Effect of Continuous Ingestion of Bifidobacteria and Dietary Fiber on Improvement in Cognitive Function: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Abstract

Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis GCL2505 has been shown to have some positive effects on health, including improved defecation frequency and reduced visceral fat. These effects are thought to be due to GCL2505′s unique ability to reach the intestine in a viable form and proliferate after a single intake. This leads to an increased number of intestinal bifidobacteria. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was conducted to confirm that intake of GCL2505 and inulin (a prebiotic) improve cognitive function (n = 80). Participants consumed test drinks containing 1 × 1010 colony-forming units of GCL2505 per 100 g and 2.0 g of inulin per 100 g for 12 weeks. The change in cognitive function assessment scores was set as the primary endpoint. There were significant improvements in scores in the neurocognitive index domain, which is an assessment of overall cognitive function, in addition to overall attention, cognitive flexibility, and executive function domains. The intervention significantly increased the number of fecal bifidobacteria and affected the levels of several inflammatory markers. These results suggest that intake of GCL2505 and inulin improves cognitive function by improving the intestinal environment and alleviating inflammation.

Exploring the Influence of Gut–Brain Axis Modulation on Cognitive Health: A Comprehensive Review of Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Symbiotics

“…In our review of the literature, we found that probiotic/prebiotic/symbiotic supplementation, administered for a minimum of 4 weeks (up to a maximum of 6 months), resulted in a significant improvement ( p < 0.05) in cognitive performance among healthy aging individuals (over 60 years old) (see Table 2 ). This improvement was observed in various domains, including memory, attention, and visuospatial/constructional abilities [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. However, one study [ 27 ] did not find a significant improvement in cognitive performance due to probiotic supplementation, specifically in seniors (average age 64.3 years) who were physically active and met recommended exercise guidelines.…”

Effect of Continuous Ingestion of Bifidobacteria and Inulin on Reducing Body Fat: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Comparison Study

“…Accumulation of visceral fat induces chronic inflammation. Recent studies have reported that intake of GCL2505 and inulin suppresses chronic inflammation, thereby improving cognitive and vascular function [58,59]. Further research is needed to determine the mechanism by which the intake of GCL2505 and inulin suppresses chronic inflammation by suppressing visceral fat accumulation.…”

An Update on Prebiotics and on Their Health Effects

“…Prebiotics could also affect cognitive functions. For example, Azuma et al [23] studied the effect of a beverage containing inulin on Japanese women or men (50-80 years) and assessed biochemical and immunological parameters, the quali-quantitative compo-sition of the microbiota of fecal samples, the cognitive functions through Cognitrax (a computer-based battery of cognitive function tests), and quality of life on eight scales (physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health); the results revealed the improvement in the scores of three domains of cognitive functions (attention, flexibility, and executive functions), probably linked to an increase in bifidobacteria and to a slight modulation of some inflammatory markers.…”