Bioscience and Microflora
Online ISSN : 1349-8355
Print ISSN : 1342-1441
ISSN-L : 1342-1441
Full Paper
The Effects of a Synbiotic Fermented Milk Beverage Containing Lactobacillus casei Strain Shirota and Transgalactosylated Oligosaccharides on Defecation Frequency, Intestinal Microflora, Organic Acid Concentrations, and Putrefactive Metabolites of Sub-Optimal Health State Volunteers: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Cross-Over Study
Terue ShioiriKeiko YahagiSachie NakayamaTakashi AsaharaNorikatsu YukiKoji KawakamiYoshitaku YamaokaYuko SakaiKoji NomotoMasumi Totani
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2006 Volume 25 Issue 4 Pages 137-146

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Abstract

We evaluated the effects of ingestion of a synbiotic fermented milk beverage containing Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) at 3 × 1010 and transgalactosylated oligosaccharides (GOS) at 2.5 g per 80 ml (once a day, 2 weeks) on the defecation frequency in 35 female university students with constipation as well as the defecation frequency, intestinal microflora, and intestinal environment in elderly persons in whom the intestinal microflora and the levels of putrefactive metabolites were abnormal in a placebo-controlled double-blind study. In the female students, the defecation frequency after 1 week of synbiotic fermented milk beverage ingestion was significantly higher than that after 1 week of placebo ingestion or before ingestion. In the elderly persons, the fecal Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus bacterial counts after 1 and 2 weeks of synbiotic fermented milk beverage ingestion were significantly higher than those after placebo ingestion or before ingestion (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). The fecal lecithinase-positive Clostridium bacterial count after 1 week of synbiotic fermented milk beverage ingestion and the fecal Enterobacteriaceae bacterial counts after 1 and 2 weeks of synbiotic fermented milk beverage ingestion were significantly lower than those after placebo ingestion (p<0.05). LcS at 107 CFU per gram of stool was collected during the ingestion period. The acetic acid levels after 1 and 2 weeks of synbiotic fermented milk beverage ingestion were significantly higher than those after placebo ingestion (p<0.01). The stool pH values after 1 and 2 weeks of synbiotic fermented milk beverage ingestion and the ammonia and phenol levels after 2 weeks of synbiotic fermented milk beverage ingestion were significantly lower than those after placebo ingestion (p<0.05). These results suggest that ingestion of the synbiotic fermented milk beverage containing LcS and GOS improves the stool quality, intestinal microflora, and intestinal environment.

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© 2006 by The Japan Bifidus Foundation
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