The researchers employed by the Netherlands-based dairy cooperative assessed the effect of daily supplementation with either 1.3 g or 2.0 g of Biotis GOS for three weeks.
Results showed that daily consumption of both doses of GOS significantly increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, and the 2.0 g dosage led to a significant overall shift in the gut microbiota composition.
“This study in healthy women showed significant effects of low dosages of GOS on Bifidobacterium relative abundances,” the researchers wrote in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition. “This substantiates the beneficial impact of such low dosages of GOS to support a healthy microbiome.”
Gut health and aging
Aging has been associated with changes in gut microbiota, such as a decline in beneficial Bifidobacterium, which has been shown to impact the health of older adults.
Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota impacts not only the gut but also other organs, particularly through the gut-brain axis, potentially affecting mental well-being and sleep.
Prebiotics, such as GOS, are known to beneficially affect gut microbiota, notably increasing Bifidobacterium levels.
Previous research by FrieslandCampina found bifidogenic effects with higher daily dosages of GOS, however, as the researchers noted, few studies have examined low daily doses in healthy populations.
Prebiotics for women
The randomized, parallel, double-blind study recruited 88 healthy women between the ages of 42 and 70 and assigned them to consume either 1.3 g or 2.0 g of GOS per day for three weeks after a control period of three weeks without any intervention.
GOS supplement impact was assessed through fecal samples to determine the abundance of Bifidobacterium and the gut microbiota composition, and participants completed questionnaires on sleep, mental well-being and gastrointestinal comfort.
Results showed that the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium—predominantly B. adolescentis—in feces increased significantly after three weeks of daily consumption of both 1.3 g and 2.0 g GOS. This was accompanied by a significant shift in the overall microbiota composition for the dosage of 2.0 g GOS.
There were some reports of a slight improvement in sleep among those taking 1.3g of GOS but no significant effects on gut comfort or mental well-being.
Reports of gut discomfort slightly increased in the 2.0 g GOS group during the first two weeks of the intervention but returned to normal levels towards the end of the third week of the intervention.
The authors suggested that the microbiota adapted in this period to efficiently ferment GOS as has been observed in previous research.
Practical applications
The inclusion criteria in the new research and the consideration of dosages were both important factors in applying findings to practical applications.
The authors explained that women were included in this new research as “supplement use, especially for gut and digestive health, is generally higher in women than in men and increases with age.”
They also noted that the GOS dosages of 1.3 g and 2.0 g are low enough for application as supplements in the form of capsules or tablets.
For future study on the effects of GOS supplementation, the authors noted that “a next step would be to further explore the health benefits related to the increase in the relative abundance of bifidobacteria, in a study designed explicitly for this purpose.”
They suggested that studies could include an extended intervention period and more sampling to understand when the highest levels of Bifidobacterium are reached and the duration of the beneficial impact.
Journal: Frontiers in Nutrition
doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1440319
“A double-blind intervention trial in healthy women demonstrates the beneficial impact on Bifidobacterium with low dosages of prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides.”
Authors: Looijesteijn, E. et al.