Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, Seoul 139-742, Republic of Korea.
Nutr J. 2010 Feb 5;9:5. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-9-5.
Constipation is a significant problem in the elderly, specifically nursing home and/or extended-care facility residents are reported to suffer from constipation. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are beneficial probiotic organisms that contribute to improved nutrition, microbial balance, and immuno-enhancement of the intestinal tract, as well as diarrhea and constipation effect. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of this LAB supplement in the management of nursing home residents.
Nineteen subjects (8M, 11F; mean age 77.1 +/- 10.1) suffering with chronic constipation were assigned to receive LAB (3.0 x 10(11) CFU/g) twice (to be taken 30 minutes after breakfast and dinner) a day for 2 weeks in November 2008. Subjects draw up a questionnaire on defecation habits (frequency of defecation, amount and state of stool), and we collected fecal samples from the subjects both before entering and after ending the trial, to investigate LAB levels and inhibition of harmful enzyme activities. Results were tested with SAS and Student's t-test.
Analysis of questionnaire showed that there was an increase in the frequency of defecation and amount of stool excreted in defecation habit after LAB treatment, but there were no significant changes. And it also affects the intestinal environment, through significantly increase (p < 0.05) fecal LAB levels. In addition, tryptophanase and urease among harmful enzyme activities of intestinal microflora were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) after LAB treatment.
LAB, when added to the standard treatment regimen for nursing home residents with chronic constipation, increased defecation habit such as frequency of defecation, amount and state of stool. So, it may be used as functional probiotics to improve human health by helping to prevent constipation.
便秘是老年人的一个重大问题，据报道，养老院和/或长期护理机构的居民尤其会受到便秘的困扰。乳酸菌（LAB）是有益的益生菌，有助于改善营养、微生物平衡和肠道免疫增强，以及腹泻和便秘的效果。本研究的目的是研究这种 LAB 补充剂在养老院居民管理中的疗效。
19 名患有慢性便秘的受试者（8 男，11 女；平均年龄 77.1 +/- 10.1）被分配接受 LAB（3.0 x 10(11) CFU/g），每天两次（早餐和晚餐后 30 分钟服用），持续 2 周，于 2008 年 11 月。受试者填写一份关于排便习惯的问卷（排便频率、排便量和粪便状态），我们从受试者中收集粪便样本，在进入试验前和试验结束后进行调查，以研究 LAB 水平和抑制有害酶活性。结果用 SAS 和学生 t 检验进行检验。
问卷分析显示，LAB 治疗后排便习惯中的排便频率和排便量增加，但无显著变化。它还通过显著增加（p < 0.05）粪便中 LAB 水平来影响肠道环境。此外，LAB 治疗后肠道微生物菌群中的色氨酸酶和脲酶等有害酶活性显著降低（p < 0.05）。
LAB 作为慢性便秘养老院居民标准治疗方案的附加物，增加了排便习惯，如排便频率、排便量和粪便状态。因此，它可以作为功能性益生菌，通过帮助预防便秘来改善人类健康。
