Science shorts: Red palm olein, probiotics, glycine in the spotlight

Consuming biscuits fortified with red palm olein (RPO) for six months can increase beneficial gut microbes in vitamin A deficient children, according to a randomised controlled trial in Malaysia. Compared to the control group, children who ate RPO-fortified biscuits had significantly higher levels of gut microbes, including Christensenellaceae R-7 group, Anaerostipes, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, and Ruminococcus. These gut microbes are linked to improved gut and metabolic health. Probiotics supplementation was shown to significantly lower the increment of fasting blood glucose levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), as compared to taking placebo, according to a four month study conducted in Thailand. Forty-two participants aged 35 to 65 years with T2DM and on metformin were randomised to take either the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis TISTR 2591 for six weeks followed by a four-week washout period and a six-week placebo phase, or vice versa. Researchers also found improved insulin sensitivity and pancreatic function in the probiotics phase, compared to the placebo phase. A study conducted in Singapore has found that two weeks of oral glycine supplementation could help improve several biomarkers of liver health in individuals with severe obesity, suggesting its potential in managing liver diseases. A total of 19 severely obese adults with body mass index of (BMI) of 38.3 ± 5.3 kg/m 2 were given two weeks of glycine supplement manufactured by NOW Foods at 100 mg/kg/day, while maintaining their usual dietary habits at the same time. It was found that glycine supplementation had significantly increased plasma glycine plasma levels and other amino acids including serine, cysteine folate, and homocysteine - amino acids which are involved in the one-carbon metabolism cycle that supports essential processes such as methylation, antioxidant function, and cell growth. A 12-month randomised controlled trial conducted in Thailand found that curcumin supplementation could significantly reduce liver fat accumulation and inflammation in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). A total of 227 obese adults with T2DM - a group at high risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) - took part in the trial. They were randomized to receive either 1500 mg of curcumin daily or a placebo for 12 months. A study from Japan found that underweight women - those with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 17.5 - have a significantly lower gut microbiota diversity and a higher amount of gut bacteria species linked to inflammation. The findings suggest that gut health is as important as caloric intake when it comes to addressing low body weight. Researchers from Fujita Health University and Symbiosis Solutions recommended pre- and probiotics supplementation to improve the gut microbiota and for a healthier body weight.