Specially designed yogurt supplemented with combination of pro- and prebiotics relieved constipation in mice and humans

Abstract

Objective: Functional constipation is a gastrointestinal disorder that affects millions of people and is correlated with gut microbiome dysbiosis. The currently available treatments are ineffective; therefore, novel treatment schemes targeting the gut microbiome are desired. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of yogurt supplemented with seven probiotic strains and six types of dietary fibers on functional constipation.

Methods: In the mouse study, mice with induced constipation were administered the yogurt once a day for 1 wk, with fecal parameters and intestinal transit rate measured. In the clinical study, participants with constipation (N = 86) were given the yogurt once daily (200 g) for 4 wk. Fecal and blood samples along with Patient Assessment of Constipation-symptoms and Patient Assessment of Constipation-Quality of Life Scale questionnaires were collected to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the yogurt. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed to analyze fecal samples of both mice and humans.

Results: We found that constipated mice had different gut microbiomes compared with those in healthy controls; yogurt treatment significantly relieved constipation-related symptoms and resulted in shifts in the microbiome. Yogurt also relieved symptoms of antibiotic-induced constipation in mice and restored the gut microbiome to a certain extent. In the clinical trial with 86 patients, yogurt administration significantly improved constipation symptoms and showed no serious adverse effects (was generally considered safe). However, subsequent metagenomic profiling of the gut microbiome did not reveal significant changes in the microbial composition, in contrast to the results in mice. We hypothesize that the differences in dosage between mice and humans may attribute to such discrepancies, and microbiome changes may not be necessary for improvements of constipation symptoms in humans.

Conclusion: Results from this study showed that yogurt can potentially be used for the treatment of constipation.

Keywords: Clinical treatment; Functional constipation; Gut microbiota; Metagenomics; Patient assessment scores; Yogurt.