A recent online article that labeled the science backing probiotics as “shaky” was criticized by the International Proibiotics Association as lacking context and a basic understanding of the industry and the evidence behind it.
Insights into the gut microbiome in recent years have greatly accelerated our understanding of the role the gastrointestinal tract has in human health, well-being and disease outcomes.
Adopting a high-fibre diet may not only benefit the microbial profile of the person consuming the diet but also their future children, according to a study in Nature.
Faecal matter from a healthy, lean person can help obese individuals lose weight by transferring intestinal bacterium via a 'stool transplant,' a study intends to show.
Peek inside Probiota 2016: Amsterdam, February 2-4
Conflicting results from human epidemiological studies have made it difficult to be sure whether dietary fibre offers genuine protection against colorectal cancer.
DSM is ramping up its focus on digestive health with the launch of a new ‘platform’ to help manufacturers develop products that target specific gastro-intestinal health concerns.
Consuming a milk shake with eight different probiotic strains may protect against weight gain in young healthy men consuming a high fat, high energy diet, says a new study.
A recent study highlighting potential quality issues in select probiotic products raises a concern, says the International Probiotics Association, which also welcomed further development of the appropriate quality control techniques.
Supplements containing Lactobacillus gasseri KS-13, Bifidobacterium bifidum G9-1, and Bifidobacterium longum MM2 may shift the microbiota of elderly adults to those of healthier and younger people, says a new study.
The gut microbiome of pre-adolescents has distinct differences to the adult microbiome, says a new study from Texas that may enhance the development and efficacy of childhood microbiome interventions.
Functional pasta that has been enriched with beta-glucans could help to boost levels of ‘good bacteria’ in the gut and reduce levels of ‘bad cholesterol’, say researchers.
Infants with allergies to cow’s milk can become tolerant after treatment with hydrolysed casein and a probiotic formula which alters their gut microbiome, according to a new study.
The omage-3 fatty acid EPA may help to support the growth and tolerance of probiotic bacterial strains in the human gut, according to new preliminary research.
A prebiotic-rich diet may shift the gut microbiota profiles of obese children to a more beneficial profile, regardless of whether the obesity was related to lifestyle or genetics, says a study from an international team of researchers.
A proprietary prebiotic blend can deliver immune system benefits to the healthy elderly better than placebo, an industry-backed study in the UK has found.
The probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103 may not change the host’s gut microbiota but may stimulate anti-inflammatory activities of microbes already resident, says a new study.
A high-fat diet may affect the bacterial populations in the gut and detrimentally affect satiety signaling to the brain, says a new study using lab rats.
A study comparing fibrous flaxseed with probiotics has questioned the latter’s ability to alter gut microbiota and improve obesity-related metabolic diseases.
Altering the bacterial make-up of the gut could help to reduce potentially lethal high circulating levels of ammonia in people with liver disease, say researchers.
Select strains of Bifidobacteria may positively impact cognition in anxious lab animals, says a new study from Ireland that deepens our understanding of the gut-brain axis.
Increased intakes of fermented foods may be associated with fewer symptoms of social anxiety, particularly for people at higher genetic risk, says a new study.
Supplementing enteral nutrition with a probiotic strain may reduce the risk of bowel tissue death and other serious health risks in premature infants, says a systematic review.
Exposure to metal oxide nanoparticles at levels that could be present in foods and drinking water could lead to measurable changes in the gut microbiota, say researchers.
Chr Hansen has confirmed the presence of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in breast milk from Chinese mothers - a discovery it claims strengthens the case for adding probiotics to infant formula.
Supplementation with a multi-species probiotic may be associated with lower feelings of sadness and less focus on bad feelings and experiences from the past, say researchers.
"This is a new idea - that some probiotics may work by affecting the overall ecosystem of the gut"
The popular probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG may work by acting as 'a facilitator' that modifies and promotes the activity of other gut bacteria, say scientists.
Consuming fermented kimchi, a source of lactobacilli, may alter the composition of bacterial populations in the gut and affect metabolic pathways for obese women, says a new study from Korea.
“The goal is to crystallise existing consensus..."
The European branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) has established separate working groups to investigate the microbiota, mechanisms of action and intestine barrier function.
Intestinal bacteria that have been genetically modified to secrete appetite supressing metabolites could help battle obesity and type 2 diabetes, according to initial findings in mice.
Probiotics, prebiotics, and microbiome science are big business, and already generate a great deal of scientific and commercial interest. But what does the future have in story for the sector?
Probiotic supplementation may be useful in preventing insulin resistance caused by excessive consumption of high-fat foods, according to industry-backed research published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
Sales of probiotic food, drink and supplements are set to reach £29bn by 2018, as consumers seek food-based answers to health issues, according to one expert commentator.
Additional prebiotics oligofructose and inulin through enteral nutrition does not significantly impact faecal concentrations of ‘friendly bacteria’ bifidobacteria in intensive-care patients, according to research.
Supplements of the second generation prebiotic Bimuno containing a novel mixture of galacto-oligosaccharides may lower measures of anxiety, says a new study from the UK.
Dietary fibre can cause a shift in the gut toward beneficial bacteria may have the potential to assist in weight loss, while also reducing the risk of colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases, say researchers.
I am one of many scientists around the world whose work involves studying an ecosystem of diverse species. Some are already known to us, others have never been catalogued before.
The absence of any EU-approved health claims for probiotics hasn’t deterred Lallemand Health Solutions from launching a suite of probiotics addressing women’s health issues.
Daily supplements of the potential probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis 420 may reduce fat levels and glucose intolerance in obese and diabetic mice, says a new study from DuPont Nutrition and Health.
Diet may fuel or dampen susceptibility to autoinflammatory bone disease by changing the intestinal bacteria balance, according to a mouse study published in the journal Nature.
Probiotics may have beneficial effects on the treatment and prevention of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and other related conditions, according to a new review.
Probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei could alter the intestinal microbial in healthy populations, but this depends strictly on the ‘ecosystem’ of the individual, according to research.
A combination of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and prebiotic cellobiose may boost populations of bacteria in the gut associated with improved host health, says a new study from Denmark and Finland.
Strain-specificity of prebiotics is not a limiting factor but rather an opportunity to develop the ‘next generation’ of synbiotic formulations, says Winclove Probiotics in response to unflattering results of a study on synbiotics.
