Abstract
The use of probiotics and synbiotics in the prevention and treatment of different disorders has dramatically increased over the last decade. Both probiotics and synbiotics are well known ingredients of functional foods and nutraceuticals and may provide beneficial health effects because they can influence the intestinal microbial ecology and immunity. The present study reviews the effects of probiotics and synbiotics on obesity, insulin resistance syndrome (IRS), type 2 diabetes (T2D) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in human randomized clinical trials. Select probiotics and synbiotics provided beneficial effects in patients with obesity, mainly affecting the body mass index and fat mass. Some probiotics had beneficial effects on IRS, decreasing the cell adhesion molecule-1 levels, and the synbiotics decreased the insulin resistance and plasma lipid levels. Moreover, select probiotics improved the carbohydrate metabolism, fasting blood glucose, insulin sensitivity and antioxidant status and also reduced metabolic stress in subjects with T2D. Some probiotics and synbiotics improved the liver and metabolic parameters in patients with NAFLD. The oral intake of probiotics and synbiotics as co-adjuvants for the prevention and treatment of obesity, IRS, T2D and NAFLD is partially supported by the data shown in the present review. However, further studies are required to understand the precise mechanism of how probiotics and synbiotics affect these metabolic disorders.
Highlights
The microbiota has a profound influence on human physiology, affecting metabolism and the immune system and protecting against pathogens while modulating gastrointestinal (GI) development [1–3].Perturbations in the composition of the microbiota may be especially important during early life, when the immune system is still developing [4].Obesity is one of the most important public health problems worldwide, affecting both developed and emerging countries
The results showed a reduction in body mass index (BMI), waist, abdominal visceral fat areas (VFA) and hip circumferences [33,34]
An improved serum lipid profile was observed in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) after the consumption of synbiotics
Summary
Obesity is one of the most important public health problems worldwide, affecting both developed and emerging countries. It is characterized by an abnormal excess of white adipose tissue, which is a major risk factor for the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer [5,6]. Among the studied potential determinants of obesity, the intestinal microbiota has been proposed to have an impact on the energy balance in humans [7–11]. Specific bacterial populations, such as Prevotellaceae, Blautia coccoides, Eubacteria rectale group, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium, have been reported to be related to obesity. It is believed that modulation of the intestinal microbiota toward a healthier “non-obese” profile might present a promising tool for prevention [12]
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