Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis 420 for Metabolic Health: Review of the Research

Abstract

The growing worldwide epidemic of obesity and associated metabolic health comorbidities has resulted in an urgent need for safe and efficient nutritional solutions. The research linking obesity with gut microbiota dysbiosis has led to a hypothesis that certain bacterial strains could serve as probiotics helping in weight management and metabolic health. In the search for such strains, the effect of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis 420 (B420) on gut microbiota and metabolic health, and the mechanisms of actions, has been investigated in a variety of in vitro, pre-clinical, and clinical studies. In this review, we aim to highlight the research on B420 related to obesity, metabolic health, and the microbiota. Current research supports the hypothesis that gut dysbiosis leads to an imbalance in the inflammatory processes and loss of epithelial integrity. Bacterial components, like endotoxins, that leak out of the gut can invoke low-grade, chronic, and systemic inflammation. This imbalanced state is often referred to as metabolic endotoxemia. Scientific evidence indicates that B420 can slow down many of these detrimental processes via multiple signaling pathways, as supported by mechanistic in vitro and in vivo studies. We discuss the connection of these mechanisms to clinical evidence on the effect of B420 in controlling weight gain in overweight and obese subjects. The research further indicates that B420 may improve the epithelial integrity by rebalancing a dysbiotic state induced by an obesogenic diet, for example by increasing the prevalence of lean phenotype microbes such as Akkermansia muciniphila. We further discuss, in the context of delivering the health benefits of B420: the safety and technological aspects of the strain including genomic characterization, antibiotic resistance profiling, stability in the product, and survival of the live probiotic in the intestine. In summary, we conclude that the clinical and preclinical studies on metabolic health suggest that B420 may be a potential candidate in combating obesity; however, further clinical studies are needed.

Microbiota Changes in Fathers Consuming a High Prebiotic Fiber Diet Have Minimal Effects on Male and Female Offspring in Rats

“…Our paternal microbial results reflect that of multiple animal and human studies over the past few decades, showing that prebiotic intake promotes the proliferation of Bifidobacterium [ 8 , 12 , 27 , 28 ]. Specifically, we saw an increased abundance of B. animalis , a species previously linked to reductions in or slowing down the accumulation of adiposity [ 29 ] and low-grade, chronic, and systemic inflammation [ 30 ]. Prebiotic consumption is also typically accompanied by the proliferation of Lactobacillus [ 31 ], which was similarly consistent with our findings in fathers.…”

Effects of Bifidobacterium animalis Subsp. lactis (BPL1) Supplementation in Children and Adolescents with Prader–Willi Syndrome: A Randomized Crossover Trial

“…Specifically, the beneficial metabolic effects of B. animalis subsp. lactis in humans are well known, with three different strains (including the BPL1 strain) improving central adiposity in adults with overweight or mild obesity [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 34 ]. Our study with the BPL1 strain in subjects with PWS demonstrates that this probiotic exerts beneficial effects even in the context of genetic obesity.…”

“…It has been proposed that B. animalis subps. lactis acts improving the intestinal barrier function, decreasing endotoxemia and inflammation [ 34 , 35 , 37 ]. Indeed, both BPL1 and B420 strains increased Akkermansia muciniphila abundance in adult subjects [ 16 , 40 ], with well-known beneficial effects on the gut barrier function [ 41 , 42 ].…”

Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. Lactis 420 Mitigates Autoimmune Hepatitis Through Regulating Intestinal Barrier and Liver Immune Cells

“…Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis 420 (B420), known for its immunoregulatory properties and improving intestinal epithelial integrity in mice models, has been given to humans in earlier clinical trials ( 14 – 17 ). Therefore, we used B420 to explore the potential effects and application of probiotics in AIH in our experiment.…”