Kefir Is a Viable Exercise Recovery Beverage for Cancer Survivors Enrolled in a Structured Exercise Program

Abstract

PurposeThis study investigated the effects of 12 wk of postexercise kefir consumption in cancer survivors who have undergone chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.MethodsAll participants were enrolled in a structured exercise training program and separated into kefir (KEF) or control (CON) treatment groups. KEF consumed 8 oz. of kefir after exercise sessions (3 d·wk−1) for 12 wk. Outcome measures included assessments for body size and composition, aerobic fitness and muscular strength, medical history, and psychological state at pre- and postintervention time points. Blood was collected and analyzed for C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations, and LPS-stimulated whole blood IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor α production were obtained using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays at both time points. Monocyte numbers and phenotype were obtained using flow cytometry.ResultsParticipants (N = 24; 9 males and 15 females) were an average of 61 ± 9.9 yr old. Kefir consumption was associated with 6.3% (P = 0.034) improvements in lean body mass, as well as 51.4% (P = 0.046), 39.3% (P = 0.017), and 64.7% (P = 0.021) improvements in measures of depression, fatigue, and gastric distress, respectively. KEF also experienced a significant 35.4% (P = 0.01) reduction in circulating LPS along with an 18.0% increase (P < 0.001) in classical monocytes % and a 22.3% decrease (P = 0.04) in nonclassical monocytes %. There were no significant changes in any other variables.ConclusionTwelve weeks of kefir consumption improved lean body mass, depression, fatigue, gastric distress, and a biomarker of gut dysbiosis. Kefir improved overall and classical monocyte numbers. Kefir should be considered as a component of a postexercise dietary regimen for cancer survivors.

Exploring the Effects of Six Weeks of Resistance Training on the Fecal Microbiome of Older Adult Males: Secondary Analysis of a Peanut Protein Supplemented Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Diet and lifestyle are known factors that influence host fitness and health [ 2 ], providing ample evidence that environment can profoundly alter the composition of the gut microbiome [ 3 ]. Significant alterations in the human gut microbiome can result in dysbiosis, defined as diminished diversity and abundance of commensal bacteria along with increased bacteria of potential pathogenicity [ 4 ]. Dysbiosis has detrimental effects on the host [ 5 ], including metabolic disturbances, gastrointestinal permeability, and systemic inflammation [ 6 ].…”

Effects of a Modern Kefir on Conditions Associated with Moderate Severe Spastic Quadriparesis Cerebral Palsy

“…It is know that intestinal microbiota can exert an important immunoregulatory activity on airway immune response through intestinal dendritic cell activation that can be translocated to lungs and induce the differentiation of regulatory T cells, and by producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that influence the epithelial and immune cells for a better adaptive immune response [ 22 ]. In this sense, traditional kefir intake by adult individuals has been associated with an increase in the levels of SCFAs in plasma and intestinal lumen, especially butyrate, and to a reduced amount of circulating lipopolysaccharide [ 62 , 63 ]. Probiotics have the ability to positively modulate the composition of the intestinal microbiota and hence reduce intestinal permeability, oxidative stress and inflammation [ 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 ].…”