Influence of galacto-oligosaccharide mixture (B-GOS) on gut microbiota, immune parameters and metabonomics in elderly persons

Abstract

It is recognised that ageing induces various changes to the human colonic microbiota. Most relevant is a reduction in bifidobacteria, which is a health-positive genus. Prebiotics, such as galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), are dietary ingredients that selectively fortify beneficial gut microbial groups. Therefore, they have the potential to reverse the age-related decline in bifidobacteria and modulate associated health parameters. We assessed the effect of GOS mixture (Bimuno (B-GOS)) on gut microbiota, markers of immune function and metabolites in forty elderly (age 65-80 years) volunteers in a randomised, double-blind, placebo (maltodextrin)-controlled, cross-over study. The intervention periods consisted of 10 weeks with daily doses of 5·5 g/d with a 4-week washout period in between. Blood and faecal samples were collected for the analyses of faecal bacterial populations and immune and metabolic biomarkers. B-GOS consumption led to significant increases in bacteroides and bifidobacteria, the latter correlating with increased lactic acid in faecal waters. Higher IL-10, IL-8, natural killer cell activity and C-reactive protein and lower IL-1b were also observed. Administration of B-GOS to elderly volunteers may be useful in positively affecting the microbiota and some markers of immune function associated with ageing.

Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics

“…*The figure shows candidate as well as accepted prebiotics in that levels of evidence currently vary, with FOS and GOS being the most researched prebiotics.CLA, conjugated linoleic acid; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid; FOS, fructooligosaccharides; GOS, galactooligosaccharides; MOS, mannanoligosaccharide; XOS, xylooligosaccharide. 56 . Lactulose, which has potential benefits in the gut and vagina, can increase lactic acid levels and decrease β glucuronidase activity, considered beneficial for the host 57 .…”

Nutrition and the gut microbiome in the elderly

“…C. difficile, Enterococcus faecium, Clostridium perfringens or Campylobacter) and enterobacteria. Regarding the prebiotic approach, the use of galacto-oligossaccharides has been successful in correcting microbiota changes and for improving the immunological state associated with the elderly 106,107 (Table 2), however intervention studies with alternative prebiotics (pectin, xilo-oligosaccharides, malto-oligosaccharides, etc) are lacking. Synbiotics have been also recently tested to improve age-related changes in the gut microbiota, with some positive effects on specific intestinal microbial populations ( Table 2).…”

Short-chain fatty acids, prebiotics, synbiotics, and systemic inflammation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Of the 13 studies investigating the effect of an oligosaccharide prebiotic (29, 32, 33, 36-39, 52, 62-64, 74, 77), 9 (69%) reported a significant decrease in $1 biomarker of systemic inflammation (primarily TNF-a, IL-6, CRP, or interferon-g) compared with control. An increase in inflammation (CRP, TNF-a, and IL-6) following oligosaccharide supplementation was reported in 2 studies, both of which were crossover studies conducted in healthy populations (39,77). No change in inflammation was reported in the remaining 2 studies that used oligosaccharide prebiotics, which were conducted in populations with a gastrointestinal tract condition (Crohn disease and acute diarrhea) (29,74).…”