Oral administration of Bifidobacterium breve B-3 modifies metabolic functions in adults with obese tendencies in a randomised controlled trial.

Accumulating evidence suggests an association between gut microbiota and the development of obesity, raising the possibility of probiotic administration as a therapeutic approach. Bifidobacterium breve B-3 was found to exhibit an anti-obesity effect on high-fat diet-induced obesity mice. In the present study, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of the consumption of B. breve B-3 on body compositions and blood parameters in adults with a tendency for obesity. After a 4-week run-in period, the participants were randomised to receive either placebo or a B-3 capsule (approximately 5 × 10(10) colony-forming units of B-3/d) daily for 12 weeks. A significantly lowered fat mass was observed in the B-3 group compared with the placebo group at week 12. Improvements were observed for some blood parameters related to liver functions and inflammation, such as γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Significant correlations were found between the changed values of some blood parameters and the changed fat mass in the B-3 group. These results suggest the beneficial potential of B. breve B-3 in improving metabolic disorders.

Antiobesity effects of Bifidobacterium breve strain B-3 supplementation in a mouse model with high-fat diet-induced obesity.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti-obesity activity of a probiotic bifidobacterial strain in a mouse model with obesity induced by a high-fat diet. The mice were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with Bifidobacterium breve B-3 at 10(8) or 10(9) CFU/d for 8 weeks. B. breve B-3 supplementation dose-dependently suppressed the accumulation of body weight and epididymal fat, and improved the serum levels of total cholesterol, fasting glucose and insulin. The bifidobacterial counts in the caecal contents and feces were significantly increased with the B. breve B-3 administration. The expression of genes related to fat metabolism and insulin sensitivity in the gut and epididymal fat tissue was up-regulated by this administration. These results suggest that the use of B. breve B-3 would be effective in reducing the risk of obesity.

Distribution of different species of the Bacteroides fragilis group in individuals with Japanese cedar pollinosis.

We investigated associations of species of the Bacteroides fragilis group with Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCPsis). Cell numbers of Bacteroides fragilis and Bacteroides intestinalis were significantly higher in JCPsis subjects than in non-JCPsis subjects before the pollen season. They correlated positively with both symptom scores and JCPsis-specific immunoglobulin E levels.

Influence of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 intake on faecal microbiota in individuals with Japanese cedar pollinosis during the pollen season.

It has been reported that intake of yogurt or powder supplemented with the Bifidobacterium longum BB536 probiotic strain alleviated subjective symptoms and affected blood markers of allergy in individuals with Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCPsis) during the pollen seasons of 2004 and 2005, based on randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Furthermore, the 2004 study found that intestinal bacteria such as the Bacteroides fragilis group significantly fluctuated during the pollen season in JCPsis individuals and intake of BB536 yogurt tended to suppress these fluctuations. The present study investigated faecal microbiota to examine whether any changes occurred during the pollen season and whether any influence was exerted by intake of BB536 powder in the 2005 pollen season, which happened to be a heavy season, to confirm the 2004 findings and to evaluate the relationship of microbiota with symptom development. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 44 JCPsis subjects received BB536 or a placebo for 13 weeks during the pollen season. Another 14 Japanese cedar pollen (JCP)-specific IgE negative healthy subjects received placebo for the same period. Faecal samples were collected before (week 0), during (weeks 4, 8 and 13) and after (week 17) intervention, and out of JCP season (week 28). Faecal microbiota were analysed using terminal-RFLP (T-RFLP) and real-time PCR methods. Principal component analysis based on T-RFLP indicated distinct patterns of microbiota between healthy subjects and JCPsis subjects in the placebo group, but an intermediate pattern in the BB536 group at week 13, the last stage of the pollen season. The coordinate of principal component 1 at week 13 correlated with composite scores of JCPsis symptoms recorded during the pollen season. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and the Bacteroides fragilis group were identified as the main contributors to microbiotal fluctuations. Real-time PCR indicated that BB536 intake suppressed increases in the Bacteroides fragilis group compared with the placebo group (P <0.05). These results suggest that faecal microbiota in JCPsis subjects, but not healthy subjects, fluctuate at the end of the pollen season and that BB536 intake plays a role in maintaining normal microbiota.

Changes in plasma TARC levels during Japanese cedar pollen season and relationships with symptom development.

