Writing in Frontiers in Nutrition, researchers from Tereos and Biofortis report that 20 grams per day of short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) for 12 weeks led to decreases in fat mass and increases in lean mass, without affecting overall body weight.
“This observed reduction in fat mass does not appear to be driven by changes in food intake, as no statistically significant differences were detected between arms in appetite scores (hunger and satiety assessed during 4 h after the meal; data not shown), total energy, macronutrient or fiber intake (apart from scFOS), nor in physical activity levels (recorded qualitatively at each visit),” they wrote.
“We therefore speculate, based on prior evidence, that other mechanisms, such as microbiota modulation or SCFA [short chain fatty acid]-mediated metabolic effects, may have contributed to the changes in body composition.”
Prebiotic effect
The study is reportedly the first to report a modest reduction in fat mass following 12 weeks of 20 grams per day scFOS supplementation in overweight pre-diabetics. The ingredient used was Actilight, a 95% scFOS from Beghin-Meiji, a subsidiary of Tereos.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prediabetes affects almost 100 million American adults.
“The global rise in metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes is largely driven by dietary changes and sedentary lifestyles,” wrote the Tereos and Biofortis researchers. “Prebiotic dietary fibers may help mitigate this trend by modulating gut microbiota.”
A prebiotic is defined as “a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit” (ISAPP, 2017).
Study details
Sixty-six overweight people with pre-diabetes were recruited to participate in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel arms trial. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or Actilight 950P for 12 weeks.
Results showed that while no significant differences between the groups were observed for glucose metabolism markers, including HbA1c, improvements in body composition were recorded. Specifically, fat mass decreased by 0.26% in the prebiotic group but increased by 0.03% in the placebo group. In addition, lean mass increased by 0.27% in the prebiotics group and decreased by 0.3% in the placebo group.
Body weight remained stable in the prebiotic group (increased by 0.14 kg) and increased by 0.7 kg in the placebo group.
Gut microbiota analysis revealed that the prebiotic was associated with significant increase in Bifidobacterium and enrichment of Anaerostipes. On the other hand, Blautia and Ruminococcus2 decreased. Increases in fecal short chain fatty acid levels for acetate and propionate accompanied these changes.
The researchers noted that Blautia has been linked to both healthy and unhealthy states, depending on the situation, the decreases recorded in their study indicated a shift to a healthier gut microbiome.
Studies have also reported that Ruminococcus2 is found at higher levels in people with fatty liver disease, hyperlipidemia, and higher BMI and waist circumference, so the reductions recorded in this study again point to improvements in metabolic health and body composition.
“While the metabolic benefits of scFOS appeared limited in this cohort exhibiting a close-to-normal metabolic pattern, the reduction in fat mass and the microbial signatures associated with improved metabolic health remain promising,” wrote the researchers.
“These results underscore the potential of scFOS prebiotic supplementation as a preventive strategy to address excess body weight and fat accumulation, key contributors to the development of obesity and T2D. By improving gut microbiota composition, such interventions may contribute to broader efforts aimed at mitigating the global burden of metabolic diseases.”
Source: Frontiers in Nutrition, Volume 12, doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1718169. “Targeting gut microbiota with short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides prebiotic fibers to support metabolic health in overweight prediabetic adults: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study”. Authors: C. Le Bourgot, et al.
