Katarina Fehir Šola1, Sanda Vladimir-Knežević2, Pero Hrabač3, Iva Mucalo2, Luciano Saso4, Donatella Verbanac2. 1. Community Pharmacy Bjelovar, Bjelovar, Croatia. kfsola@gmail.com. 2. University of Zagreb Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Zagreb, Croatia. 3. Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia. 4. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal conditions, particularly among older individuals. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of selected multistrain probiotics on functional constipation and laboratory blood parameters in the elderly living in a nursing home. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty participants (42 females and 18 males) aged 77.9 ± 8.84 years with functional constipation, who met the eligibility criteria, completed the study. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design, each participant was randomized to receive either the selected probiotic mixture (N = 28) or placebo (N = 32) for 12 weeks as an adjunct to their usual diet and medications. The liquid probiotic formulation containing Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLC1, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA3 and Lactobacillus casei BGP93 was tested for the first time. RESULTS: Supplementation of selected probiotics resulted in a slight but nonsignificant increase in cumulative stool frequency compared with placebo. However, after the 71st day of the treatment, the cumulative number of stools was significantly higher in the probiotic group (P < 0.05) when the influence of laxative was excluded. The trend towards an increase in the difference between the two groups, which began 1 week after the probiotic intervention, pointed out to their prolonged effect. There were no significant dependent or independent effects of treatment and time on most of the 27 laboratory blood parameters tested. CONCLUSIONS: Multistrain probiotic supplementation was found to be efficacious, safe and well tolerated in the elderly with functional constipation.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal conditions, particularly among older individuals. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of selected multistrain probiotics on functional constipation and laboratory blood parameters in the elderly living in a nursing home. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty participants (42 females and 18 males) aged 77.9 ± 8.84 years with functional constipation, who met the eligibility criteria, completed the study. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design, each participant was randomized to receive either the selected probiotic mixture (N = 28) or placebo (N = 32) for 12 weeks as an adjunct to their usual diet and medications. The liquid probiotic formulation containing Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLC1, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA3 and Lactobacillus casei BGP93 was tested for the first time. RESULTS: Supplementation of selected probiotics resulted in a slight but nonsignificant increase in cumulative stool frequency compared with placebo. However, after the 71st day of the treatment, the cumulative number of stools was significantly higher in the probiotic group (P < 0.05) when the influence of laxative was excluded. The trend towards an increase in the difference between the two groups, which began 1 week after the probiotic intervention, pointed out to their prolonged effect. There were no significant dependent or independent effects of treatment and time on most of the 27 laboratory blood parameters tested. CONCLUSIONS: Multistrain probiotic supplementation was found to be efficacious, safe and well tolerated in the elderly with functional constipation.
Authors: Gopanandan Parthasarathy; Jun Chen; Xianfeng Chen; Nicholas Chia; Helen M O'Connor; Patricia G Wolf; H Rex Gaskins; Adil E Bharucha Journal: Gastroenterology Date: 2015-10-13 Impact factor: 22.682
Authors: Eirini Dimidi; Stephanos Christodoulides; Konstantinos C Fragkos; S Mark Scott; Kevin Whelan Journal: Am J Clin Nutr Date: 2014-08-06 Impact factor: 7.045