A study published in the journal Phrama Nutrition by Filteau et al. found that probiotic yoghurt increased the presence of certain probiotic strains in the gut, as has been previously shown. However, it found no alterations in the full microbiota through probiotic yoghurt consumption.
Is no effect a good or bad thing?
Whether or not that is a good thing is a matter of debate. Some suggest that an increase in specific probiotic strains has some beneficial effect and that entirely changing the microbiota makeup would negatively impact functionality.
Others argue that raising a single species of probiotics has no effect on health and only changing the entire makeup of the gut ecosystem will help to derive benefits.
One of the authors of the present study Denis Roy, professor of Food Science and Nutrition at Laval University told NutraIngredients: “If the overall microbiota makeup is unchanged, it does not mean that probiotic yoghurt is ineffective since it could have metabolic effects. More studies are needed.”
He added: “Probiotics have no adverse effects, as reducing bacteria diversity of the intestinal microbiota.”
Method
Under the study, 58 Canadian volunteers were told to eat either commercial probiotic yoghurts or a placebo daily for four weeks.
Fecal sample analysis showed no difference in profile variation between the placebo and probiotic yoghurt consumption.
The research was funded by Canadian yoghurt maker Aliments Ultima.
The finding supports earlier research by Jeffrey Gordon at the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, which found that probiotic yogurt did not modify the composition of gut microbial communities.
However, changes in numerous metabolic pathways was observed in another previous study by by McNulty et al. (2011).
Source:
PharmaNutrition (Article In Press)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phanu.2013.05.002
‘Molecular monitoring of fecal microbiota in healthy adults following probiotic yogurt intake’
Authors: Marie Filteau, Sébastien Matamoros, Patricia Savard, Denis Roy