Fructans from Agave enhance probiotic yoghurt by modulating gut microbiota on children with overweight or obesity

Overweight and obesity in children are an increasing public health problem, and the influence the gut microbiota has on it, is still discussed. The consumption of prebiotics has been studied in children with overweight and obesity after an intervention with fermented milk, supplemented with different fructans like prebiotics, was carried out to obtain a healthy microbiota. Children were randomly assigned into three groups, a double-blind intervention was carried out, receiving different fermented milk products for 6 weeks, including the following supplements: Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota, L. casei strain Shirota with inulin or L. casei strain Shirota with fructans from Agave salmiana Otto ex Salm-Dyck. DNA was extracted from stool samples and the differential abundance of ASV was monitored by high throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. A synbiotic with fructans from A. salmiana stimulated the abundance and diversity of the microbiota, specifically on genera Faecalibacterium and Holdemanella, thus, leading to a healthier gut microbiota, which led to obtaining the best anthropometric changes in synbiotic groups. Synbiotic intervention may provide health benefits to children with overweight or obesity by increasing the richness of the gut microbiota and stimulate beneficial bacteria. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to get a better understanding of the mechanisms of action. © 2021

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