ABSTRACT
Introduction: Probiotic microbial cell preparation (MCP) supplementation is one of the approaches to modulate alterations in gut microbiota (GM). This double-blind randomised controlled trial investigated the effect of 4 weeks of MCP supplementation on fasting blood glucose levels (FBG), body weight (BW), waist circumference (WC), and faecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA) among 24 healthy and overweight (with BMI = 23 kg/m2) Malaysian adults. Methods: Twenty-six subjects were randomised to receive either MCP (n= 12) or placebo (n=14), twice daily, for 4 weeks. The probiotic powder contained a mix of six strains namely, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus casei,Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium infantis (3.0 x 1010 cfu). FBG, BW, WC, WHR, faecal SCFA, physical activity levels and dietary intake were measured and changes were determined using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Twenty-four subjects successfully completed the 4-week study period. Changes in FBG, BW, WC and SCFA were not significantly different between the groups. Only subjects in the MCP group significantly reduced their energy intake compared to baseline (1671?±476 vs 1386?±447 kcal, P=0.045). Conclusion: A 4-week supplementation of the MCP mix powder did not have significant effects on the variables studied. However, the significant reduction in dietary energy intake in the MCP group suggests the potential of probiotics as an adjuvant to dietary therapy for weight los