Hormonal
Supplementation with 5g/day of 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL) for 6 weeks increases Bifidobacterium abundance in older adults, which is associated with elevated HDL cholesterol, fasting insulin, and FGF21 levels.
If you are an older adult, consuming 5 grams of 2'-fucosyllactose daily for 6 weeks may boost beneficial gut bacteria (Bifidobacterium) and improve metabolic markers like HDL cholesterol and insulin levels. This suggests that prebiotics designed for infants might offer health benefits for aging adults by modulating the gut microbiome.
We found that the High Dose 2′-FL group, but not the placebo or Low Dose groups, had significantly increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol at end of intervention (week 6) compared to baseline (mean = 6.0% increase... ) while low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was unchanged... We also found that fasting insulin increased significantly and specifically in the High Dose 2′-FL group (mean = 23.6% increase... )
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with a relatively small sample size (n=89) and short duration (6 weeks), but with rigorous multi-omics analysis.
Source
A human milk oligosaccharide alters the microbiome, circulating hormones, and metabolites in a randomized controlled trial of older adults
Matthew M. Carter et al. · Cell Reports Medicine · 2025
DOI 10.1016/j.xcrm.2025.102256
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