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Beneficial Effects of Long‐Term Consumption of a Probiotic Combination of Lactobacillus casei Shirota and Bifidobacterium breve Yakult May Persist After Suspension of Therapy in Lactose‐Intolerant Patients
Author(s) -
Almeida Camila Casuccio,
Lorena Sônia Letícia Silva,
Pavan Célia Regina,
Akasaka Helena Midori Imamura,
Mesquita Maria Aparecida
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
nutrition in clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.725
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1941-2452
pISSN - 0884-5336
DOI - 10.1177/0884533612440289
Subject(s) - probiotic , medicine , lactobacillus casei , lactose , bifidobacterium breve , lactose intolerance , discontinuation , gastroenterology , area under the curve , placebo , hydrogen breath test , bifidobacterium , lactobacillus , food science , breath test , fermentation , bacteria , helicobacter pylori , chemistry , genetics , alternative medicine , pathology , biology
Background : The efficacy of some probiotic strains for the management of lactose intolerance remains to be established. Aim :To evaluate the effects of a 4‐week consumption of a probiotic product containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota and Bifidobacterium breve Yakult (10 7 –10 9 CFU of each strain) on symptoms and breath hydrogen exhalation after a lactose load in lactose‐intolerant patients and whether the beneficial results persisted after probiotic discontinuation. Methods : Twenty‐seven patients with lactose maldigestion and intolerance participated in this study, which comprised 4 hydrogen breath tests: baseline condition (20 g lactose), after lactase ingestion (9000 FCC units), at the end of 4‐week probiotic supplementation, and a follow‐up test performed 3 months after probiotic discontinuation. For each test, the area under the breath hydrogen concentration vs time curve (AUC 180 min ) was calculated, and symptom scores were recorded. Results : The probiotic combination significantly reduced symptom scores ( P < .01) and breath hydrogen AUC ( P = .04) compared with the baseline condition. The comparison with the lactase test showed that symptom scores were similar ( P > .05), despite the significantly higher ( P = .01) AUC values after probiotic use. In the follow‐up test, symptom scores and breath hydrogen AUC values remained similar to those found at the end of probiotic intervention. Conclusion : Four‐week consumption of a probiotic combination of L casei Shirota and B breve Yakult seems to improve symptoms and decrease hydrogen production intake in lactose‐intolerant patients. These effects may persist for at least 3 months after suspension of probiotic consumption.