The trial, which was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study conducted by researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) published in the Frontiers of Physiology, showed that daily doses as low as 1g of PreticX, a branded form of XOS (xylooligosaccharide) supplied by AIDP, significantly modified gut microbiota, helping to grow more species of good gut bacteria and reduce bad bacteria in both healthy people, and those who are over-weight with unhealthy blood glucose levels.
According to Jennifer Gu, PhD, AIDP’s vice president of research and development, people who have abnormal glucose levels showed a different gut microbial population as compared to normal people. PreticX significantly modified gut microbiota in both healthy and over-weight subjects, and resulted in dramatic shifts of four bacterial taxa (populations of organisms) associated with people who had abnormal glucose levels.
Altering the pre diabetic microbiome
The researchers mapped the distribution of gut bacteria in 13 pre diabetic individuals and 16 healthy subjects. The researchers identified 40 bacterial taxa associated with pre diabetes. Among them, the abundance of the genera Enterorhabdus, Howardella, and Slackia was higher in pre diabetic subjects. After 8 weeks of supplementation with PreticX, these populations were suppressed. In addition, the supplementation regime boosted the population of beneficial bacterium Blautia hydrogenotrophica, which was lower in the pre diabetic individuals.
“These are the strains that have been documented in early studies to be associated with the diabetic/obese microbiome,” Gu told NutraIngredients-USA.
“It is important for consumers to understand that having good gut flora is an important part of a healthy digestive ecosystem, but one must feed the good gut microbes with prebiotics such as PreticXin order to receive the maximum health benefit. Advancing scientific research continues to demonstrate that balanced gut microbiota is essential for digestive function, and that an unhealthy balance in the gut is a precursor to digestive issues and immune dysfunction,” she added.
In addition to its effect on microbiome makeup, the researchers said that PreticX showed a tendency to reduce OGTT 2-h insulin levels (P = 0.13), but had no effect on body composition, HOMA-IR, serum glucose, triglyceride, satiety hormones, and TNFα.
“This study is an important follow-up to a peer-reviewed and published journal article regarding a 2014 randomized, placebo-controlled trial from UCLA, which demonstrated the mechanism of action, safety and efficacy of PreticX,” Gu said. She added that the product is from a non GMO source and has GRAS status. Other studies have confirmed the ingredient’s ability to increase the proliferation of bifidobacteria at a low dosage when compared to other prebiotic fibers.
Source: Frontiers of Physiology
“Xylooligosaccharide supplementation alters gut bacteria in both healthy and prediabetic adults: a pilot study.”
2015 Aug 7;6:216. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00216. eCollection 2015.
Authors: Yang J, et al.