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Attributes of Culture Bacteria as Influenced by Ingredients That Help Treat Leaky Gut

Summary

Researchers tested whether eight natural ingredients commonly used to treat leaky gut would affect the beneficial bacteria used to make yogurt. They found that ingredients like marshmallow root, licorice root, and slippery elm bark not only didn’t harm the yogurt bacteria but actually made them more resistant to stomach acid and bile. This means these ingredients could be safely added to yogurt to boost both the probiotic bacteria and the gut-healing properties of the product.

Background

Consumers are increasingly interested in functional ingredients such as medicinal herbs, polyphenols, mushrooms, amino acids, and probiotics. While these ingredients have demonstrated health benefits through gut microbiota, their impact on yogurt starter culture bacteria characteristics remains poorly understood.

Objective

To determine the influence of eight functional ingredients (L-glutamine, quercetin, slippery elm bark, marshmallow root, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, licorice root, maitake mushrooms, and zinc orotate) on the probiotic characteristics, tolerance to gastric juices and lysozyme, protease activity, and viability of Streptococcus thermophilus STI-06 and Lactobacillus bulgaricus LB-12.

Results

Marshmallow root, licorice root, and slippery elm bark improved bile and acid tolerance for S. thermophilus but had no significant impact on L. bulgaricus. None of the ingredients affected the growth of either bacterial strain. Marshmallow root, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, and maitake mushroom significantly increased protease activity in S. thermophilus. Quercetin and marshmallow root showed enhanced survival in simulated gastric juice and lysozyme resistance tests for both bacteria.

Conclusion

The functional ingredients at recommended concentrations did not adversely affect the probiotic properties of yogurt starter bacteria and can be safely applied in yogurt production. Marshmallow root and quercetin showed particular promise in enhancing bacterial tolerance to gastrointestinal stresses and improving survival rates.
  • Published in:Microorganisms,
  • Study Type:In vitro Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMID: 37110316
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