Abstract
BackgroundShort-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) are increasingly used in human diet for their prebiotic properties. We aimed at investigating the effects of scFOS ingestion on the colonic microflora and oro-fecal transit time in elderly healthy humans.MethodsStools composition, oro-fecal transit time, and clinical tolerance were evaluated in 12 healthy volunteers, aged 69 ± 2 yrs, in three consecutive periods: basal period (2 weeks), scFOS (Actilight®) ingestion period (8 g/d for 4 weeks) and follow-up period (4 weeks). Two-way ANOVA, with time and treatment as factors, was used to compare the main outcome measures between the three periods.ResultsFecal bifidobacteria counts were significantly increased during the scFOS period (9.17 ± 0.17 log cfu/g vs 8.52 ± 0.26 log cfu/g during the basal period) and returned to their initial values at the end of follow-up (8.37 ± 0.21 log cfu/g; P < 0.05). Fecal cholesterol concentration increased during the scFOS period (8.18 ± 2.37 mg/g dry matter vs 2.81 ± 0.94 mg/g dry matter during the basal period) and returned to the baseline value at the end of follow-up (2.87 ± 0.44 mg/g dry matter; P < 0.05). Fecal pH tended to decrease during scFOS ingestion and follow-up periods compared to the basal period (P = 0.06). Fecal bile acids, stool weight, water percentage, and oro-fecal transit time did not change throughout the study. Excess flatus and bloating were significantly more frequent during scFOS ingestion when compared to the basal period (P < 0.05), but the intensity of these symptoms was very mild.ConclusionFour-week 8 g/d scFOS ingestion is well tolerated and leads to a significant increase in fecal bifidobacteria in healthy elderly subjects. Whether the change in cholesterol metabolism found in our study could exert a beneficial action warrants further studies.
Highlights
Short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides are increasingly used in human diet for their prebiotic properties
It is well established that scFOS meet criteria to be considered as prebiotic, defined as a non digestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of colonic bacteria, and improves host health [4]
We have shown in humans that dietary addition of 10 g/d scFOS led to increasing fecal counts of bifidobacteria [5]; the scFOS administration dose-dependently increases fecal bifidobacteria in healthy volunteers, with an optimal and well-tolerated dose ranging from 2.5 to 10 g/d [6,7]
Summary
Short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) are increasingly used in human diet for their prebiotic properties. We aimed at investigating the effects of scFOS ingestion on the colonic microflora and oro-fecal transit time in elderly healthy humans. Short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) are a mixture of oligosaccharides consisting of glucose linked to fructose units [1]. They are poorly absorbed in the human small intestine [2], but are fermented in the colon by the resident microflora [3]. Bifidobacterium longum, administered alone or in association with non-digestible oligosaccharides, exerts strong antitumour activity [10,11] This effect could be due to colon acidification that inhibits bacterial degradation of primary to carcinogenic secondary bile acids [12] and/or to increasing bifidobacteria population. Taking into account the intrinsic anti-tumoral properties of bifidobacteria and the effects on colonic pH, fecal mass and transit time, a potential benefit of scFOS ingestion could be colon cancer prevention, in particular in the elderly, who are at risk of developing colon cancer [16]
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