A clinical study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that a high-purity galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) ingredient marketed as Biotis GOS-OP High Purity by FrieslandCampina Ingredients exhibited prebiotic effects at unprecedentedly low dosages over a period of three weeks.
 
While previous research focused on the beneficial effects of GOS at higher doses in various target groups of adults, the new study was focused on women’s health, and its findings open the door for the development of on-trend supplements such as gummies containing GOS.
 
The study used a randomized, parallel, double-blind design, and involved 88 women between the ages of 40 and 70, a demographic that over-indexes on using supplements to support gut and digestive health.
 
After a control period of three weeks participants received either 1.3 or 2 grams of the GOS per day over three weeks, which was a time frame supported by previous studies to support gut microbiota changes. Fecal samples were collected for shotgun metagenomics sequencing before the control period, and then immediately before and after the intervention. Participants were asked to rate their sleep quality, mental well-being, and gut comfort on a weekly basis.
 
After treatment, both low doses of Biotis GOS-OP were associated with significantly greater abundance of Bifidobacterium compared to the control group, despite already-high baseline levels. Although this was observed for both dosages, the benefits were more pronounced in the 2 gram group.
 
There was also a noticeable shift in overall microbiota composition when subjects received 2 grams. The study also looked at exploratory well-being parameters and found that there was a trend toward improving sleep quality in both intervention groups, with more benefits noted in the 1.3 gram group.
 
Low-dose prebiotics offer an advantage for their compatibility in gummies and other on-trend formulations, noted FrieslandCampina Ingredients. In the gummy supplements space, an estimated 54.5% of products (per Nutrition Integrated) require two gummies for a single serving size, and 20% of women’s health gummies have a serving size of four gummies. Biotis GOS-OP High Purity is compatible for single-gummy serving sizes.
 
“Although the effects of prebiotics on improved gut health and holistic health have been widely studied, research using low dosages of prebiotics like GOS have been limited until now. This new clinical study is exciting as it paves the way for FrieslandCampina Ingredients and the broader nutrition industry to better support consumers with innovative, convenient formats, such as single-serving supplements, that can be taken on the go and suit busy lifestyles,” said Vicky Davies, global marketing director at FrieslandCampina Ingredients.
 
“Research already suggests that there are fecal microbial changes associated with aging, including reduced Bifidobacteria numbers, so this new clinical study underlines the importance of prebiotics in those aged 40 years and above. Implementing a control period without any intervention was also key to reflect the variation of microbiota over time, as it reflects how the body would typically respond to low doses of GOS in a real-life setting. The next step is to further explore the health benefits of the increase in relative abundance of Bifidobacteria, as well as a longer intervention period.”