Immunomodulating potential of supplementation with probiotics: a dose-response study in healthy young adults

• Published in: FEMS immunology and medical microbiology Vol. 47; no. 3; pp. 380 - 390
• Main Authors: Christensen, Hanne Risager, Larsen, Charlotte Nexmann, Kæstel, Pernille, Rosholm, Lisbeth Buus, Sternberg, Claus, Michaelsen, Kim Fleischer, Frøkiær, Hanne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2006; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Bifidobacterium - immunology; Bifidobacterium - isolation & purification; Cytokines - blood; Dietary Supplements; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; dose–response; Double-Blind Method; Feces - microbiology; Female; healthy human adults; Humans; Immune response; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin A - analysis; Immunoglobulin A - blood; Immunoglobulins - blood; Immunologic Factors - administration & dosage; immunomodulation; Interferon; Interleukin 10; Lactobacillus - immunology; Lactobacillus - isolation & purification; Lactobacillus paracasei; Leukocytes; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Microorganisms; Phagocytes; Phagocytes - drug effects; Phagocytosis; probiotic; Probiotics; Probiotics - administration & dosage; Statistical analysis; Supplements; Young adults; γ-Interferon; immunomodulation; probiotic; dose—response; healthy human adults
• ISSN: 0928-8244; 1574-695X; 2049-632X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.2006.00109.x

Abstract Certain probiotic microorganisms have been found beneficial in the treatment of immune-related diseases and may also affect immune function in healthy people. Intervention studies of probiotics in healthy humans are urgently required. Here, the immunomodulating potential of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis (BB-12) and Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (CRL-431) was studied in a double-blind placebo-controlled parallel dose–response trial (n=71) based on five randomly assigned groups of young healthy adults supplemented for 3 weeks with 0, 108, 109, 1010 and 1011 CFU day−1, respectively, of a mixture of BB-12 and CRL-431. No statistically significant dose-dependent effect was found for phagocytic activity in blood leukocytes, fecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentrations or production of interferon-γ and interleukin-10 in blood cells. When evaluating data according to the amount of viable BB-12 recovered from faeces, the interferon-γ production in blood cells was significantly reduced. In conclusion, no solid effect on the immune function of young healthy adults supplemented with even high doses of B. animalis ssp. lactis BB-12 and L. paracasei ssp. paracasei CRL-431 was demonstrated in this study.