Effect of oral consumption of probiotic Lactobacillus planatarum P-8 on fecal microbiota, SIgA, SCFAs, and TBAs of adults of different ages

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2014-07, Vol.30 (7), p.776-783.e1
• Main Authors: Wang, Lifeng, M.Sc, Zhang, Jiachao, M.Sc, Guo, Zhuang, Ph.D, Kwok, Laiyu, Ph.D, Ma, Chen, M.Sc, Zhang, Wenyi, Ph.D, Lv, Qiang, M.Sc, Huang, Weiqiang, M.Sc, Zhang, Heping, Ph.D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bifidobacterium - growth & development; Bile Acids and Salts - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Colon - metabolism; Colon - microbiology; Desulfovibrio - growth & development; Fatty Acids, Volatile - metabolism; Fecal microbiota; Feces - chemistry; Feces - microbiology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Gut microbiota; Human; Humans; Immunoglobulin A - metabolism; Lactobacillus; Lactobacillus plantarum; Lp-8; Microbiota; Middle Aged; Probiotics; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2013.11.018

Abstract Objective Probiotics may improve intestinal health by modulating intestinal microbiota. However, the age-related variation in response to probiotic consumption is understudied. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oral consumption of Lactobacillus plantarum P-8 ( Lp -8) on human intestinal microflora, secretary immunoglobulin A (SIgA), total bile acids (TBAs), and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) of different aged adults. Methods Thirty-three recruited individuals, including young (mean age 26 y), middle-aged (mean age 51 y), and elderly (mean age 76 y) volunteers, were given a single daily oral dose of Lp -8 (6 × 1010 colony forming units) for 4 wk. Fecal samples were collected before starting, during, and after stopping Lp -8 intake. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, quantitative PCR, high-performance liquid chromatography, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect for fecal microflora, SIgA, TBAs, and SCFAs. Results Results showed an increase in Bifidobacterium ( P < 0.05) and other beneficial bacteria, whereas Desulfovibrio ( P < 0.05) and other opportunistic pathogens decreased after taking Lp -8 for 4 wk. Lp -8 consumption also affected fecal levels of SIgA, TBAs, and SCFAs. Conclusions Lp -8 administration could improve human gastrointestinal health. However, some of these effects were transient and gradually disappeared once the intervention was discontinued. Moreover, the extent of these desirable effects was age-related.