The effect of a new developed synbiotic yogurt consumption on metabolic syndrome components in adults with metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled clinical trial
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a growing global public health concern, affecting 20-30% of adults in most countries. This rise is attributed to increasing obesity rates and sedentary lifestyles. A key factor in MetS is insulin resistance, which leads to issues such as impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and visceral adiposity MetS is of great concern because it has been shown to increase risk of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiome dysbiosis plays a critical role in the development of metabolic disorders associated with MetS, particularly insulin resistance. Studies have shown that consumption of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics can positively modulate the gut microbiome, potentially reducing the risk of developing MetS. This randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigated the effects of a newly developed synbiotic yogurt on MetS components in adults diagnosed with the condition. Forty-four participants were assigned to consume either 300 g of the synbiotic yogurt containing Lactobacillus plantarum, L. pentosus, and Chloromyces marcosianos yeast along with 3% of prebiotic sources such as celery, shallot, chicory, and mint, or regular yogurt daily for 12 weeks. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, and biochemical parameters were evaluated before and after the intervention. The results showed significant reductions in the levels of fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance index, waist to hip ratio, and systolic blood pressure in participants consuming the synbiotic yogurt compared to those consuming regular yogurt. These findings suggest that daily consumption of synbiotic yogurt may offer substantial benefits in managing components of MetS.
Key takeaways:
- MetS is a significant global health and economic challenge, impacting 20-30% of adults worldwide.
- Imbalances in the gut microbiome are often associated with the development of MetS.
- This study showed that daily consumption of a synbiotic yogurt, enriched with prebiotics and probiotics, improved insulin resistance, systolic blood pressure, and waist-to-hip ratio in adults with MetS.
Access to the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39695092/
Reference: Zolghadrpour, M. A., Jowshan, M. R., Heidari Seyedmahalleh, M., Karimpour, F., Imani, H., & Asghari, S. (2024). The effect of a new developed synbiotic yogurt consumption on metabolic syndrome components in adults with metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Nutrition & diabetes, 14(1), 97. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41387-024-00354-7
Effects of synbiotic supplementation on bone and metabolic health in Caucasian postmenopausal women: rationale and design of the OsteoPreP trial
Osteoporosis, the most common bone disease in humans, is a silent, chronic, and multifactorial condition that predominantly affects women over the age of 50. Women in this age group are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. Characterized by a decline in bone mineral density (BMD) and bone microarchitecture, osteoporosis results in reduced bone strength and an increased risk of fractures. These fractures can lead to loss of independence, long-term disability, and higher morbidity and mortality rates. Gut microbiome dysbiosis, particularly in menopause, has been associated with an increased risk of MetS and may contribute to immune system maturation, psychiatric disorders, and the risk of developing osteoporosis. Addressing dysbiosis through synbiotic supplementation may help mitigate these issues and preserve bone mass. This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of a 12-month synbiotic supplementation on bone and metabolic health in postmenopausal Caucasian women. One hundred-and-sixty postmenopausal participants with no existing osteoporosis diagnosis, no prior probiotic or prebiotic supplementation, and no medical treatments affecting bone turnover were included in the study. Participants were randomized to receive either the proprietary synbiotic Pendulum WBF-038, containing chicory inulin and five human-derived bacterial strains (Akkermansia muciniphila WB-STR-001, Anaerobutyricum hallii WB-STR-0008, Clostridium butyricum WB-STR-0006, Clostridium beijerinckii WB-STR-0005, and Bifidobacterium infantis Bi26TM), or a placebo. The primary outcome is to assess the relative change in total bone mineral density of the distal tibia 12 months post-treatment. Secondary outcomes include evaluating the impact on immune system modulation, cognitive function, gut microbiota composition, and musculoskeletal and metabolic health, particularly blood glucose regulation. This trial is the first randomized controlled trial to investigate the potential of Pendulum WBF-038 synbiotic in preventing osteoporosis and improving metabolic health.
Key takeaways:
- Osteoporosis is the most prevalent bone disease, particularly affecting postmenopausal women.
- Gut microbiome dysbiosis has been observed in postmenopausal women.
- Synbiotics may help in the primary care of postmenopausal women at risk of osteoporosis and in managing MetS by modulating gut microbiome imbalances.
- This trial is the first randomized controlled study evaluating the efficacy and safety of a proprietary synbiotic formulation in reducing bone loss and improving blood glucose regulation.
