Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium

The effects of the most widely used probiotics, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, on body odor are not universal and may vary depending on the individual. According to MEBO interviews conducted in 2009 with laboratories offering microbial testing, it was suggested that high levels of Lactobacillus (responsible for the odor of uncooked food waste) may not always be beneficial. Instead, they recommended incorporating probiotics such as Bifidobacteria or Saccharomyces boulardii, along with prebiotic fiber, into the diet to potentially help the MEBO population. D-lactate was one of the tests they offered to quantify overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. Nevertheless, D-lactate was elevated in less than 20% in less than 20% of MEBO and PATM groups, as per our early clinical trials.

Data from our microbiome study indicate that while there was a general trend of increasing levels of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in individuals who achieve remission, less than 10% of participants needed to boost levels for both species in order to improve their condition. 

In line with previous knowledge, in MEBO/PATM population, Bifidobacterium (one of the first microbes to colonize the human gastrointestinal tract) was more common in younger individuals. About one third of the participants experienced lesser symptoms when increasing levels of their gut Bifidobacteria, another third benefited from more Lactobacillus and the remaining third felt better when increasing levels of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (a butyrate-producing anaerobe typically associated with good health). 

Our findings suggest that individuals with the highest bacterial diversity don't benefit from increasing levels of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, while those with low diversity levels do need more probiotic microbes in their system. 

The figure (probiotic data overlayed with the Figure from our published results on diversity and skin bacteria in the gut) demonstrates the complexity of these bacterial perturbations and emphasizes the need to consider more than the most known probiotic species when predicting which treatment will work best for reducing MEBO and PATM symptoms. 

Research has shown that the gut microbiome is far more complex than previously thought, with hundreds of bacterial species interacting in a delicate balance.  Therefore, focusing solely on Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium may not be enough to promote a healthy gut microbiome for everyone. Besides, different strains of bacteria within the same species can have different effects on the body, and the effects of any given strain can depend on a variety of factors, including the individual's overall health, genetics, other strains in the microbiome, and diet. 

More in the latest Olfactics blog post. 

get New Posts by EMAIL : Enter your email address :

---

A EURORDIS and NORD Member Organization