Abstract
Synbiotics intake can alter the composition of intestinal microbes beneficially. We aimed to detect the changes in the intestinal microbiomes of 37 healthy elderly Korean women after the intake of a synbiotic drink. This was a longitudinal study controlled with a temporal series, including a control period of 3 weeks before intake, synbiotic intake for 3 weeks, and a washout period of 3 weeks. Fecal microbiota composition was analyzed by sequencing the V3-V4 hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA. Physical fecal activity increased with improvement in fecal shape. Thirty intestinal bacterial taxa were observed to change only after the intake period. In particular, Ellagibacter appeared only after ingestion. In addition, the abundance of Terrisporobacter showed a positive correlation with C-reactive protein, triglyceride. Lachnospiraceae_uc, Eubacterium_g5, and Blautia had a positive correlation with creatinine, whereas PAC001100_g had a negative correlation with creatinine. Short-term (3 weeks) intake of symbiotic organisms changes the composition of the gut microbiota in healthy elderly Korean women.
Highlights
IntroductionThe life expectancy of Koreans is 83.2 years, but the healthy lifespan (i.e., one without serious illness or injury) was only 64.4 years in 2018 [1,2]
The life expectancy of Koreans is 83.2 years, but the healthy lifespan was only 64.4 years in 2018 [1,2]
Participants were made aware that during the study, those who participate in other clinical research experiments or ingest probiotics, fermented products, and dietary supplements that affect body fat metabolism and intestinal health would be excluded from the study
Summary
The life expectancy of Koreans is 83.2 years, but the healthy lifespan (i.e., one without serious illness or injury) was only 64.4 years in 2018 [1,2]. The current challenge is to maintain “active longevity” by extending the healthy lifespan and reducing the duration of illness. The human intestinal microbiota play an important role in maintaining gastrointestinal homeostasis and are beneficial for host health [3]. Is associated with, several diseases, ranging from localized gastrointestinal disorders (including constipation) and metabolic alterations, to respiratory, liver, cardiovascular, and psychiatric neurological disorders [4]. Using probiotics has been proposed as a potential therapy to restore the balance of healthy human intestinal function and gut bacterial composition [3]. According to the official definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), probiotics are “live microorganisms, which when consumed in adequate amounts, confer a healthy effect on the host” [5]
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