Daniscos Synbiotic May Improve Elderly Well-Being

PARIS—A team of researchers at Danisco released results from a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition. The study found a synbiotic combination of Danisco’s probiotic, L. acidophilus NCFM®; and Danisco’s lactitol, a prebiotic disaccharide polyol derived from lactose increased the level of beneficial gut bacteria, improved immune and mucosal function and gave moderately enhanced bowel movements with no side effects. Fifty-one elderly Finnish subjects older than 65 years of age, all healthy and all regular users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), took part in the double blind, parallel trial. Each consumed two sachets of the dietary supplement or a placebo every day for two weeks.

“Reduced bowel and immune function are common problems in seniors. Use of NSAID may also affect their intestinal health, for example by damaging the mucosa in the gastrointestinal tract,” said Dr. Arthur Ouwehand, leader of the research team at Danisco’s nutrition centre in Kantvik, Finland. “Our aim was to modify the intestinal microbiota and improve bowel function using a potential synbiotic.”

All these parameters were seen to improve following supplementation, although there was no conclusive evidence that the effect was synbiotic rather than additive.

Further clinical studies of the individual effects of the probiotic and prebiotic are required to establish the existence of a real synbiotic benefit when the two are used in combination.

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