Effects of a Synbiotic Formula on Functional Bowel Disorders and Gut Microbiota Profile during Long-Term Home Enteral Nutrition (LTHEN): A Pilot Study

Abstract

Long-term enteral nutrition (LTEN) can induce gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis and gastrointestinal related symptoms, such as constipation or diarrhoea. To date, the treatment of constipation is based on the use of laxatives and prebiotics. Only recently have probiotics and synbiotics been considered, the latter modulating the GM and regulating intestinal functions. This randomized open-label intervention study evaluated the effects of synbiotic treatment on the GM profile, its functional activity and on intestinal functions in long-term home EN (LTHEN) patients. Twenty LTHEN patients were recruited to take enteral formula plus one sachet/day of synbiotic (intervention group, IG) or enteral formula (control group, CG) for four months and evaluated for constipation, stool consistency, and GM and metabolite profiles. In IG patients, statistically significant reduction of constipation and increase of stool consistency were observed after four months (T1), compared to CG subjects. GM ecology analyses revealed a decrease in the microbial diversity of both IC and CG groups. Biodiversity increased at T1 for 5/11 IG patients and Methanobrevibacter was identified as the biomarker correlated to the richness increase. Moreover, the increase of short chain fatty acids and the reduction of harmful molecules have been correlated to synbiotic administration. Synbiotics improve constipation symptoms and influences Methanobrevibacter growth in LTHEN patients.

Association between iron supplementation and the presence of diarrhoea in Peruvian children aged 6–59 months: analysis of the database of the Demographic and Family Health Survey in Peru (DHS, Peru), years 2009–2019

“…The Fe concentration reaching the colon will be higher since the diet Fe amount is higher (14) and may affect the microbiome composition. This alteration, known as dysbiosis, is responsible for the adverse effects observed as inflammation (15)(16)(17) and diarrhoea (18)(19)(20) .…”

Prebiotics/Probiotics Mixture Induced Changes in Cecal Microbiome and Intestinal Morphology Alleviated the Loperamide-Induced Constipation in Rat

“…Previous studies have shown that the abundance of specific species among intestinal bacteria differs in patients with constipation. People with symptoms of constipation reportedly have decreased abundance of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus and increased abundance of Bacteroidetes compared to the general population ( D’Onofrio et al, 2020 ; Wang et al, 2020 ). Such changes in the intestinal microbiota affect intestinal motility and intestinal environment ( Zhao and Yu, 2016 ).…”