Access the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39683612/
Reference: Turbić, A., Vandenput, L., Gandham, A., & Lorentzon, M. (2024). Effects of Synbiotic Supplementation on Bone and Metabolic Health in Caucasian Postmenopausal Women: Rationale and Design of the OsteoPreP Trial. Nutrients, 16(23), 4219. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16234219
Enhancing gut microbiota and microbial function with inulin supplementation in children with obesity
Obesity is a significant global health concern, with alarmingly high rates among both children and adults. In children, obesity increases the risk of developing comorbidities such as dyslipidemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and T2DM. Recent evidence suggest that the gut microbiota plays a critical role in influencing the mechanisms that contribute to obesity. Prebiotics, such as inulin, may be utilized by the gut microbiota to regulate host physiology and promote health. This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study evaluated the effects of inulin supplementation on gut microbiota composition and microbial functional pathways in children with obesity. One hundred and forty-three children aged 7-15 years were randomized into three groups: inulin supplement (13 g of inulin powder extracted from Thai Jerusalem artichoke), placebo (maltodextrin), or dietary fiber advice. The inulin and placebo groups consumed their assigned supplements about thirty minutes prior to their dinner meal each day. All participants received standardized monthly advice on diet, exercise, and behavior modification, with monthly follow-ups over six months. Gut microbiome analysis was conducted on fecal samples to assess the outcomes. The study found a significant increase in the alpha-diversity within the inulin group compared to the other two groups, specifically noted in Bifidobactreium, Blautia, Megasphaera, and various butyrate-producing bacteria, including Agathobacter, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes, and Subdoligenes, and Subdoligraulum. Additionally, the inulin group showed significant changes in proteasome-related functional pathways. These findings suggest that inulin supplementation may be an effective strategy to restore intestinal microbiota balance and regulate microbial functions in childhood obesity.
Key takeaways:
- Obesity is a significant global health concern, especially in children, who are at increased risk of developing several comorbidities.
- The gut microbiota involvement in energy regulation and inflammatory processes may contribute to the mechanisms underlying obesity.
- Inulin supplementation has the potential to modulate functional pathways by, fostering a beneficial interaction between the gut microbiota and host physiology.
- This study highlights the benefits of inulin supplementation in enhancing gut bacterial diversity and addressing gut microbiota dysbiosis.
Access the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39033197/
Reference: Visuthranukul, C., Sriswasdi, S., Tepaamorndech, S., Chamni, S., Leelahavanichkul, A., Joyjinda, Y., Aksornkitti, V., & Chomtho, S. (2024). Enhancing gut microbiota and microbial function with inulin supplementation in children with obesity. International journal of obesity (2005), 48(12), 1696–1704. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-024-01590-8
Effects of synbiotics surpass probiotics alone in improving type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
T2DM is a critical global health challenge, affecting 10.5% of adults in 2021 worldwide and is projected to rise to 12.2% by 2045. T2DM profoundly impacts individuals’ quality of life, places substantial strain on healthcare systems, and generates significant economic costs. Currently, treatment options are limited to medications, lifestyle modifications, or their combination. However, emerging evidence highlights the potential of targeting the gut microbiota with prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics to support glucose metabolism, with synbiotics showing the most promise. Synbiotics combine beneficial bacteria (probiotics) with their substrates (prebiotics) to achieve synergistic beneficial effects. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-arm, parallel clinical trial evaluated the effects of a probiotic, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis MN-Gup (MN-Gup), and a synbiotic combination of MN-Gup and galactooligosaccharide (MN-Gup-GOS) on glycemic control in T2DM patients over a 12-week period. Study products were provided as solid beverage powders containing 0.1 g MN-Gup (5 x 1010 colony forming units (CFU)) and 3.4 g maltodextrin in the probiotic group, 0.1 g MN-Gup (5 x 1010 CFU) with 0.9 g GOS and 2.5 g maltodextrin in the synbiotic group, and 3.5 g maltodextrin in the placebo group. The primary outcome was fasting blood glucose (FBG), while secondary outcomes included hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), inflammatory indicators, oxidative stress indicators, gastrointestinal hormones, gut microbiota, and bile acids (BAs). Of 120 participants (median age: 59; 33% men; n=40 in each group), significant decreases in HbA1C, serum insulin, and HOMA-IR were observed in the MN-Gup-GOS group, with no such effects in the placebo or MN-Gup groups. Compared to placebo and MN-Gup, the MN-Gup-GOS group exhibited a significantly reduced FBG (p = 0.022 and p = 0.047, respectively). Both MN-Gup and MN-Gup-GOS interventions – especially the synbiotic MN-Gup-GOS – significantly modified inflammation, oxidative stress, gut microbiota composition, serum BAs, and GLP-1 levels. Notably, changes in specific gut microbiota (Bifidobacterium) and BAs (deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid) correlated with improvements in glycemic indicators. These findings suggest that synbiotics may offer superior favorable potential over probiotics for glycemic control in T2DM patients. Further research is warranted to clarify the mechanisms behind these effects.
Key takeaways:
- Gut microbiota may be targeted by prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics to manage T2DM, reducing its global health and economic burden.
- In this study, the synbiotic MN-Gup-GOS showed superior efficacy in reducing FBG levels compared to the probiotic MN-Gup alone, likely due to its enhanced ability to modulate gut microbiota, BAs, and serum GLP-1 levels.
- These findings suggest that synbiotics may be more effective than probiotics alone in improving glycemic control in T2DM patients.
Access the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39719724/
Reference: Zhang, C., Zhang, Q., Zhang, X., Du, S., Zhang, Y., Wang, X., Liu, Y., Fang, B., Chen, J., Liu, R., Hao, Y., Li, Y., Wang, P., Zhao, L., Feng, H., Zhu, L., Chen, L., Chen, S., Wang, F., Jiang, Z., … He, J. (2025). Effects of synbiotics surpass probiotics alone in improving type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 44, 248–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2024.11.042