Effects of low doses of lactitol on faecal microflora, pH, short chain fatty acids and gastrointestinal symptomology.
BACKGROUND
Lactitol (4-beta-D: -galactopyranosyl-D: -glucitol) is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener. Previous studies have shown that it has a beneficial effect on intestinal microflora.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether low doses of lactitol had beneficial effects without eliciting adverse gastrointestinal symptoms.


METHODS
Faecal bacterial populations (total anaerobes, total aerobes, enterobacteria, bifidobacteria and lactobacilli), faecal pH and faecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA) were studied in a randomized longitudinal study of 75 non-adapted healthy adults before and after consumption of low doses of lactitol. Subjects consumed 25 g tablets of milk chocolate containing 10 g sweetener as sucrose:lactitol in ratios of 10:0, 5:5 or 0:10 daily for 7 d.


RESULTS
No significant changes in faecal bacterial counts occurred in the 10:0 or 5:5 sucrose:lactitol groups. There were no significant changes in faecal anaerobes, aerobes, Enterobacteriaceae or lactobacilli during the study period in subjects consuming 0:10 sucrose:lactitol but there was a significant increase (P = 0.017) in bifidobacteria. There were no significant changes in faecal pH and SCFA for the 10:0 or 5:5 sucrose:lactitol groups but a significant decrease (P = 0.02) in faecal pH and significant increases (P = 0.001) in concentrations of propionic and butyric acids were observed in the 0:10 sucrose:lactitol group. There were few adverse symptoms of gastrointestinal intolerance to the daily consumption of 10 g lactitol.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show that low doses of lactitol can beneficially affect the faecal flora without eliciting gross symptoms of intolerance and that lactitol can be classified as a prebiotic.
Finney
Michelle
M
Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, Manchester, M5 4WT, UK.
Smullen
Joanne
J
Foster
Howard A
HA
Brokx
Saskia
S
Storey
David M
DM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002400:Cathartics / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000032:analysis*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005414:Flatulence / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D019936:Probiotics; D013402:Sugar Alcohols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*
D002400:Cathartics; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D013402:Sugar Alcohols; D013549:Sweetening Agents; C014635:lactitol