Science shorts: Probiotics for diarrhoea, reduction of visceral fat and choline for cognitive health
Bifidobacterium animalis probiotic shown to shorten duration of diarrhoea in kids – China RCT
The supplementation of probiotics from the Bifidobacterium animalis strain has shown to shorten the duration of acute diarrhoea and hospital stay in kids, new findings from China have shown.
Writing in Nutrition, the seven-day double-blinded, randomised controlled clinical trial took place in Chengdu last year, where 70 children hospitalised with acute diarrhoea were involved.
The intervention group took a sachet containing 10bn CFU of Bifidobacterium animalis sp. Lactis XLTG11, while the control group took only maltodextrin. Both groups received conventional treatment at the same time.
Vitamin B12, folate deficiencies more prevalent in adolescents than younger kids – India study
There is a higher rate of vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies in teenagers than in younger children, according to a new survey from India.
This is based on findings from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) conducted by India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Involving over 33,000 children, the findings published in Nutrients showed that vitamin B12 deficiency among adolescents aged 10 to 19 was over two times higher than pre-schoolers and school-age kids. Folate deficiency among adolescents was also more common, with the condition seen in one in three adolescents.
RCT: Probiotics well tolerated and promote healthy gut flora in infants
The supplementation of of L. salivarius (AP-32) and B. animalis (CP-9) probiotics in infants for four months was linked to an increase in Bacteriodes and Lactobacillus genus respectively.
The three-arm trial conducted in Taiwan involved 88 infants aged between seven days and two months for the blinded treatment and were randomised to receive either L. salivarius AP-32, B. animalis CP-9, or a placebo over a four-month period. A further 76 unblinded infants were randomised into the same treatment groups.
Within the three groups, one capsule mixed in infant formula, breast milk, or water was given twice daily over the experimental period. The placebo tablets contained maltodextrin, whilst the probiotic tablets contained L. salivarius AP-32 (2.5 × 109 cfu) or B. animalis CP-9 (2.5 × 109 cfu).
Lactobacillus sakei OK67 found to reduce visceral fat, but has no significant impact on body fat mass – study
The supplementation of Lactobacillus sakei OK67 for 12 weeks has been shown to regulate body and visceral fat in overweight individuals, say Korean researchers.
Lactobacillus sakei OK67 (L. sakei OK67) is a Gram-positive, anaerobic and acid-resistant lactic acid bacterium typically found in large amounts in kimchi.
Writing in Nutrients, findings showed a statistically significant (p = 0.035) difference between the groups in visceral fat area at the end of the study period.
Cracking results? Egg yolk choline shown to improve verbal memory – Kewpie-funded trial
The supplementation of egg yolk choline has been shown to improve verbal memory in a 12-week trial funded by Japan food firm Kewpie Corporation.
Egg yolk is a rich source of different choline-containing chemical forms, such as phosphatidylcholine (PC), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), and α-glycerophosphocholine (α-GPC).
Writing in Lipids in Health and Disease, the trial involved 60 healthy participants aged 60 to 80 without dementia but were informed to be forgetful. The intervention group took seven soft capsules amounting to 300mg of egg yolk choline provided by Kewpie Corporation while the control group took the placebo daily for 12 weeks.
