2′-fucosyllactose supplementation results in a transient improvement in gut microbial resilience after vancomycin use in adults with overweight or obesity: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are naturally occurring prebiotics in breast milk, with 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) being the most abundant. This double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study evaluated the effects of 2’-FL supplementation following 7-day vancomycin treatment. Thirty-seven adults aged 20 to 65 years who were overweight or obese, were randomized to receive oral vancomycin (500 mg, three times daily) for seven days, followed by a 2-day wash-out period, and then Biotis® 2’-FL (4.0 g, three times daily) or a maltodextrin placebo for eight weeks. Outcomes included anthropometric measurements, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, plasma lipids, glucagon-like-peptide-1, inflammatory cytokines, fecal short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and branched chain fatty acids. The Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) and Bristol Stool Chart (BSC) were used to measure gastrointestinal complaints and stool consistency, respectively. Compared to baseline, gut microbial richness and diversity were significantly reduced after seven days of vancomycin treatment. Compared to placebo, 2’-FL significantly increased microbial resilience after two weeks, but this effect was not observed at eight weeks. Furthermore, two weeks of 2’-FL intake impacted the recovery of specific bacterial taxa, including decreases in Escherichia-Shigella and Streptococcus, and an increase in Eubacterium hallii. The 2’-FL group showed reduced BSC scores after four weeks, with no increase in gastrointestinal symptoms on the GSRS scale compared to placebo. After eight weeks, 2’-FL decreased fasting plasma interleukin-6 concentrations, but 2’-FL did not seem to alter other metabolic health parameters or SCFA concentrations. Further studies are warranted to investigate other prebiotic interventions in antibiotic-induced dysbiosis, including non-obese and non-overweight patients following antibiotic treatment.
Key Takeaways
· HMOs are naturally present in breast milk, with 2′-FL being the most abundant and exhibiting prebiotic properties.
· Vancomycin significantly disrupted gut microbial richness and diversity after seven days of use, while 2’-FL improved microbial resilience after two weeks, but not at eight weeks, suggesting a short-term effect.
· Future research should explore additional prebiotic interventions and evaluate their effects in broader patient populations following antibiotic treatment.
Access the study: https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2025.2580693
Reference: Vliex, L. M. M., Barnett, D., Monzel, E., Nauta, A., Oudhuis, G. J., Fassarella, M., Holst, J. J., Zoetendal, E. G., Penders, J., & Blaak, E. E. (2025). 2′-Fucosyllactose supplementation results in a transient improvement in gut microbial resilience after vancomycin use in adults with overweight or obesity: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention. Gut microbes, 17(1), 2580693. https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2025.2580693
Targeting gut microbiota with short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides prebiotic fibers to support metabolic health in overweight prediabetic adults: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study
Short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) are well-studied prebiotic fibers that undergoes rapid and selective fermentation by specific gut bacteria, contributing to their health benefits. This double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm, randomized trial evaluated the effects of a scFOS in overweight prediabetic patients. Sixty-six patients (aged 18-65 years) were randomized to receive scFOS derived from sugar beet sucrose (20 g/day) or placebo, for 12 weeks. Outcomes included anthropometric measurements, blood sampling, and fecal samples. The results showed no significant improvements in parameters related to glucose metabolism. However, body fat mass decreased in the scFOS arm, compared to an increase in the placebo group after 12 weeks, whereas the opposite trend was observed for lean mass. Gut microbiota was analyzed within a sub-group of 30 participants and showed decreases in α-diversity in the scFOS arm, with increases reported in the placebo group. Supplementation with scFOS significantly increased Bifidobacterium and Anaerostipes, and reduced Blautia and Ruminococcus2. Regarding SCFA changes, fecal acetate and propionate were observed in the scFOS group, compared to decreases observed in the placebo group. Although there were no significant improvements observed in glucose metabolism, supplementation with scFOS for 12 weeks improved some measures of body composition and gut microbiota composition in patients with overweight and prediabetes.
Key Takeaways
· scFOS is a prebiotic fiber that is rapidly and selectively fermented by select gut bacteria, supporting its health benefits.
· Twelve weeks of scFOS supplementation improved body composition in overweight individuals with prediabetes, without affecting glucose metabolism.
· scFOS supplementation favourably modulated the gut microbiota, increasing Bifidobacterium and Anaerostipes, and reducing Blautia and Ruminococcus2.
