Prebiotics

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What are prebiotics?

Prebiotics are generally non-digestible fibres, with the most widely accepted definition of a prebiotic being “ a selectively fermented ingredient that results in specific changes in the composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, thus conferring benefit(s) upon host health”.[1]

Prebiotics act to support both the growth and activity of beneficial bacterial species resulting in maximal production of beneficial metabolites called short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs have numerous advantageous effects on intestinal health; for example SCFAs act to reduce luminal pH, thereby suppressing growth of pathogenic bacterial species and allowing numbers of beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus spp.) to increase.[2]Furthermore the SCFA, butyrate, acts as the preferred energy source for colonocytes, providing approximately 70% of their total energy requirement.[3][4]

As with probiotics, there are certain criteria which prebiotics need to fulfil order to be defined as an ideal prebiotic, including:

  • Resistance to the stomach acid
  • Undigestible to mammalian digestive enzymes within the stomach and small intestine
  • Prebiotics should not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract prior to bacterial fermentation
  • Easily fermented by beneficial bacteria of the microbiota, thereby selectively stimulating the growth of species that are advantageous to host health

Types of prebiotics

  • Fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) consists of fructose units and is a naturally occurring oligosaccharide found within plants such as onion, chicory, asparagus, banana, artichoke, and many more.[5] FOS is able to bypass small intestinal digestive enzymes and enter the proximal colon intact where it is then readily fermented by the microbiota into SCFAs.[2]
  • Acacia gum is a highly branched and complex structure which is fermented more slowly than FOS, primarily by bacteria within the distal colon. Acacia gum has shown to significantly increase Bifidobacteria proliferation (similar to FOS), whilst inhibiting bacteria commonly associated with gastrointestinal dysbiosis e.g. Clostridium histolyticum.[6]
  • Galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) is formed from a chain of galactose units, produced through the enzymatic conversion of lactose and are naturally found in human milk where they are known as human milk oligosaccharides. GOS is able to increase Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli and reduce gastrointestinal adherence of Clostridia, Salmonella and E.coli.[7][8]
  • Mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) is a complex carbohydrate usually derived from yeast cell walls, most commonly Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As well as having a prebiotic effect on the microbiota, MOS can also support intestinal immunity by increasing disease resistance; MOS can bind to the fimbriae of pathogens, resulting in a reduction in adherence and colonisation of the gastrointestinal tract.[9]
  • Inulin- Similar to FOS, inulin is a fructan comprised of fructose units and has been shown to increase levels of Bifidobacterium and concentrations of faecal SCFAs.[10]
  • Resistant starch (RS) is the indigestible component of starch often found in sources such as corn, potatoes, and rice and cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes. Instead, RS passes into the large intestine where it undergoes slower microbial fermentation helping to minimise post prandial glucose elevations, as well as producing large quantities of SCFAs. As such, the potential role of RS in the management and/or prevention of colon cancer, obesity and diabetes is of growing interest.[11]

What are synbiotics?

When given together, probiotics and prebiotics are called synbiotics, named so because of the symbiotic relationship that exists between them. It is suggested that provision of a prebiotic with a probiotic can improve the live microorganism’s viability, enhancing its survival through the upper gastrointestinal tract and stimulating its growth and/or activity within the colon.[12]

From a clinical standpoint, there is a rationale for synbiotic therapy alongside antibiotic use in both dogs and cats. It is well documented that antibiotics (e.g. metronidazole, enrofloxacin, clindamycin) can have a long-lasting and profound impact on the faecal microbiome that can take weeks, months or even years to recover.[13][14] Concurrent synbiotic therapy can support greater recovery of both microbiome and metabolome (metabolites produced by the microbiome) composition after antibiotic discontinuation.[14] Furthermore, synbiotic supplementation has been shown to reduce the incidence of diarrhoea in dogs following entry into boarding kennels. Hence, the role of synbiotic therapy in improving animal welfare and increasing chances of rehoming, as well as decreasing the need for medical interventions, is relevant to many professionals in the animal health sector.[15]

Author: Pippa Coupe BVSc, MRCVS Veterinary Product Manager at Protexin Veterinary. Protexin Veterinary is a brand of ADM Protexin Ltd

www.protexinvet.com

In Partnership With Protexin Veterinary

References

  1. ↑ Davani-Davari D, Negahdaripour M, Karimzadeh I, et al. Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods 2019; 8(3):92
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Oku T, Nakamura S. Fructooligosaccharide: metabolism through gut microbiota and prebiotic effect. Food Nutr. J. 2017;2:128
  3. ↑ Fernández J, Redondo-Blanco S, Gutiérrez-del-Río I, Miguélez EM, Villar CJ, Lombo F. Colon microbiota fermentation of dietary prebiotics towards short-chain fatty acids and their roles as anti-inflammatory and antitumour agents: A review. J. Funct. Foods 2016;25:511-22.
  4. ↑ Ahmad MS, Krishnan S, Ramakrishna BS, et al. Butyrate and glucose metabolism by colonocytes in experimental colitis in mice. Gut 2000;46:493-499
  5. ↑ Sabater-Molina M, Larqué E, Torrella F, Zamora S. Dietary fructooligosaccharides and potential benefits on health. J Physiol Biochem 2009;65(3):315-328
  6. ↑ Rawi M, Abdullah A, Ismail A, Sarbini S. Manipulation of Gut Microbiota Using Acacia Gum Polysaccharide. ACS omega 2021; 6(28):17782–17797
  7. ↑ Shoaf K, Muvey GL, Armstrong GD, Hutkins RW. Prebiotic galactooligosaccharides reduce adherence of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli to tissue culture cells. Infect Immun 2006;74(12):6920–8.
  8. ↑ 8. Sinclair HR, et al. Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) inhibit Vibrio cholerae toxin binding to its GM1 receptor. J. Agric. Food Chem 2009; 57(8):3113–3119
  9. ↑ Van den Abbeele P, Duysburgh C, Rakebrandt M, Marzorati M. Dried yeast cell walls high in beta-glucan and mannan-oligosaccharides positively affect microbial composition and activity in the canine gastrointestinal tract in vitro. J Anim Sci 2020;98(6)
  10. ↑ Rawi M, Abdullah A, Ismail A, Sarbini S. Manipulation of Gut Microbiota Using Acacia Gum Polysaccharide. ACS omega 2021; 6(28):17782–17797
  11. ↑ Birt DF, Boylston T, Hendrich S, et al. Resistant starch: promise for improving human health. Adv Nutr 2013;4(6):587-601.
  12. ↑ Pandey KR, Naik SR, Vakil BV. Probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics- a review. J Food Sci Technol 2015;52(12):7577-7587.
  13. ↑ Pilla R, Gaschen FP, Barr JW, et al. Effects of metronidazole on the fecal microbiome and metabolome in healthy dogs. J Vet Intern Med 2020;34(5):1853-1866.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Whittemore JC, Price JM, Moyers T, Suchodolski JS. Effects of Synbiotics on the Fecal Microbiome and Metabolomic Profiles of Healthy Research Dogs Administered Antibiotics: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:665713.
  15. ↑ Rose L, Rose J, Gosling S, Holmes M. Efficacy of a Probiotic-Prebiotic Supplement on Incidence of Diarrhea in a Dog Shelter: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Vet Intern Med 2017;31(2):377-382
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