BACKGROUND: Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCPsis) is an immunoglobulin E-mediated type I allergy caused by exposure to Japanese cedar pollen (JCP). Blood thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) levels are well known as an objective parameter for disease severity for several allergic disorders. The present study aims to evaluate the relationship between TARC levels and disease symptoms during the pollen season. METHODS: Analysis was performed of results of symptom scores and blood parameters obtained from 42 JCPsis patients who participated in a probiotic (Bifidobacterium longum BB536) intake trial in the JCP season of 2005 (January to April), using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. RESULTS: Significant increases in plasma TARC levels were observed in subjects receiving placebo (p < 0.05 in February and p < 0.01 in March), but not in subjects receiving BB536. Increased plasma TARC levels were markedly greater in subjects who experienced severe symptoms and were thus excluded early from the intervention (placebo group: n = 8; BB536 group: n = 2). Significant differences were found in changes from baseline TARC levels in February and March between the subjects where treatment was terminated early and the remaining ones. Among the remaining subjects, significant positive correlations were found as regards changed values of TARC compared to baseline in March and April with symptom scores recorded in the pollen season. CONCLUSION: Changed values of blood TARC in the pollen season may offer promising parameters for assessing disease severity and monitoring treatment.

Clinical efficacy of probiotic Bifidobacterium longum for the treatment of symptoms of Japanese cedar pollen allergy in subjects evaluated in an environmental exposure unit.

BACKGROUND: Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCPsis) affects nearly one in six Japanese. Oral administration of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 has been shown to be effective in relieving JCPsis symptoms during the pollen season. METHODS: This double- two-way crossover study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of BB536 on reducing symptoms in JCPsis patients exposed to Japanese cedar pollen (JCP) in an environmental exposure unit (EEU) outside of the normal JCP season. After a 1-week run-in period, subjects (n=24) were randomly allocated to receive BB536 powder (approximately 5x1010) or placebo twice a day for 4 weeks. After a 2-week washout period, subjects were crossed over to another 4 weeks of intake. At the end of each intake period, subjects received controlled JCP exposure for 4 hours in the EEU. Symptoms were self-rated 30 minutes before and every 30 minutes during the exposures. From the first day of exposure through the next 5 successive days, participants self-rated their delayed symptoms and medication uses. Blood samples were taken before the exposures. The mean JCP levels for exposures were 6500 to 7000 grains/m3 air. RESULTS: In comparison with placebo, BB536 intake significantly reduced the ocular symptom scores during JCP exposures. Evaluating delayed symptoms after exposures indicated that scores for disruption of normal activities were significantly lower in the BB536 group compared with the placebo group. Prevalence of medication use was markedly reduced by BB536 intake. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the potential beneficial effect of BB536 in relieving symptoms of JCP allergy.

Effect of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) on the bioaccessibility of fat and cholesterol.

The addition of a compound that lowers the intestinal uptake of fat and cholesterol might be an interesting strategy to reduce the risk of vascular disease. Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) has been shown to have this effect in healthy volunteers after intake of a yogurt drink with 3 to 6% PHGG. In the present study a yogurt drink with 3% sunflower oil and 4% egg yolk was tested with 3% and 6% PHGG, and compared to a control without PHGG. Experiments were performed in a multi-compartmental model of the gastrointestinal tract, equipped to study the digestion and availability for absorption (bioaccessibility) of lipids. The results show that PHGG decreases the bioaccessibility of both fat and cholesterol in a dose-dependent manner. The bioaccessibility of fat was 79.4+/-1.7%, 70.8+/-2.5% and 60.1+/-1.1% for the control experiments and the experiments with 3% and 6% PHGG respectively. The bioaccessibility of cholesterol was 82.2+/-2.0%, 75.4+/-1.2% and 64.0+/-4.3% for the control and the experiments with 3% and 6% PHGG respectively. Additional experiments indicated that PHGG reduces bioaccessibility through the depletion flocculation mechanism. Depletion flocculation antagonizes the emulsification by bile salts and thus decreases lipolytic activity, resulting in a lower bioaccessibility of fat and cholesterol. Depletion flocculation with polymers might be an interesting mechanism, not described before, to reduce fat and cholesterol absorption.

Suppressive effects of dietary fiber in yogurt on the postprandial serum lipid levels in healthy adult male volunteers.

This study assessed the effect of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) in yogurt on the elevation of postprandial serum lipid levels. Eleven healthy adult male subjects were given yogurt with or without 6 g of PHGG in a fat tolerance test as a crossover study. Supplementation with 6 g of PHGG significantly suppressed the incremental peaks and areas under the incremental curve (AUIC) of postprandial serum remnant-like lipoprotein particle cholesterol (RLP-C) and triglyceride (TG). The results suggest the potential of PHGG to reduce the risk of hyperlipemia.