PREBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS and SYNBIOTICS NEW OR OLD CONCEPT?

Although the concept of prebiotics and probiotics started in the 1970’s, it was dormant until 1994 when Danone, an European dairy and confectionary manufacturer, launched Actimel probiotic drinking yogurt in 100 ml daily-dose bottles. Actimel revolutionizes the dietary supplements market and is now considered as the leading “immunity” yogurt brand worldwide. Actimel earned over $1.8 billion in retail sales in 2007. The concept of prebiotics and probiotics reached its peak in April 2008 when the International Probiotics Association had its World Congress in Los Angeles, CA. ...
Nội dung trích xuất từ tài liệu:
PREBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS and SYNBIOTICS NEW OR OLD CONCEPT? PREBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS and SYNBIOTICS NEW OR OLD CONCEPT? Although the concept of prebiotics and probiotics started in the1970’s, it was dormant until 1994 when Danone, an European dairy andconfectionary manufacturer, launched Actimel probiotic drinking yogurt in100 ml daily-dose bottles. Actimel revolutionizes the dietary supplementsmarket and is now considered as the leading “immunity” yogurt brandworldwide. Actimel earned over $1.8 billion in retail sales in 2007. Theconcept of prebiotics and probiotics reached its peak in April 2008 when theInternational Probiotics Association had its World Congress in Los Angeles,CA. It was the first global prebiotics and probiotics event attended byindustry, academia and health care representatives. A world congress onnutrients that were ignored or unheard of just 10 years ago. Worldwide, prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics are gainingpopularity and their claimed beneficial health effects are now accepted andtrusted by the general population. Daily intake of these supplements (i.e.,drinking yogurt) is now fashionable among affluent families and younggeneration. Consequently, these dietary supplements are now deliberatelyadded to many products with claims attesting to their health benefits. So, isdaily supplementation with prebiotics, probiotics or synbiotics a truly newand innovative concept? Definition of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics Probiotics are living microorganisms, which, when ingested orlocally applied in sufficient numbers, provide the consumer with one ormore proven health benefits. The probiotic strains most commonly used areLactobacillus sp. (e.g., rhamnosus, acidophilus, casei, plantarum, reuteri,etc.), Bacillus breve, Bifidobacteria sp. (e.g., lactis, longum, etc.),lactococcus lactis and Propionibacterium freudenreichii. The term “prebiotic” was coined by Gibson and Roberfroid in 1995to describe ingredients that can boost the growth of beneficial bacteria(probiotics) in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Prebiotics are derived frominsoluble fibers and oligosaccharides and include inulin (beta (2,1) linearfructans), xylooligosaccharides, lactulose, galactooligosaccharides andfructooligosaccharides. Prebiotics are thus non-digestible food ingredientsthat, when consumed in sufficient amounts, selectively stimulate the growthand/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the GI tract resultingin documented health benefits. The most well known prebiotic is inulin,which is the major polysaccharide in many subsurface tubers and bulbs likeonions and agave. Agave is a plant in Arizona and is used extensively in theproduction of tequila (a Mexican hard liquor). Synbiotic is a mixture of pro- and prebiotics, which beneficiallyaffects the host by providing the survival and implantation of selected livemicroorganisms in the GI tract. The market for prebiotics, probiotics or“healthy” bacteria and synbiotics continues to grow as awareness of theirhealth benefits increases. Nowadays, even some manufacturers arepromoting the prebiotic effects as more useful than the probiotic bacteriathat they feed. Claimed Health Benefits - Prebiotics Claimed benefits of prebiotics include improved health and immunity,reduced formation of potentially toxic or carcinogenic compounds (DePreter et al., 2008), enhanced survival and reduced infections. The potentialof inulin to support bone health and prevent osteoporosis, which affects over70 millions people in the US, Europe and Japan, is gaining popularity.Currently, two approaches are being pursued to prevent osteoporosis. Thefirst approach is to optimize bone mass acquisition during adolescence andthe second approach is to minimize bone loss after menopause. The prebioticinulin works through the first approach by increasing colonic calciumabsorption during adolescence. In a study with human adolescents,supplementation with a mixture of oligofructose and inulin is reported toresult in a higher absorption of calcium (38%) than the placebo group (32%)(Abrams, 2005). The second approach is that of medications used for theprevention and/or treatment of osteoporosis (e.g., Fosamax, Boniva, Evita,etc.). These medications target the dynamic nature of bones by reducing therate of bone breakdown or loss. By reducing bone loss, bones canaccumulate bone minerals and increase bone density. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine recently discussed theirfindings in the Journal of Pediatrics, indicating that a daily supplement ofprebiotics inulin and oligofructose may help adolescents maintain anappropriate body weight and body mass index (BMI) during pubertalgrowth. BMI normally increases during puberty and adolescentssupplemented with prebiotics for one year had a normal BMI of 0.7 kg perm2 compared to the control group with a BMI of 1.2 kg per m2. Theresearchers postulated that inulin and oligofructose may regulate appetite byincreasing GI peptides that modulate satiety such as glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1) and concluded that prebiotics may prevent excessive teenageweight gain. The potential benefits of prebiotics for infant health have also gainedincreasing acceptance by parents. Infants fed formula contained prebioticshad a 6.5% lower incidence of recurring respiratory infections than placebo-fed infants, according to a report by European researchers (Arslanoglu et al.,2007). The authors indicated that while the exact mechanism of action is notknown, the immune modulating effect of the prebiotics via modification ofthe intestinal flora was the likely reason. The study adds to an ever-growingbody of research reporting benefits of the inclusion of prebioti ...