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Evaluation of Lactocare® Synbiotic Administration on the Serum Electrolytes and Trace Elements Levels in Psoriasis Patients: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial Study.
Akbarzadeh, A, Taheri, M, Ebrahimi, B, Alirezaei, P, Doosti-Irani, A, Soleimani, M, Nouri, F
Biological trace element research. 2022;200(10):4230-4237
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Plain language summary
Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterised by plaques and lesions on the skin. While the etiopathogenesis of psoriasis is not completely understood, various mechanisms have been implicated, including changes in the composition of intestinal microbes, oxidative stress and changes in the levels of certain trace elements. Previous research has shown that fluctuations in trace minerals such as zinc and copper may contribute to the progression and progression of psoriasis. It is known that synbiotics, which are combinations of probiotics and prebiotics, have immune-modulating properties, and they may also enhance the absorption of trace minerals from food when consumed. This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to randomly assign sixty-four patients with mild-to-moderate psoriasis to consume Lactocare, a symbiotic containing seven strains of probiotic bacteria and prebiotic fructooligosaccharide twice daily or a placebo for 12 weeks. Serum trace mineral levels were measured after 12 weeks of treatment, including Fe, K, Ca, Mg, P, Zn, Na, and Cu. A significant improvement in serum levels of zinc and calcium was observed in the symbiotic group after 12 weeks of treatment. Additionally, the symbiotic treatment significantly increased the levels of trace minerals such as Fe, Ca, Mg, P, Zn, and Na within the group compared to the baseline. Fe and Cu levels in the treatment group were affected by sex, with male participants showing significant differences. To evaluate the other benefits of symbiotic preparations in patients with psoriasis, further large-scale studies are required. Healthcare professionals can utilise the research to understand the immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory properties of symbiotic formulations such as Lactocare, as well as to understand how the consumption of Lactocare improves the absorption of trace minerals.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the exact etiopathogenesis of psoriasis remains unknown, the increasing or decreasing of some trace elements and oxidative stress status are considered to play a role. In this study, the effect of Lactocare® synbiotic on the serum levels of trace elements including Zn, Cu, Mg, Na, Fe, P, Ca, and K in the patients with mild to moderate psoriasis was investigated. METHODS Sixty-four patients with mild to moderate psoriasis were included. Patients were randomly divided into treatment (n═32) and control (n═32) groups. The treatment group received Lactocare® and the control group received a placebo (two times daily for 12 weeks). Eight patients from the intervention group and 18 patients from the control group discontinued the study because of the recent COVID-19 condition. For routine trace element analysis, the blood samples were collected from all patients at the baseline as well as week 12 post-treatment. The serum was then isolated and the serum levels of trace elements including Fe, K, Ca, Mg, P, Zn, Na, and Cu were measured using an automatic electrolyte analyzer. For confirmation of the effect of Lactocare® on the alteration of serum levels of trace elements, intra-group analysis was performed at two interval times: baseline and week 12 post-treatment. RESULTS The serum levels of K, P, and Ca in the placebo group were significantly higher than that of the treatment group at baseline. Serum levels of Zn and Ca were significantly higher in the treatment group compared to the placebo group at week 12 post-treatment. Moreover, a significantly lower serum level of K, P, and Ca in the treatment group at the baseline compared to the placebo group was compensated on week 12 post-treatment. Intra-group analysis in the treatment group showed that the serum levels of Fe, Ca, Mg, P, Zn, and Na was significantly increased at week 12 post-treatment compared to baseline levels. Whereas, intra-group analysis in the control group showed only Ca has a significant difference between baseline and week 12 post-treatment. CONCLUSION The serum levels of Fe, Zn, P, Mg, Ca, and Na are increased significantly 12 weeks after oral administration of Lactocare® in psoriatic patients. The serum level of Fe and Cu is affected by sex at pre- and post-treatment. This study supports the concept that Lactocare® exerts beneficial effects in the gastrointestinal tract to improve mineral absorption in psoriatic patients.
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Effect of Fructooligosaccharides Supplementation on the Gut Microbiota in Human: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Dou, Y, Yu, X, Luo, Y, Chen, B, Ma, D, Zhu, J
Nutrients. 2022;14(16)
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Fructooligosaccharide is a prebiotic fibre that undergoes fermentation in the gut, due to which it can cause gas and bloat. Additionally, this prebiotic fibre ferments to produce short-chain fatty acids, which are beneficial for the body. This systematic review and meta-analysis included eight randomised controlled trials investigating the effects of fructooligosaccharide on gut microbial composition. Short-term supplementation with fructooligosaccharide altered the gut’s microbial composition without causing any adverse effects. Bifidobacterium spp. levels were elevated in those who consumed fructooligosaccharide supplements than those who did not. Supplementation with fructooligosaccharide did not significantly change harmful bacteria such as Bacteroides and Enterobacteriaceae levels. In addition, a higher dosage of 7.5–15 g/d of fructooligosaccharide supplementation for a period of more than four weeks was found to be beneficial. Healthcare professionals can use these results to understand better how fructooligosaccharide modulates beneficial gut bacteria such as Bifidobacterium spp. However, there is a need for more robust studies since the number of currently available studies is limited, and the exact health implications of fructooligosaccharide supplementation need to be evaluated further.
Abstract
Background: Numerous studies have investigated the effects of the supplementation of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) on the number of bacteria in the gut that are good for health, but the results have been inconsistent. Additionally, due to its high fermentability, supplementation of FOS may be associated with adverse gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating and flatulence. Therefore, we assessed the effects of FOS interventions on the composition of gut microbiota and gastrointestinal symptoms in a systematic review and meta-analysis. Design: All randomized controlled trials published before 10 July 2022 that investigated the effects of FOS supplementation on the human gut microbiota composition and gastrointestinal symptoms and met the selection criteria were included in this study. Using fixed or random-effects models, the means and standard deviations of the differences between the two groups before and after the intervention were combined into weighted mean differences using 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Eight studies containing 213 FOS supplements and 175 controls remained in this meta-analysis. Bifidobacterium spp. counts significantly increased during FOS ingestion (0.579, 95% CI: 0.444-0.714) in comparison with that of the control group. Subgroup analysis showed greater variation in Bifidobacterium spp. in adults (0.861, 95% CI: 0.614-1.108) than in infants (0.458, 95% CI: 0.297-0.619). The increase in Bifidobacterium spp. counts were greater in the group with an intervention duration greater than 4 weeks (0.841, 95% CI: 0.436-1.247) than an intervention time less than or equal to four weeks (0.532, 95% CI: 0.370-0.694), and in the group with intervention doses > 5 g (1.116, 95% CI: 0.685-1.546) the counts were higher than those with doses ≤ 5 g (0.521, 95% CI: 0.379-0.663). No differences in effect were found between FOS intervention and comparators in regard to the abundance of other prespecified bacteria or adverse gastrointestinal symptoms. Conclusions: This is the first meta-analysis to explore the effect of FOS on gut microbiota and to evaluate the adverse effects of FOS intake on the gastrointestinal tract. FOS supplementation could increase the number of colonic Bifidobacterium spp. while higher dose (7.5-15 g/d) and longer duration (>4 weeks) showed more distinct effects and was well tolerated.