Effect of yoghurt with a Bifidobacteria enhancer and dietary fiber on irritable bowel syndrome

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of supplementation with a Bifidobacteria enhanced yogurt (BE0623 yogurt), which includes Bifidobacterium lactis BB12, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Bifidobacterium lactis, in the management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using animal models and clinical trials. In a rat study, a loperamide-treated group (LOP) showed reduced water content in fecal pellets but showed an increased number of fecal pellets in the distal colon. In addition, the BE0623 yogurt (L-BE0623Y) group had the fewest fecal pellets in the distal colon. Regarding the serum lipid parameters, the LOP group had a high-density lipoprotein (HDL)/total cholesterol ratio that was 43% lower than that of a normal water group (NOR), but the outcome for the L-BE0623Y group was 27% lower than the NOR group. In a human study, 116 adults with IBS were sampled as subjects and fed 300 mL of yogurt per day for an eight week period. There was an IBS improvement in the L-BE0623Y and commercial yogurt (L-CY) groups, though flatulence, stool consistency and frequency of defecation outcomes were also noted. Specifically, the L-BE0623Y treatment group showed significant effects with regard to defecation duration and urgency after the consumption of the yogurt used in this study. These results suggest that the Bifidobacteria-enhanced yogurt has superior effects with regard to relieving loperamide-induced constipation in rats and that regular consumption of L-BE0623Y is effective to improve IBS in humans.