Background: Studies have shown that prebiotics and synbiotics modulate the intestinal microbiota and may have beneficial effects on the immune response and anthropometric indices; however, the impact of the use of these supplements after bariatric surgery is not yet known.
Goals: This study investigated the effects of prebiotic and synbiotic supplementation on inflammatory markers and anthropometric indices in individuals undergoing open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).
Study: In this randomized, controlled, and triple-blind trial conducted as a pilot study, individuals undergoing RYGB (n=9) and healthy individuals (n=9) were supplemented with 6 g/d of placebo (maltodextrin), prebiotic (fructo-oligosaccharide, FOS), or synbiotic (FOS+Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria strains) for 15 days.
Results: Interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein, albumin, and the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio showed no significant changes on comparison between groups after supplementation. The reduction in the body weight of patients undergoing RYGB was 53.8% higher in the prebiotic group compared with the placebo group (-0.7 kg, P=0.001), whereas the reduction in the BMI and the increase in the percentage of excess weight loss were higher in the placebo and the prebiotic groups compared with the synbiotic group (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Supplementation of FOS increased weight loss, whereas both prebiotics and synbiotics were not able to promote significant changes in inflammatory markers, although in most analyses, there was a reduction in their absolute values. The use of FOS may represent a potential adjunct in the treatment of obesity.