A probiotics-containing biscuit modulates the intestinal microbiota in the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of the impact of a biscuit containing the probiotics Bifidobacterium longum Bar33 and Lactobacillus helveticus Bar13 on the intestinal microbiota in the elderly.


METHODS
Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.


METHODS
Thirty-two elderly volunteers living in Italy. The group was composed of 19 women and 13 men aged between 71 and 88 years (mean 76).


METHODS
Subjects were randomized in two groups consuming one dose of the probiotics-containing biscuit or placebo once a day for 30 days.


METHODS
For each subject the intestinal microbiota was characterized using the phylogenetic microarray platform HTF-Microbi.Array before and after intervention.


RESULTS
Our data demonstrated that one-month consumption of a probiotics-containing biscuit was effective in redressing some of the age-related dysbioses of the intestinal microbiota. In particular, the probiotic treatment reverted the age-related increase of the opportunistic pathogens Clostridium cluster XI, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecium and the enteropathogenic genus Campylobacter.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study opens the way to the development of elderly-tailored probiotic-based functional foods to counteract the age-related dysbioses of the intestinal microbiota.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
S
S
Rampelli
M
M
Candela
M
M
Severgnini
E
E
Biagi
S
S
Turroni
M
M
Roselli
P
P
Carnevali
L
L
Donini
P
P
Brigidi
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000898:Antibiosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D054892:Metagenome; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*