Synbiotics and EGCG improved gut balance
- Pre- and probiotics rebalance microbiome
Pre- and probiotics together make up synbiotics. In this study, 54 youth, aged 8 to 17, with obesity but otherwise healthy, of normal height and cognition, took a daily placebo or a multi-strain probiotic plus inulin. Doctors asked participants to reduce calories by 10 percent and to exercise at least 30 minutes per day.
After 12 weeks, while the placebo group had not changed, the ratio of good-to-bad bacteria in the two major bacteria families improved for synbiotics, as measured in stool samples. A specific obesity-related bacteria, Eubacterium dolichum, also decreased in the synbiotics groups. Doctors said the improvements in the good-to-bad bacteria ratio in the gut support hormones that affect metabolic function by increasing the ability to harvest energy.
REFERENCE: GUT PATHOGENS; 2023, VOL. 15, NO. 6, ARTICLE S13099
- EGCG reduces pathogenic bacteria in ASD
Those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation that may be linked to an imbalance in the microbiome. In this large review of epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) studies, doctors concluded EGCG inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria like clostridium perfringens, which has a link to behavioral disorders and psychological distress.
In addition, EGCG increases two beneficial gut bacteria: bifidobacterium spp and Akkermansia spp. These two bacteria metabolically help maintain the integrity of epithelial tissue lining vessels and organs, with nerve-protecting effects on the brain. Discussing the findings, doctors said the results make EGCG a “highly promising complementary treatment in ASD.”
