New clinical research confirms AB-BIOTICS and KANEKA PROBIOTICS’ probiotic blend, containing strains Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KABP® 031 and L. plantarum KABP® 032, can alleviate occasional constipation in otherwise healthy older adults.[1] The study, published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, also revealed that supplementation with the formula, known as KABP® Mature Immune Defense and marketed as INNERIM®, may offer additional benefits such as stress relief. These findings add to the substantial body of evidence for the probiotic blend’s ability to support the gastrointestinal (GI) health, immunity and quality of life of older people. [2],[3]
“The metabolic and physiological processes that drive digestion slow down with age, which means that altered bowel function, including constipation, is a common health concern for older or elderly people,” comments Dr. Maria Rodriguez-Palmero Seuma, Medical Director at AB-BIOTICS and co-author of the study. “This can have negative impacts on the quality of life for many older adults and put strain on both social and healthcare systems.[4] Many of these consumers are dissatisfied with the over-the-counter remedies that are currently available to help them manage their constipation, since solutions such as laxatives and fiber supplements often provide unpredictable and incomplete relief from symptoms.[5] As the findings of this new study demonstrate, probiotics such as our INNERIM® blend, offer an attractive, safe and effective alternative for older people managing altered bowel habits.”
In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 70 healthy adults aged 50-80 years old (median = 58 yrs) that were experiencing straining during defecation and hard stool consistency received a daily dose of L. plantarum KABP® 031 and L. plantarum KABP® 032 (≥1×109 CFU) or placebo for 84 days. Participants also took a daily multivitamin and kept a diary to track bowel habits and levels of stress and wellbeing, with diary data collected and analyzed at baseline, after 42 days and after 84 days.
Participants in the probiotic group had significant increases in BM frequency by 2.08 ± 2.52 and 2.07 ± 2.93 BMs/week after 42 and 84 days, with values being higher than in the placebo group at day 42. Supplementation also led to marked improvements in stool consistency – from an average Bristol Stool Scale (BSS) score of 2.31 at baseline (≤2 is indicative of constipation), to over 3 (within the healthy range) at both the 42 and 84 day timepoints, with values being higher than in the placebo group at day 42.1 By comparison, the placebo group saw no significant improvements in stool consistency. Additionally, after 42 days, participants in the probiotic group saw a significant decrease in the percentage of bowel movements per week that were classed as constipation (BSS ≤2).1
As a secondary endpoint, the participants’ stress levels were also measured using the validated Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Emerging evidence reveals an important two-way relationship, where stress can negatively impact the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota[6](manifesting in gut disturbances like constipation), and probiotic supplementation has been reported to improve stress scores.[7],[8] In this current study, researchers found that PSS scores were significantly improved compared to baseline after 84 days of probiotic supplementation and the proportion of participants in the probiotic group with ‘moderate’ stress scores was significantly lower than in the placebo group (9.4% vs. 37.9%).1 These improvements in perceived stress may be due to improvements to overall digestive health, but could also indicate an influence on the gut-brain axis, although this would require further investigation to determine.
Rodriguez-Palmero Seuma summarizes “There is a growing body of evidence to show how the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KABP® 031 and KABP® 032, probiotic blend can support consumers over the age of 50 across multiple aspects of health and wellbeing. The blend has previously been shown to improve gastrointestinal transit and nutritional status in elderly adults.2 What’s more, another clinical trial found that supplementation with this mixture enhanced systemic immunity, with the potential to support vaccination responses in the elderly3– further emphasizing its precision targeting for elderly populations. We’re excited to continue building on this science and supporting healthy ageing for older adults.”
To learn more about AB-BIOTICS and KANEKA PROBIOTICS’ probiotic strains and blends, visit KanekaProbiotics.com and AB-Biotics.com
[1] Ruma G. Singh, Fumiki Aoki, Maria Rodriguez-Palmero Seuma, Meritxell Aguilo, Motohisa Washida, Jordi Espadaler-Mazo, Huda Al-Wahsh, David C. Crowley, Najla Guthrie, Malkanthi Evans, Marc Moulin, Erin D. Lewis, Perez, M., Armengol, E., Del Casale, A., Campedelli, I., Aldea-Perona, A., Pérez Otero, M., Rodriguez-Palmero, M., Espadaler Mazo, J., & Huedo, P. “Lactobacillus gasseri CECT 30648 shows probiotic characteristics and colonizes the vagina of healthy women after oral administration.” Manuscript under review.
[2] Bosch Gallego, M et al. [Consumption of the probiotic Lactobacillus planctarum CECT 7315/7316 improves general health in the elderly subjects]. Nutricion hospitalaria vol. 26,3 (2011): 642-5.
[3] Mañé, J., E. et al. “A mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 7315 and CECT 7316 enhances systemic immunity in elderly subjects. A dose-response, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized pilot trial.” Hospital Nutrition 26, no. 1 (2011): 228-235.
[4] Nag, A.et al. “The humanistic and economic burden of chronic idiopathic constipation in the USA: a systematic literature review.” Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology (2020): 255-265.
[5] Johanson, J F, and J Kralstein. “Chronic constipation: a survey of the patient perspective.” Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics vol. 25,5 (2007): 599-608.
[6] Knowles, S. R., et al. “Investigating the role of perceived stress on bacterial flora activity and salivary cortisol secretion: a possible mechanism underlying susceptibility to illness.” Biological psychology 77, no. 2 (2008): 132-137.
[7] Chong, H. X., et al. “Lactobacillus plantarum DR7 alleviates stress and anxiety in adults: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.” Beneficial microbes 10, no. 4 (2019): 355-374.
[8] Zhang, N., et al. “Efficacy of probiotics on stress in healthy volunteers: a systematic review and meta‐analysis based on randomized controlled trials.” Brain and behavior 10, no. 9 (2020): e01699.
Innovations in Food (& Beverage) Technology is a quarterly magazine distributed globally both in Print and Digital formats. www.innovationsfood.com. Twitter: @Innovfoodtech. Instagram: @innovationsinfoodtechnology. Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/terry-prior52
