Effect of administration of synbiotics mixture containing Bifidobacterium longum and xylooligosaccharide on fecal microbiota and defecation characteristics in healthy volunteers / 한국영양학회지

Purpose@#The effect of prebiotics intake after administration of a synbiotics mixture (a probiotic, Bifidobacterium longum, and a prebiotic, xylooligosaccharide containing sugar [XOS]) on human intestinal microflora and defecation characteristics was investigated in a randomized controlled trial. @*Methods@#Twenty-five healthy young volunteers (11 males and 14 females) were randomly assigned to 2 groups (BL2XO2 and BL2XO6). The synbiotics mixture was orally administered to both groups for 2 weeks, and the prebiotics were subsequently administered to the BL2XO6 group for 4 additional weeks. The daily dose of the synbiotics mixture comprised 1010 colony-forming unit of Bifidobacterium longum and 10 g of XOS, and during the prebiotics period, the daily dose of prebiotics comprised only 10 g of XOS. The fecal pH, microflora, and defecation characteristics were analyzed at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, 4, and 6. @*Results@#The counts of B. longum and Bifidobacterium spp. in the BL2XO6 group exhibited a steady, increasing trend during the synbiotics and prebiotics periods, whereas those of the BL2XO2 group exhibited considerable variation in each week of the study period. Although there was no significant difference, the counts of fecal Bifidobacterium in the BL2XO6 group tended to be higher than those of the BL2XO2 group at week 6. The growth of Lactobacillus spp. exhibited a time-dependent variation, peaking at week 6 in both groups. Low counts of Clostridium spp. were observed after treatment with the synbiotics and prebiotics in the BL2XO6 group (p < 0.05) throughout the study, whereas the inhibitory effect on Clostridium spp. was maintained only during the synbiotics period in the BL2XO2 group. The defecation characteristics did not differ between the two groups. @*Conclusion@#Administration of XOS after a synbiotics mixture containing B. longum and XOS can exert a prebiotic effect in healthy young volunteers by stimulating Bifidobacteriun spp.growth and inhibiting growth of Clostridium spp.

Study on relationship between caffeine intake level and metabolic syndrome and related diseases in Korean adults: 2013 ~ 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study examined the relationship between caffeine intake and metabolic syndrome in Korean adults using the 2013 ~ 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (KNHANES). METHODS: The caffeine database (DB) developed by Food and Drug Safety Assessment Agency in 2014 was used to estimate the caffeine consumption. The food and beverage consumption of the 24 hr recall data of 2013 ~ 2016 KNHANES were matched to items in the caffeine DB and the daily caffeine intakes of the individuals were calculated. The sample was limited to non-pregnant healthy adults aged 19 years and older, who were not taking any medication for disease treatment. RESULTS: The average daily caffeine intake was 41.97 mg, and the daily intake of caffeine of 97% of the participants was from coffee, teas, soft drinks, and other beverages. Multivariate analysis showed that the caffeine intake did not affect metabolic syndrome, hypertension, low HDL-cholesterol, and abdominal obesity. Diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia, however, were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.63 ~ 0.93), and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.77 ~ 0.98) in third quintile (Q3), and 0.66 (95% CI: 0.53 ~ 0.82) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73 ~ 0.94) in fourth quintile (Q4) compared to Q1, respectively. Therefore, caffeine intake of 3.66 ~ 45.81 mg per day is related to a lower risk of diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia. CONCLUSION: The study showed that adequate caffeine intake (approximately 45 mg) was associated with a lower prevalence of diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia. Therefore, it can be used as a guideline for the adequate level of caffeine intake for maintaining health.

Association with obesity and abdominal obesity according to the kind and amount of coffee intake in Korean adults: 2013 ~ 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: We evaluate the influence of the types of coffee beverage on obesity and abdominal obesity in Korean adults who were aged 19 years or over by using the 2013 ~ 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). METHODS: Specific questions were asked about frequency of coffee intake, the type of coffee beverage, the addition of milk and/or sugar to coffee by using the food frequency questionnaire of the 2013 ~ 2016 KNHANES. RESULTS: We found that coffee intake increased the prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity. After multivariable adjustment, coffee consumption increased the risk of obesity by 1.30 (95% CI: 1.08 ~ 1.57) in the group that drank coffee twice a day, and 1.33 (95% CI: 1.11 ~ 1.60) in the people who drank coffee ≥3 times a day as compared to that of the non-coffee intake group. The risk of abdominal obesity increased to 1.27 (95% CI: 1.02 ~ 1.57) in the < 1 time/day coffee drinking group, 1.34 (95% CI: 1.08 ~ 1.66) in the 1 time/day coffee drinking group, 1.35 (95% CI: 1.09 ~ 1.67) in the 2 times/day coffee drinking group, and 1.40 (95% CI: 1.14 ~ 1.72) in the ≥ 3 times/day coffee drinking group as compared to that of the non-coffee drinking group. The influence of black coffee intake was different according to gender: males showed a high prevalence of abdominal obesity and females showed a high prevalence of obesity. Mixed coffee consumption increased the risk of obesity and abdominal obesity by more than 34% in men who consumed coffee more than 3 times a day and in women who consumed coffee more than 2 times per day. CONCLUSIONS: We found that coffee intake, regardless of the type of coffee, increased the prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity. It is necessary to refrain from drinking coffee to prevent obesity.