Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
 

Effects of Galactooligosaccharides on the Gut Microbiota in Lactose Intolerant Individuals

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/r494vt06f

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  • Lactose intolerance is a common food intolerance that occurs because of a post-weaning deficiency of lactase, an enzyme that cleaves the glyosidic bond of lactose. About 75% of the world's population is lactose intolerant. Common symptoms of lactose intolerance are abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea. ~25% of the world’s population can digest lactose post-weaning due to a genetic adaptation known as lactase persistence, the prevalence of which varies across geographical regions and ethnicities. Over millennia, domestication of milk-producing livestock and consumption of dairy products likely contributed to genetic adaptation to lactose persistence. Though there is currently no cure for genetic lactose intolerance, prebiotic strategies such as the consumption of galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and possibly consistent, low-level lactose can alter the gut microbiome and help manage symptoms. Herein, we investigate the prebiotic capacity of GOS in self-reported lactose-intolerant individuals. Daily supplementation with GOS led to a significant increase in the relative abundance of the genus Bifidobacteria. These microorganisms metabolize lactose without producing gas, which is a major causative factor in lactose intolerance symptoms. Therefore, increases in Bifidobacteria may result in alleviated symptoms of lactose intolerance. However, the physiological impact of these microbial changes was not verified in this study. Several alterations to microbial composition with GOS supplementation were observed. Most changes in relative abundance are transient and disappear once supplementation is discontinued. These findings suggest that habitual consumption of GOS may be needed to maintain the effect. Overall, several beneficial microorganisms increased or tended to increase as a result of supplementation, indicating a positive change to the gut microbiota.
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