Mixed
Consumption of 5g/day of the human milk oligosaccharide 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL) for 6 weeks significantly increases the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in the gut microbiota of healthy older adults.
For older adults looking to support gut health, consuming 5g of 2'-FL daily for 6 weeks is a well-tolerated intervention that significantly increases beneficial Bifidobacterium levels. While it did not change the primary immune score, it did increase HDL cholesterol and fasting insulin. Users should expect this effect to be reversible upon stopping supplementation.
relative abundance of Bifidobacterium was significantly higher in the High Dose 2'-FL group (mean relative abundance = 9.7%, standard error (s.e.) = 1.4%) compared to the Placebo group (mean relative abundance = 3.5%, s.e. = 0.96%) at the study midpoint (Week 3)... The relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in the Low Dose 2'-FL group was not significantly different from the Placebo or the High Dose 2'-FL groups at Week 3 but was at an intermediate abundance between both groups
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with a pre-registered primary endpoint, though the primary endpoint (cytokine response) was not met, the secondary microbiome findings are robust.
Source
A human milk oligosaccharide alters the microbiome, circulating hormones, cytokines and metabolites in a randomized controlled trial of older individuals
Matthew M. Carter et al. · medRxiv · 2023
DOI 10.1101/2023.08.18.23294085
More from this paper
- 2'-FL supplementation does NOT significantly alter the Cytokine Response Score (CRS), a marker of immune aging, in older adults, despite increasing Bifidobacterium.Strong
- High-dose 2'-FL supplementation (5g/day) in older adults significantly increases serum levels of Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) and HDL cholesterol, while depleting octanoylcarnitine.Good
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