Global gut health experts guide growth of synbiotics

Date:
August 24, 2020
Source:
University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and
Environmental Sciences
Summary:
Chances are you've heard of probiotics: supplements delivering
'good microbes' to the gut, providing a wide range of health
benefits. You may also be aware of prebiotics: supplements designed
to fuel the good microbes already living in our guts. The next
wave of gut-health supplements, known as synbiotics, essentially
combine pre- and probiotics. To keep research and development on
the right track, an expert panel recently redefined the term and
developed guidelines on scientific investigation.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Chances are you've heard of or even taken probiotics: supplements
delivering "good microbes" to the gut, providing a wide range of health benefits. If you're really up on your gut health, you may also be aware
of prebiotics: supplements designed to fuel the good microbes already
living in our guts.


==========================================================================
The next wave of gut-health supplements, known as synbiotics, essentially combine pre- and probiotics. To keep research and development efforts on
the right track, an international panel of experts -- including two from
the University of Illinois -- recently redefined the term and developed guidelines on the scientific investigation of the supplements.

The consensus report, published in Nature Reviews: Gastroenterology & Hepatology, is expected to serve as the definitive reference in the
development of new synbiotic products.

"Synbiotics are starting to gain traction in the marketplace, but
there's a lot of confusion around the term, even among scientists," says
Kelly Swanson, consensus panel chair and professor in the Department of
Animal Sciences at Illinois. "The panel's main goal was to clarify what synbiotics are and provide guidance for future research and innovation."
The general idea of synbiotics was first proposed in 1995 when prebiotics
were defined. But the concept was left open to interpretation, and since
the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration regulates supplements loosely, companies
can sell products that may or may not provide health benefits.

"This consensus statement provides guidance for different stakeholders, including scientists in academia and industry, consumers, and even
journalists.

We want to remind each group that these terms should be used consistently, avoiding sensationalizing or overstating health claims," says Hannah
Holscher, panel member and assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Illinois.



==========================================================================
The updated definition for synbiotics is "a mixture comprising
live microorganisms and substrate(s) selectively utilized by host microorganisms that confers a health benefit on the host." The terms
prebiotic and probiotic have their own definitions and standards. By
omitting those specific terms from the definition of synbiotic, the
expert panel allows for the use of microorganisms and selectively
utilized substrates that may work together to elicit a health benefit
but may not fit the definitions of pre- and probiotics when administered independently.

"The old definition of synbiotic included pre- and probiotics, which
may have restricted innovation," Holscher explains.

Pre- and probiotics can still be combined under the new definition,
as long as they're tested together and shown to still provide positive,
if not necessarily related, health outcomes. For example, a prebiotic
might aid in digestive health while a probiotic may boost immunity after
a flu vaccine. As long as they still provide those benefits in the host,
they can be considered complementary synbiotics.

"The key there is testing. Even if the pre- and probiotics work
separately, there could be some antagonism when put together. So really,
they need be tested together in the target animal or human. We don't
want companies just randomly throwing things together," Swanson says.



==========================================================================
In contrast, the ingredients in synergistic synbiotics are additive,
working together to produce a single, targeted health benefit. These are
most likely to be made with novel ingredients not already categorized
under the current definitions of pre- and probiotics.

"In synergistic synbiotics, the substrate would support probiotic
survival," Holscher says. "For example, providing an energy source for
the probiotic or changing the microbiome to support the survival of
the probiotic." In either case, testing the ingredients together is
critical. The consensus panel lays out testing protocols for multiple
hosts, including humans, pets, and livestock animals, and encourages researchers to consider the effects of age, health status, sex, and
other important factors.

With better guiding documentation, the market for synbiotics is likely
to grow.

But before plunging into the new supplements, the researchers advise
consumers to consult with medical professionals to choose the right
product for their specific needs.

"Just because there's a pre-, pro-, or synbiotic on the market, that
doesn't mean they'll work across the board from infants to adults to geriatrics, from heart disease to gastrointestinal health. They're all
really there for a specific purpose," Swanson says.

Holscher adds, "The question is not whether you should take a pre-,
pro-, or synbiotic. The question is, 'what do you need those products to
do?' We know a lot about the specific health outcomes of these products,
so it's a matter of finding what you need rather than thinking of them
as a blanket cure-all." The article, "The International Scientific
Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on
the definition and scope of synbiotics," is published in Nature Reviews: Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

Authors include Kelly Swanson, Glenn Gibson, Robert Hutkins, Raylene
Reimer, Gregor Reid, Kristin Verbeke, Karen Scott, Hannah Holscher, Meghan Azad, Nathalie Delzenne, and Mary Ellen Sanders. The panel was supported
by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics.

The Department of Animal Sciences and the Department of Food Science
and Human Nutrition are in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Illinois_College_of_Agricultural,_Consumer and_Environmental_Sciences. Original written by Lauren Quinn. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Kelly S. Swanson, Glenn R. Gibson, Robert Hutkins, Raylene
A. Reimer,
Gregor Reid, Kristin Verbeke, Karen P. Scott, Hannah D. Holscher,
Meghan B. Azad, Nathalie M. Delzenne, Mary Ellen Sanders. The
International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics
(ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of
synbiotics. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2020;
DOI: 10.1038/s41575-020-0344-2 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200824123353.htm

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