Xylo-oligosaccharides alone or in synbiotic combination with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis induce bifidogenesis and modulate markers of immune function in healthy adults: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, factorial cross-over study

Study answer

What this study found

Overall, XOS and Bi-07 modulated gut microbiota and immune markers in healthy adults, with the clearest benefits seen for XOS and some additional additive effects in the synbiotic arm. XOS increased bowel movements (P=0.005), increased fecal bifidobacterial content (P=0.008), and increased fasting HDL cholesterol (P=0.005; average increase 0.07 mM), while also improving vitality and happiness and lowering some immune markers including CD16/56 expression and IL-10 secretion. Bi-07 increased fecal B. lactis and changed immune readouts, including lower IL-4, higher IL-6, and reduced salivary…

Study & population

This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, factorial cross-over study in healthy adults aged 25 to 65 years with BMI 20 to 30 kg/m2.

Intervention

Active oral supplementation was given for 21 days per treatment period in a double-blind crossover design.

Key limitation

The study was small, with 44 recruited and 41 completing the trial, and it used short 21-day treatment periods.

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Original abstract