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Effects of yogurt fermented with Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus OLL1073R‐1 on the IgA flow rate of saliva in elderly persons residing in a nursing home: A before‐after non‐randomised intervention study
Author(s) -
Yamamoto Yuko,
Fujino Kazuhiro,
Saruta Juri,
Takahashi Toru,
To Masahiro,
Fuchida Shinya,
Shimizu Tomoko,
Kamata Yohei,
Misawa Kyoko,
Tsukinoki Keiichi
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
gerodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1741-2358
pISSN - 0734-0664
DOI - 10.1111/ger.12296
Subject(s) - saliva , medicine , lactobacillus , immune system , immunoglobulin a , physiology , immunology , immunoglobulin g , food science , fermentation , biology
Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the alterations in the salivary IgA levels of elderly persons administered yogurt fermented with Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus ( L. bulgaricus ) OLL1073R‐1, which has been reported to reduce the risk of colds. Background Salivary immunoglobulin (Ig)A plays an important role in the defence of the oral cavity mucous membrane against foreign antigens and pathogens. Accordingly, low levels of salivary IgA are associated with an increased risk of upper respiratory tract infection. Furthermore, salivary IgA secretion has been reported to decrease with age. Recently, several studies have reported that certain strains of Lactobacillus and their products can modulate the immune response, but there are currently few studies on the effects of on the IgA level in human saliva. Materials and methods This was a before‐after non‐randomised intervention study. Thirty‐seven elderly persons (mean age, 82.7 years) residing in a single nursing home ingested 112 g of the yogurt every morning for 12 weeks. The participants’ saliva was collected before and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of yogurt intake. Results Our results showed that yogurt intake affected the concentration of IgA in the saliva ( P < .0001). Additionally, yogurt intake and the body weight of the participants affected the IgA flow rate of saliva ( P = .0003 and .03, respectively). Conclusion Continuous intake of yogurt fermented with L. bulgaricus OLL1073R‐1 may help improve the mucosal immune function in elderly people with weakened immune systems.