Effects of yogurt and bifidobacteria supplementation on the colonic microbiota in lactose-intolerant subjects

Abstract

Aims: Colonic metabolism of lactose may play a role in lactose intolerance. We investigated whether a 2‐week supplementation of Bifidobacterium longum (in capsules) and a yogurt enriched with Bifidobacterium animalis could modify the composition and metabolic activities of the colonic microbiota in 11 Chinese lactose‐intolerant subjects. Methods and Results: The numbers of total cells, total bacteria and the Eubacterium rectale/Clostridium coccoides group in faeces as measured with fluorescent in situ hybridization and the faecal β‐galactosidase activity increased significantly during supplementation. The number of Bifidobacterium showed a tendency to increase during and after supplementation. With PCR‐denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, in subjects in which B. animalis and B. longum were not detected before supplementation, both strains were present in faeces during supplementation, but disappeared after supplementation. The degree of lactose digestion in the small intestine and the oro‐caecal transit time were not different before and after supplementation, whereas symptom scores after lactose challenge decreased after supplementation. Conclusions: The results suggest that supplementation modifies the amount and metabolic activities of the colonic microbiota and alleviates symptoms in lactose‐intolerant subjects. The changes in the colonic microbiota might be among the factors modified by the supplementation which lead to the alleviation of lactose intolerance. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study provides evidence for the possibility of managing lactose intolerance with dietary lactose (yogurt) and probiotics via modulating the colonic microbiota.

Effect of a fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173010 on Chinese constipated women

“…A recent study has shown that a yogurt enriched with B. lactis DN-173010 and B. longum in capsules modifies the composition and metabolic activities of the colonic microbiota and alleviates symptoms in Chinese lactose-intolerant subjects [26] . BIO ® is a fermented milk product which contains a mixture of live bacterial cultures; B. lactis DN-173010 (1.25 × 10 10 cfu/pot) and yogurt starters L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus (1.2 × 10 9 cfu/pot).…”

Probiotics and Lactose Intolerance

“…In a recent paper of us [6], we describe that inducing the colonic β-galactosidase by administration of yogurt and additional probiotics alleviates the clinical symptoms of lactose intolerance in an adult Chinese population. This suggests a specific role of lactose itself in the development of clinical symptoms.…”

The Benefits of Probiotics in Human and Animal Nutrition

“…Several studies have supplied clinical evidences of the benefits generated by probiotics, as for example in diarrhea treatment (Billooet al, 2006;De Vrese & Marteau, 2007), lactose intolerance (He et al, 2008), irritable bowel syndrome Nagala & Routray, 2011), allergies (Jain et al, 2010), cancer (Chen et al, 2009) and hypercholesterolemia (Baroutkoub, 2010). According to recent meta-analysis based on well conducted clinical trials with probiotics, a clear protective effect was evident, which did not vary significantly between products containing S. boulardii, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. casei, Bifidobacterium longum, B. bifidum var.…”