Access the study: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1718169/full
Reference: Le Bourgot, C., Capronnier, O., Graf, S., & Carton, T. (2025). Targeting gut microbiota with short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides prebiotic fibers to support metabolic health in overweight prediabetic adults: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. Frontiers in nutrition, 12, 1718169. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1718169
Open-label, prospective study of a prebiotic gel cream on its efficacy of mild to moderate acne management and effects on the functional skin microbiome
Acne vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory skin condition in young adults, shaped by dietary and environmental influences as well as imbalances in the skin microbiome. This clinical trial assessed the safety and efficacy of a topical prebiotic-containing gel for the skin microbiome on C. acnes abundance in mild to moderate non-cystic acne-prone skin. Thirty participants (aged 18-35 years) were enrolled and used a non-comedogenic cleanser along with a prebiotic gel cream containing inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS), in addition to other formulation ingredients. Facial photography, sebum production, skin microbiome, and acne were assessed. Results suggest that after six weeks of treatment, non-inflammatory lesions (NIL), inflammatory lesions (IL), and total lesions (TL) were reduced by 36.0%, 34.5%, and 35.9%, respectively. Sebum production did not change significantly. However, significant shifts were observed in the skin microbiome of the glabella and the left cheek following treatment. On the glabella, there was a significant increase in the abundance of C. acnes strain HL050PA2, which is associated with healthy non-acne prone skin, as well as specific species of Gardnerella and C. durum. Meanwhile, the abundance of several species of Cutibacterium, Kocuria, and G. haemolysans were significantly reduced. On the left cheek, C. tuberculostearicum, C. pseudogenitalium, and Staphylococcus significantly increased in abundance while Cutibacterium, E. aerosaccus and P. rhinitis were significantly reduced. Application of the prebiotic gel cream showed strain-specific modulation of the skin microbiome, marked by increases in C. acnes HL050PA2 and S. epidermis VCU071, while other strains of C. acnes and S. epidermis strains showed no significant change. Overall, the prebiotic gel cream formulated with inulin and FOS may offer beneficial effects in the management of acne vulgaris by modulating the skin microbiome and improving skin lesion outcomes.
Key Takeaways
· Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory condition influenced by factors such as environment, diet, and imbalances of the skin microbiome.
· Six weeks of prebiotic gel cream treatment reduced acne lesions, although sebum production remained unchanged.
· A prebiotic gel cream containing inulin and FOS improved the skin microbiome in individuals with non-cystic acne prone skin.
Access the study: https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.70138
Reference: Afzal, L., Dulai, A. S., Khan, Z. E., Nguyen, N., Afzal, N., Gunt, H. B., & Sivamani, R. K. (2025). Open-Label, Prospective Study of a Prebiotic Gel Cream on Its Efficacy of Mild to Moderate Acne Management and Effects on the Functional Skin Microbiome. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 24(10), e70138. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.70138
Impact of fiber-containing enteral nutrition on microbial community dynamics in critically ill trauma patients: a pilot-randomized trial
The gut microbiota of intensive care unit (ICU) patients often exhibits significant dysbiosis, referred to as ICU-associated dysbiosis, resulting from rigorous pathologic restructuring. This dysbiosis is characterized by reduced microbial diversity, depletion of commensal bacteria, and overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. This pilot, single-center, prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of a standard peptide-based therapeutic enteral nutrition (EN) supplemented with scFOS compared to a fiber-free EN formula (NF-EN) on the gut and oral microbiota of critically ill trauma patients. Twenty patients (aged 18-80 years) with polytrauma, including traumatic brain injury, were randomized to receive either Vital® AF 1.2 Cal (5.1 g scFOS) or Osmolite 1.2 Cal (fiber-free) for 10 days, or as indicated by the treating physician. Changes in the microbiota, safety, and clinical outcomes were assessed. All participants received antibiotics prior to study initiation. Results showed that scFOS-EN was associated with a decline in gut microbial diversity, including significant reductions in Shannon diversity and observed amplicon sequence variants, whereas microbial diversity remained stable in the NF-EN group throughout the study. Additionally, scFOS-EN was associated with alterations in the gut microbial composition, including reductions in Actinobacteria and Firmicutes and increases in Bacteroidetes and the pathobiont Enterobacteriaceae family. Furthermore, scFOS-EN was associated with faster reductions in Bifidobacterium, U-Ruminococcaceae, Limosilactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Megasphaera compared to NF-EN. The intake of scFOS-EN had minimal impact on oral microbial composition, except for an accelerated increase of Carnobacteriaceae-U over time. This research highlights that the effect of scFOS-EN is context and community dependent, emphasizing the need for personalized nutrition strategies in ICU patients. This study also showed that antibiotic exposure can alter the response of gut and oral microbiota to scFOS-EN in ICU patients, promoting shifts from beneficial to pathogenic bacteria.
Key Takeaways:
· ICU-associated dysbiosis, resulting from intensive pathologic restructuring, is characterized by reduced microbial diversity, depletion of commensal bacteria, and expansion of pathogenic bacteria.
· This randomized controlled trial assessed the effects of scFOS-EN versus a fiber-free-EN formula on the gut and oral microbiota in critically ill trauma patients.
· The study highlights that prior antibiotic treatment can modify the microbial response to scFOS-EN in ICU patients, underscoring the need for personalized nutrition strategies.
Access the study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12751656/
Reference: Serbanescu, M. A., Wright, M. C., Elebasy, M., Shi, P., Arnold, J. W., Haines, K. L., White, J. R., Surana, N. K., & Wischmeyer, P. E. (2025). Impact of fiber-containing enteral nutrition on microbial community dynamics in critically ill trauma patients: a pilot-randomized trial. BMC medicine, 23(1), 706. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04511-2
