Prebiotics may improve frailty in older adults: RCT

According to research published in The Journal of Nutrition, the inulin/oligofructose combination was linked to “notable” increases in several measures of frailty, including walking speed, grip strength and body fat. Journal of Clinical Investigation

Scientists from the Chinese Air Force Medical University in Xi'an reported that the prebiotic supplement also caused changes in the gut microbiota and microbial metabolites.

The authors wrote that “this clinical trial demonstrated that the composition, diversity, and function of the gut microbiome differed by frailty in community-dwelling older Chinese adults.” Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome is linked to frailty, and interventions using prebiotic blends may offer a treatment option.

Aging and microbiome

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We know that our microbiomes change with age. TwinsUK is a highly publicised TwinsUK study in the UKShowing a significant difference in aging trajectory.

The TwinsUK study also found that there are a variety of associations between host frailty and the gut microbiota. These include modest associations, with taxonomic diversity, and a clear negative relationship with the microbiota (Genome Medicine, 2016).

You can also find data on Professor Paul O'Toole at University College CorkThis study shows that the microbiota of people who move from a free living environment to sustainable residential care changes within six months.

Lack of diversity in dietary intake in long-term care settings is associated with reduced microbiota, which can lead to inflammation and frailty. The question then becomes whether it is possible to modify the gut microbiota to decrease inflammation and frailty.

This new study focuses on older adults living in the community (not in nursing homes). Researchers in China conducted three studies. They conducted an observational survey of 1,693 participants, a cross-sectional analysis of 300 individuals, and a double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.

Study details

The studies recruited participants who lived in 13 different communities in Xi'an. Participants were all at least 65 years old and were classified as frail or not according to the Fried scale.

Observational studies showed that individuals ranged in age from pre-frail, to non-frail, to frail. The mean age was 72, 75, and 79 years, respectively.

The researchers found that as frailty increased, the relative abundance of Firmicutes decreased, while the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes increased. Our data suggest that metabolic changes and metabolic pathways play a role in different frailty conditions.

The researchers randomly selected 100 pre-frail or frail people and divided them into two groups. Each group received either a placebo or 15g of a 50:50 inulin/oligofructose mixture daily for three months.

The results showed that prebiotic treatment in the pre-frail group was linked to decreased fatigue and increased fat mass. The researchers found that prebiotics improved walking speed, grip strength, and constipation symptoms in the frail group.

The researchers wrote: "This suggests that a prebiotic mixture may increase muscle strength in frail patients and have a positive effect on reducing frailty."

The prebiotic mixture was tolerated by all individuals, and no symptoms such as abdominal pain or diarrhea were observed in individuals who continued to take it. This also shows the safety of this mixture over time.

Changes

The microbiome of pre-frail individuals showed increased abundance. Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Dorea longicatena, Eubacterium halliiYou can also learn more about the following: Lachnospiraceae_bacterium_1_1_57FAAPrebiotics were associated with increased levels of Bifidobacterium pseudosmallThey said this channel was a good idea. They said the availability of E. coliThe number of people able to do this has also increased.

The researchers concluded that such results indicated "that synergistic and antagonistic effects are complex, and that maintaining a balanced and diverse gut microbiota may be essential to mitigate frailty."

Metabolic pathways corresponding to the beneficial changes were also recorded.

The researchers wrote that the findings “suggest a possible link between changes in the gut microbiota and frailty in older adults.” Prebiotics can alter the gut microbiota and metabolism. This could lead to an improved state of frailty and prevent its onset.

They suggested that future studies could explore whether a combination of probiotics and prebiotics can further improve outcomes.

Source : The Journal of Clinical Investigation
Online publication before printing, doi 10.1172/JCI176507
Prebiotics may improve frailty in community-dwelling older adults in a double-blind, randomized controlled study
Authors: J. Yang, et al.