as beneficial for the 
host and may have important implications for health," wrote lead author 
Vicky De Preter from University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven.

Writing in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the researchers 
report the findings of their investigation into the potential benefits 
of the prebiotics lactulose (Duphalac Solvay Pharma) and 
oligofructose-enriched inulin (Raftilose Synergy 1, Orafti), and the 
probiotics Lactobacillus casei Shirota (Yakult), Bifidobacterium breve 
(Yakult) and Saccharomyces boulardii (Perenterol, Biodiphar) on the 
activity and levels of the enzymes beta-glucuronidase and 
beta-glucosidase on 53 healthy volunteers (age range 19-26).

Probiotics are bacteria found in the gut that are understood to have 
health benefits. Prebiotics are ingredients that stimulate growth of 
probiotics in the gut, and synbiotics are a combination of the two.

The subjects were randomly assigned to one of the five intervention 
groups and crossed over after four weeks of intervention. A two-week 
washout period separated the interventions. Faecal samples were 
collected over a period of 72 hours at the start and end of the 
intervention period.

De Preter reports that both prebiotics significantly decreased 
beta-glucuronidase activity, as did the probiotics L. casei Shirota and 
B. breve. S. boulardii was found to have no affect on the enzymes, they 
said.

On the other hand, the probiotic was found to increase the levels of 
beta-glucosidase.

"Supplementation with the synbiotic did not appear to be more beneficial 
than either compound alone," stated the researchers.

"Administration of lactulose, oligofructose-enriched inulin, L. casei 
Shirota or B. breve resulted in a decrease of the beta-glucuronidase 
activity, which is considered beneficial for the host," they concluded.

Talking exclusively to NutraIngredients.com, lead researcher Professor 
Kristin Verbeke said that it was currently difficult to indicate the 
relevance of the observations.

"First of all, we have performed our measurements in young, "healthy" 
individuals and it is very difficult to render healthy people more 
healthy. Secondly, we have shown that administration of pre- and 
probiotics can decrease the activity of potential harmful bacterial 
enzymes (and other parameters of colonic metabolism) but we have not 
(yet) shown that people will live longer or healthier because of these 
changes," said Prof. Verbeke.

"We should need large, long-term diet intervention studies to prove the 
link between changes in colonic metabolism and health and this will be 
very difficult."

Professor Verbeke also revealed that the research in ongoing with work 
focusing on the evaluation of new potential pre- and probiotic substrates.

"We will [also] apply the methodology to patients in which an abnormal 
colon metabolism is expected (such as inflammatory bowel disease and 
irritable bowel disease). In this way, we want to investigate whether 
similar changes on colonic metabolism are observed as in healthy 
individuals and whether changes in colonic metabolism correlate with 
changes in disease activity," said Prof. Verbeke.

"This would already be a first step in indicating the relevance of 
colonic metabolism to health."

Source: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Advance online publication, doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602706
"Effect of dietary intervention with different pre- and probiotics on 
intestinal bacterial enzyme activities"
Authors: V. De Preter, H. Raemen, L. Cloetens, E. Houben, P. Rutgeerts 
and K. Verbeke
-- 
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD < fivestar at nutritionucanlivewith.com >
"Ask the Parkinson Dietitian"  http://www.parkinson.org/
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