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The researchers from Germany compared the efficacy of a synbiotic comprisingย DSM-Firmenichโs bacterial strainย Bacillus megateriumย โDSM 32963 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (nโ-3 PUFA) fromย AvailOmโ, against a placebo, or fish oil with a similarย nโ-3 PUFA content, in 72 healthy participants over 28 days.ย
Results published in the journalย Nutrientsโย showed the synbiotic increased circulating specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPM) precursor levels, which isย importantย forย the regulation ofย immune responses, to a further extent than fish oil.
โThis study opens a new perspective in the practice of omega-3 supplementation, as it shows that a unique synbiotic omega-3 formula is superior to standard omega-3 supplementation in terms of providing the host with pro-resolving lipid mediators (LM),โ Bodo Speckmann, innovation manager at Evonik told NutraIngredients.
Synbiotic strategyย โ
Responses toย nโ-3 PUFA supplementation canย vary widely among individualsโ. It is metabolized by several endogenous enzymes into bioactive LMs, a prominent group of which are SPMs, whichย promote inflammation resolutionโ.
SPMs are crucial for receiving the health benefits of n-3 PUFA, but their production can be compromised inย certain health conditionsโ, which can contribute to persistent inflammation.
Increasing the concentration of SPMs in the body has been investigated as a strategy to overcome this issue through enriched fish oil preparations,ย howeverย even at a very highย doseย results showedโย only a short-term increase in plasma SPM concentrations.
The German researchersย thereforeย developedย a synbiotic strategy based on a microbial conversion ofย nโ-3 PUFA to SPMs by probiotic bacteria of the genusย Bacillus megaterium.ย โIt has been found to convert omega-3 fatty acids into anti-inflammatory lipids, and oneย in vitroโย study found that it,ย in combinationย with PUFA salt,ย enabled the production of SPMsโ.
In Vivo Biotics Resolvin Beyond Omegaย โ
Participants received either the synbiotic (250 mg EPA, DHA, lysine salts, and two billion CFUย Bacillus megaterium)โ, placebo, or fish oil (300 mg EPA plus DHA) capsules daily for four weeks, andย biomarkers were assessedย at baseline and after two and 28 days of intervention.ย
Primary analysis involvedย the comparison betweenย the synbiotic and placebo, as well as the synbiotic compared to fish oil.
Results showed that the synbiotic significantly increased circulating SPM precursor levels, including 18-hydroxy-eicosapentaenoic acid (18-HEPE) plus 5-HEPE, which was not achieved to the same extent by fish oil.
As Speckmann explained, both components of the synbiotic synergized in the gastrointestinal tract to produce SPM and precursors, which are thereafter absorbed by the body.
โBacillus megateriumโย DSM 32963, which carries a unique CYP enzyme, produces these SPM and precursors using n-3 PUFA free fatty acid salts as a substrate; these reactions occur independent from the resident gut microbiota and independent from host metabolism,โ he noted.
The authors concluded the findings strengthen the idea that a disturbed or limited metabolic capacity of the body to produce pro-resolving LM with health-beneficial properties fromย nโ-3 PUFA canย be compensatedย by suitable synbiotics.
They explained that the outcomes suggest thatย nโ-3 PUFA supplementation, especially in the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions, could be significantly improved through the synbiotic approach.
They added that the synbiotic could mean using smaller doses ofย nโ-3 PUFA than typical, potentially avoiding possible side effects from supranutritional intake levels, increasing convenience andย patientย compliance.
Speckmann added that โthe conversion is independent from human metabolism, and we therefore suspect that our formula will deliver pro-resolving LM also in people with limited metabolic capacity to produce them by themselves, e.g. people with metabolic syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel diseasesโ.
โOverall, we are intrigued by our findings so far and look forward to the outcomes of our ongoing studies, as they may lead to better omega-3 intervention strategies to support the lives of healthy as well as diseased people,โ he stated.
Further testing will provide additional and crucial insights into its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic SPM profile and possible therapeutic use.
Journal:ย Nutrientsโ
doi:ย https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16091354โย
โSynbioticย Bacillus megateriumโย DSM 32963 and n-3 PUFA Salt Composition Elevates Pro-Resolving Lipid Mediator Levels in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized Controlled Study.โ
Authors: Speckmann, B. Et al.
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