Effect of 8-weeks prebiotics/probiotics supplementation on alcohol metabolism and blood biomarkers of healthy adults: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Modulating gut bacteria via regular prebiotics/probiotics consumption may improve the metabolism of acute alcohol ingestion. This study investigated the impact of 8-weeks prebiotics/probiotics supplementation on microbiome changes and responses to acute alcohol consumption.


METHODS
38 participants (21 females, 23.6 ± 3.4 kg m-2, mean ± SD) attended the laboratory on two occasions separated by an 8-week intervention period. On each of these visits, a dose of alcohol (0.40 ± 0.04 g kg-1, Vodka + Soda-Water) was consumed over 10 min. Breath alcohol concentration was sampled over 5 h and alcohol pharmacokinetics was analysed using WinNonlin non-compartmental modelling (Cmax, tmax, AUClast). For the intervention, participants were randomised to receive Placebo + Placebo (PLA), Placebo + Prebiotics (PRE), Probiotics + Placebo (PRO), or Probiotics + Prebiotics (SYN) in a double-blinded manner. Probiotics were a commercially available source of Lactobacillus acidophilus (NCFM®) and Bifidobacterium lactis (Bi-07). Prebiotics were a commercially available source of Larch Gum (from Larix occidentalis). Placebo was microcrystalline cellulose. Each visit, participants provided a stool sample, which was analysed to determine the presence of L. acidophilus and B. lactis. Differences between trials were analysed using paired samples t tests.


RESULTS
Increased counts for at least one bacterial strain (L. acidophilus or B. lactis) were observed for all participants on SYN (n = 10) and PRO (n = 10) trials. No difference in Cmaxor tmaxwas observed between trials when analysed by treatment condition or microbiome outcome. A significant decrease in AUClastwas observed between trials for PLA (p = 0.039) and PRE (p = 0.030) treatments, and when increases in at least one bacterial strain (p = 0.003) and no microbiome changes (p = 0.016) were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Consumption of probiotics appears to alter faecal counts of supplemental bacterial strains in otherwise healthy individuals. However, translation to any possible beneficial impact on alcohol metabolism remains to be elucidated.
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia. c.irwin@griffith.edu.au.|School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia. c.irwin@griffith.edu.au.
Christopher
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1379-4271
C
Irwin
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia.
Saman
S
Khalesi
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia.|School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Amanda J
AJ
Cox
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia.|School of Pharmacy, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.|Quality Use of Medicines Network, Gold Coast, Australia.
Gary
G
Grant
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia.|School of Pharmacy, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.|Quality Use of Medicines Network, Gold Coast, Australia.
Andrew K
AK
Davey
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia.|School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Andrew C
AC
Bulmer
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia.|School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Ben
B
Desbrow
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D056692:Prebiotics; D019936:Probiotics; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D056692:Prebiotics
Alcohol; Lipids; Pharmacokinetics; Prebiotics; Probiotics; Synbiotics